Originally Posted by
sdotkling
Last summer, I took a ferry from Manhattan's East Side to Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Poked my way through the suburban sprawl of Red Bank, Matawan, and a slew of other towns, until I hit New Brunswick. There I hopped on the towpath of the Delaware and Raritan Canal, and took it to the end...past Princeton, Trenton, and thence up the Delaware River. Hooked a right in farm country, and rode on rail-trails mostly through Long Valley and eventually to Morristown. There I hopped a train to Hoboken, and the Ferry back to Manhattan. Four days total, about 280 miles. Camped in nearly deserted state campgrounds, a friend's vineyard, and one motel. New Jersey is soooo strange, always surprising. Often crazy dense, but then it turns into countryside. Worth a ride.
So you must have been on the Columbia Trail from High Bridge. I have ridden it as far as Califon. I live in Philly and ride in Hunterdon, Warren and/or Somerset Counties several times a year. Despite the development being brought on by I-78, there are still some beautiful places to ride.
If you have more time next time, try taking the small roads along the river from Frenchtown through Phillipsburg (or you can take the D&L Canal Path on the PA side up to Easton then cross over into Phillipsburg) and up to Belvidere. From there, cross over to the PA side and head up to Delaware Water Gap. Then cross the bike-ped walkway along I-80 back into NJ and head through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation area then local roads to Port Jervis, where you can catch a train back to Hoboken and change at Seacaucus for Manhattan. If you are interested, I can tell you where there is camping. Worthing State Forest across from Delaware Water Gap is particularly nice, and if you call the park directly they should hold a space for you. Apparently they have a few unadvertised spots for people arriving by water/bike/foot. If you take a day off there they rent canoes.