habilis

My wife and I recently rode the Columbia Trail (High Bridge to Long Valley, 16 miles). What a beautiful ride, especially the lower half. It runs through the Ken Lockwood Gorge and along other deep ravines. The south branch of the Raritan River is a fast-moving trout stream and is visible most of the way. On two different occasions, we found two good eateries in Califon, the midpoint of the trail.

The northern half is also beautiful, with horse farms and woods. Long Valley has antique shops and a few places to eat.

The trail is mostly level (a big plus in my wife's estimation) and the surface is finely crushed and packed stone, so even road bikes are okay.

Has anyone ridden the Sussex Branch Trail or any other good routes at least 10 miles long? How about Patriot's Path in Morris County?

Papa Tom

The New Jersey Waterfront Walkway from Hoboken to Liberty State Park is a great ride, although it is not a rail trail. The Henry Hudson is also a nice bikeway, but I can't provide much info about it.

I've included a snippet from the New Jersey page of my website describing the Edgar Felix Bikeway below. Please note that my most recent ride on this bikeway was in 2003.

groth

I'm with you on the Columbia Trail! I like to start in High Bridge, have lunch at the Long Valley Pub and Brewery and ride back to High Bridge.

You might want to look at the Delaware and Raritan Canal Trails. Altogether they are about 70 miles: Frenchtown to Trenton to New Brunswick. The surface is similar paving to that of the Columbia Trail. The segment from Washington's Crossing to Frenchtown along the Delaware River is quite nice. It's about 22 miles long. Eateries at Washington's Crossing, many at Lambertville/New Hope, many at Stockton, some at Lumberville (walk across the bridge at Bulls Island) and several at Frenchtown. Many parking areas, including big lots at Washington's Crossing and Frenchtown.

Here's a link to the D&R Canal Park website:

D&R Canal

- Ed

habilis

@Papa Tom, @groth, Great information! Thanks!

Papa Tom

I rode the D&R Canal Trail (pieces of both sides) back in the 1990's. Also a good ride. I seem to remember having dinner in a restaurant right on the bridge between Lambertville and New Hope.

mystang52

Another recommendation, here, for the D&R Canal Trail. I checked out the Patriot's Path at 2 locations, and in both cases the trail was simply impassable for my hybrid -- too many big and medium sized rocks to make for an enjoyable ride.

indyfabz

Just did a short stretch of the D&R (between Stockton and Lambertville) a few weeks ago as part of a three-day tour from Port Jervis to Philly. Took the road between Frenchtown and Stockton because I need to make some time, but I have ridden the trail on numerous occasions.

If you ride it, definitely check out the pedestrian bridge between Bull's Island and Lumberville, PA. Nice views of the river, especially in the morning.






The section of the D&R (the feeder canal trail) to Frenchtown actually goes a little beyond Frenchtown to just outside of Milford. I wouldn't bother riding beyond Frenchtown though. The trail never reaches and ends abruptly in the middle of nowhere. That's because there is an environmentally contaminated area between there the trail ends and Milford.

If you want to try something a little more rugged, there is something called the Paulinskill Valley Trail:

Paulinskill Valley Trail | New Jersey Trails | TrailLink.com

It's in a beautiful part of the state.

habilis

I also did the canal road back in the 90s. Time to check it out again. Rte 32 on the NJ side of the river is also a great ride in the spring, with wild honeysuckle all along the road. Talk about "stop and smell the roses"!

habilis

With good weather in the forecast, I was thinking of doing the Sussex Branch Trail tomorrow. Now I might try the Paulinskill instead.

jerseyJim

D&R canal is a must do. The wife and I regularly do the Bound Brook to Princeton section, stopping for lunch in Princeton before heading back. We have done the whole 70 something miles even the parts through Trenton, which were interesting. I also love the Columbia and the Paulinskill valley trails. The paved path in Sandy Hook is beautiful. We ride the path and then head south through Deal to Asbury Park and back regularly.

hollywoodeskimo

The Henry Hudson trail that runs from Freehold to the Highlands. From the Highlands you can get on to route 36 for about a half mile and exit on to Sandy Hook. Sandy Hook offers paved bike trails and lots to explore. Back on the HH trail, it dies go through some gritty areas along the (Raritan) Bay Shore. But none that I feel unsafe in. You can extend your trip at the Freehold end by biking a couple of miles out to Monmouth Battlefield state park where there are some biking trails. Go a little further west of the park and visit Old Tennet Church. It dates back to revolutionary days and was used as a field hospital for Colonial troops during the Battle if Monmouth.

Another rail trail, the Union Transportation Trail, is being built on the old RR bed that ran from Hightstown to Pemberton, NJ. There are gaps where you have to use area roads. But it's still a nice ride. A couple of miles west of the trail you can stop in and visit Walnford, an old mill, house, stables and other out buildings that date back to the 18th century.

noglider 

Speaking of the Delaware and Raritan Canal, if you're willing to ride on the road, it's a lovely ride on the road side of the canal. On weekend mornings, there aren't many cars, and the drivers are very respectful of cyclists. Nice views, and very quiet. Of course, the trail is nice, too.

I'm glad NJ has nice rail trails. Are they under development? NY State is doing a fine job adding to ours, and I'm still discovering them. I moved back to NY from NJ in 2013.

indyfabz

Re: The Feeder Canal part of the D&R, the state recently paved the really bad shoulder section(s) of SR 29 between Frenchtown and Bull's Island. There were some really bad sections. South of Stockton, the southbound side of SR 29 has a couple of really bad sections just before you hit the northern end of Lambertville that desperately need repaving. Rode that stretch back in June and felt like I was going to lose some fillings and maybe a kidney. Whenever I do rides out of Bull's Island or Frenchtown I usually see a lot of people on SR 29. Many of them come over from the PA using the pedestrian bridge at Bull's Island because the PA side of the river (SR 32) is not bike-friendly and the canal path on that side is rougher.

hollywoodeskimo

Yes. Canal Rd is very nice. Though to be honest, even when traffic us light, I don't even like driving on it because it is so narrow and I always come upon people driving either entirely too slow or too fast. I haven't been on the road on a bike at all. Maybe I'll give it a try on an early weekend morning as you suggest.

It it seems like there is significant activity in developing more rail trails. The Union Transportation Trail between Pemberton and Hightstown has had a lot of work done on it lately. There's a winery at one point along that old train bed. I'm looking forward to when the trail developed that far. It will be a nice stop when they are open for tastings.

hollywoodeskimo

I rode the section between Bordentown and Trenton a few days ago. It's no where nearly as picturesque as the section north of Princeton. But it's a good ride. The lightly graveled trail is clear and easy riding. As you get closer to Trenton there is a god bit of trash strewn in the area. The canal (and apparently the trail) go underground in Trenton. I have to find out where to pick it up north of Trenton. Bordentown has some nice shops, restaurants, coffee shops and bars. It's quaint. If you're into kayaking, there is a good launch into the Crosswicks Creek that takes you into the Abbot Marsh, which is teeming with wetlands wildlife and great views.

indyfabz

Your are talking about the main canal path. The feeder canal path runs along the Delaware River from Trenton up to Lambertville and then eventually to Frenchtown along the route of the old Bel Del Railroad.

hollywoodeskimo

Oh, yes. That's right. The main canal path goes up to the Raritan River in New Brunswick. I haven't been along that entire path on bike yet. But I used to walk sections between Rocky Hill and Somerset back in the 1980's. All of that section was very bike friendly back then and I suppose it still is.

leob1

It's very bikeable, I do it all the time, I live a few miles away from it. The only thing you should know is that you have much better food options along the feeder canal. And they put a very dusty red crushed stone surface on the towpath. You bike, and you, will get covered with red dust if it's dry. A dry lube on your chain is a good idea.

hollywoodeskimo

I guess it's only appropriate that there are more food options along the feeder canal. Lol.

thanks for the dust alert. I'll definitely keep that in mind.

09box

I find the PA side of the towpath not that bad. I like riding on that just as much as the PA side.