D&R Canal Towpath Trail

The D&R Canal Towpath is a crushed stone, natural surface trail for biking and walking. It is generally easy to ride with road bikes, hybrid bikes and mountain bikes; however, it is recommended to use tires with at least 28mm width. This precaution is due to the short segments of the trail with a variety of surfaces, including larger aggregate gravel for short stretches, sandy surfaces and compacted dirt portions that turn muddy during and after rain events. The Towpath also has numerous “spillways” or short stretches of the canal that are made of large, irregular-shaped stones that require dismounting bikes and walking for safety.

There is an on-road alternate route for the D&R between Trenton, Princeton, and New Brunswick, as shown on map.greenway.org. See the full D&R Canal State Park map here for locations and mile markers of access points.

Note that larger storms with high winds and heavy rainfall may cause debris and downed trees to block the path or even wash out portions of the trail surface after storm events. However, with most of these events, New Jersey State Park crews will be out to remove debris and repair damage to the trail soon after they are reported to the respective state park authorities.

This route includes local sights and destinations recommended by Silvia Ascarelli and was adapted to Ride with GPS by Alliance staff members Daniel Paschall and Sofia Barandiaran. This route crosses the ancestral lands of the Lenni-Lenape people, whose presence and resilience continues to this day in the Tri-State area of New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania.