D&R Canal State Park - New Jersey State Park Service
John W. Flemer Preserve - Township of Franklin
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.47517, -74.57290
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| Blackwells Mills Road Parking |
TRAIL MAP:
D&R Canal State Park Trail Map - New Jersey State Park Service
BIKE DISTANCE: 17.1 miles
THE BIKE:
The day after my first day of getting back to bike riding on asphalt was Memorial Day. Cranking it up a notch, I decided to head to the D&R Canal Towpath that has a crushed stone surface and is a bit more difficult to pedal on.
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| A short, steep ascent up to the towpath from the parking lot. |
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| At the towpath, to the left is Blackwells Mills Road ... |
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| ... and to the right is the direction I was going. |
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| I decided not to ride through the puddles and walked past them. This was the only part with puddles. |
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| I walked over this chunky spillway, too. Not quite brave enough to ride that kind of surface yet. |
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| Besides, someone was watching and waiting. Not today, bud. |
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| It was 3.5 miles until the first road crossing in Griggstown. |
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| Another 3 miles to the road crossing in Rocky Hill. |
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| In 1.85 miles at the tunnel under Route 27, I continued on to Route 27 ... |
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| ... and turned left over ... |
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| ... the canal. |
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| Then just after the bridge left into ... |
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| The trail starts at the far end of the parking lot and leads to ... |
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| ... a the Kingston Branch Loop Trail along the other side of the canal heading back. |
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| Coming up on a parking lot the trail veers left ... |
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| ... to Trap Rock Quarry ruins then left on Washington Street over the canal then right to cross the street back on ... |
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| ... the D&R Canal Towpath to retrace back. |
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| Stopping to let a turtle cross. |
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| I had ridden over this spillway on the way out and it was pretty rough. My behind was getting sore from two days of riding so I walked it this time. |
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| Crossing back over Griggstown Causeway. |
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| This was the only shot I could get as I saw him land before he immediately took off again. I think it's a green heron. |
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| Walking back over this spillway. I had visions of being catapulted into the air and into the canal to join the turtles had I tried to ride over. Everyone else does but I prefer to err on the side of caution for now. |
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| Back at Blackwells Mills Road, the path to the left steeply downhill ... |
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| ... back to the now crowded parking lot. I was the only one there at 7 AM. |
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