Delaware and Raritan State Park offers offers a glimpse into New Jersey’s history and opportunities for biking, hiking, fishing, boating and more.

The Millstone Aqueduct, in Plainsboro, connecting with Princeton, is a popular fishing spot. The area connects Carnegie Lake, the Millstone River and the canal. Photo by Vicki Chirco

Mules, hundreds of them, towed barges loaded with Pennsylvania coal down the Lehigh and Delaware Division canals to New Hope, Pa., then through to Lambertville and onto the Delaware & Raritan Canal, where they would head to Trenton.

Others came to the canal via Bristol, Pa., and Philadelphia, entering at Bordentown and heading to Trenton, New Brunswick and all points in between and beyond.

The trails were barren, standing in stark contrast to the forested routes now found along the 70-mile multiuse trail that makes up the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park.

The D&R Canal opened in 1834 and provided a transportation connection between Philadelphia and New York City via the outlet locks at Bordentown and New Brunswick. From the outlet at New Brunswick, goods were transported via the Raritan River into New York City. The entire journey could take about two days, but before that transportation choices were to travel by land, or by boat via the ocean around the southern tip of the state, which could take up to two weeks, said Vicki Chirco, D&R Canal State Park resource interpretive specialist.

The Kingston Canal House, then and now. Above ‘now photo’ by Vicki Chirco; below ‘then photo’ courtesy of the D&R Canal State Park Collection.

“The canal opened for navigation in 1834 — taking four years to construct, open and become navigable for boat traffic, but it was not officially completed until 1838,” Chirco said. “The first vessels were mule-drawn boats, which was the mainstay for a good portion of the canal’s working life. Mule-drawn boats on the canal were still being used up until World War I and perhaps lingering for some time beyond, but steam-powered vessels were also in use as early as the mid-1840s. One thing that made the canal unique was that it had open-swing bridges, so there were no height restrictions and masted vessels could use the corridor as well.”

The canal eventually fell into disuse and was turned over to the state of New Jersey in 1936. After decades serving as a water supply, the canal was eventually transitioned into a linear park that now runs from Frenchtown to the Bulls Island Recreation Area, through Lambertville, Washington Crossing State Park, Trenton, Princeton, Griggstown and ends in New Brunswick, with various stops in between. The park’s numerous access points make it an excellent and easy way to enjoy the outdoors.

The Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park’s numerous access points make it an excellent and easy way to enjoy the outdoors. Photo by Vicki Chirco

“The roads and pristine surface are really new to the park, and you have some beautiful pathways from Frenchtown to New Brunswick. It just keeps getting more and more popular, not just for local people, but it’s a great destination spot,” said Stephanie Fox, D&R Canal State Park resource interpretive specialist.

The well-kept tow path and nearby loop paths are dotted with cobblestone spillways, stone-arched culverts, historic locks and bridge tender houses and various historic points. But the park also provides ample opportunities for boating, fishing, biking, hiking and even cross-country skiing.

Chirco and Fox can’t say for sure how many visitors D&R Canal State Park gets, but they estimate that it’s the second most visited state park, right behind Liberty State Park.

An A-frame house in Griggstown circa 1910. Photo courtesy of the D&R Canal State Park Collection

“Our park is visited every single day, and it becomes such a place for solace for people who live near it and use it once or twice a day. They bring the dog, or their job is nearby, so we have the benefit of the local residents using it daily, then the additional people who come on weekends,” Fox said. “One of the things that makes the park interesting is that we have either private businesses or homeowners along every single square foot of park.”

Many of those businesses serve to enhance the park. Whether it’s a nearby restaurant, or the Griggstown Canoe and Kayak Rental, these businesses are part of what makes the D&R unique. One popular attraction is the Bulls Island Recreation Area. Formerly a campground, the 80-acre island is the perfect spot for a hike, some bird watching, or boating on the Delaware via the nearby boat launch. During the visit, take a stroll over the pedestrian bridge into Pennsylvania and grab a bite to eat.

“One of the new amenities at Bulls Island is a new inlet trail,” Fox said. “It’s in the area where the former campground was. People can access it and see the beginning of the canal where water is forced and fed from the Delaware.”

One portion of the D&R Canal State Park that might not get as much attention, but definitely deserves a visit, is the Abbot Marshlands. The 3,000-acre area isn’t connected directly to the trail, but access points can be found on Lamberton Road, on the scenic overlook on I-295, and in Bordentown near Lock No. 1 where the Crosswicks Creek and Delaware River meet. The area was an access point for individuals coming from Philadelphia to New Brunswick.

Like other areas of the park, the Abbot Marshlands has an ecology unique to its location. Visitors can see tidal creeks, ponds, beaver dams, lushy marsh and an oasis from the busy nearby cities and towns.

D&R Canal State Park North of Kingston, circa 1900. Photo courtesy of D&R Canal State Park Collection

“I like that section because the area is freshwater tidal, and depending on what time of day you go, you see a lot of different things,” Fox said.

While Fox may enjoy the marshlands, she and Chirco find choosing a favorite spot difficult.

Many visitors stop by the Rockingham State Historic Site near Kingston. It served as a final wartime headquarters for Gen. George Washington. This is where he wrote his Farewell Orders. The house contains period furnishing reproductions of military equipment and is easily accessible.

The Millstone Aqueduct, in Plainsboro, connecting with Princeton, is one of Chirco’s favorite spots. The area connects Carnegie Lake, the Millstone River and the canal. The place is easy to get to, just find parking off Mapleton Road.

“That’s what cool about our park: You can go to all the different areas and get a different feel. Princeton has a very different feel than Titusville or Bulls Island. People have their favorite parts for different reasons,” Chirco said.

For more information about the park, call 609-924-5705, visit nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks or email parks@dep.nj.gov. The park’s office is located at 145 Mapleton Road, Princeton. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The park’s hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Click here for more hikes and trails that showcase New Jersey’s history and natural beauty.

This article originally appeared in the Summer 2023 issue of Jersey’s Best. Subscribe here for in-depth access to everything that makes the Garden State great.