ABOUT THE PARKS:
DIRECTIONS:
GPA Coordinates 40.57931, -74.62470
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| Parking at Clark Woods. The coordinates above work as they lead to where you turn off of Route 206. If you use coordinates for the parking lot, Maps will send you to a shopping center and tell you to walk the rest of the way. |
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BIKE DISTANCE: 19.3 miles
THE BIKE:
For the first few miles the route can get a bit complicated because the trail goes through a series of small parks connected by short road sections. There are either tons of signs, signs pointing the wrong way, or no signs at all. Having planned out the route on the Gaia GPS app I was able to get back on track easily when signage was missing.
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| You can start off with a nice little loop through Clarks Woods. |
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| Right into the woods for the loop. |
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| Passing back by the parking lot on the right, straight on the gravel path leads to ... |
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| ... Peters Brook on the left and Route 206 straight ahead |
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| Left on the path along Route 206 to the ramp for the pedestrian bridge up ahead, |
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| Coming down off of the bridge, the paved path continues. |
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| Peters Brook Greenway BEGINS? According to the map I thought I was already on it. And which is it, straight or to the left? See, the signs can be confusing. Rule of thumb - always go for the black paved path. |
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| It's a narrow dirt path through this park. |
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| The Peters Brook Trail is beginning again? |
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| According to the map when the trail runs along the Raritan River it is the Raritan River Greenway but signs still say Peters Brook. |
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| Going under 206. |
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| A short side trail to views of the Raritan River. |
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| Here the trail does end; continue straight then left on Orlando Drive which is a wide road with very light traffic so I felt fine biking on it. |
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| Orlando Drive |
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| Passing by the Vesuvius Street Bridge which leads to Duke Farms. I wanted to continue straight to bike the other side of the bike path in Duke Island Park but... |
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| ... with the bridge to the trail over on the left closed ... |
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| ... I would have had to take Old York Road which is narrow and has lots of traffic. I did not like that at all so I turned back. |
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| On to the Vesuvius Street Bridge. |
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| Vesuvius Street Bridge over the Raritan River. |
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| The Raritan River Greenway continues all the way to ... |
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| ... Duke Farms. |
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| Looping around Duke Farms counterclockwise. |
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| Crossing Dukes Parkway West to the main entrance. I had never been on the trails behind the Farm Barn Orientation Center before so that is where I was headed. |
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| Farm Barn Orientation Center |
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| Conservation Lane |
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| From the observation platform ... |
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| Lots of birds to be heard but none to be seen. |
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| Continuing on Farm Barn Lane when I spied a bird in a snag far, far away ... |
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| ... and zoomed in to find a merlin! |
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| Then the trail ends. All of a sudden two vultures and a red-tailed hawk emerged from the ground on the right. |
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| I had no idea that vultures and red-tailed hawks dined together. Or that red-tailed hawks ate carrion. Who knew? |
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| Oh the glare of death - totally PO'd that I interrupted his lunch. No worries, I quickly took my pictures and skedaddled on out of there. |
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| Community Garden |
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| Crossing back over at the crosswalk... |
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| ... and continuing the loop around. |
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| Back onto the greenway. |
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| A new greenway path! Looks like it goes all along the Raritan River but it is not open yet. |
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| Raritan River |
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| Back on Orlando Road... |
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| ... and right at the public works sign ... |
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| ... back to the greenway. Apparently the section along the Raritan River floods so sometimes it is closed but in this drought it is dry and open. |
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| End? I don't think so. It continues. |
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| Coming up on Immaculata High School. |
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| At the far end of the high school I could see a pedestrian bridge up ahead and thought "Oh, I am here already!" So I continued on. |
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| Ummm, Macy's is not where I wanted to be. I checked the app turns out there are two pedestrian bridges. I had gone over the Route 22 bridge. Heading back. |
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| So, at the end of the high school, cross over to the left to the paved sidewalk path and THAT leads to the right pedestrian bridge. |
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| There it is. |
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| After the bridge ramp, straight on the paved path to ... |
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| ... Clarks Woods parking lot. |
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