Highland Park Native Plant Sanctuary - Highland Park Borough
Boyd Park - New Brunswick City Center
Buccleuch Park - New Brunswick City Center
Johnson Park - Middlesex County
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.49968, -74.43782
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| Parking at the Highland Park Native Plant Sanctuary on River Road |
TRAIL MAP:
WALK DISTANCES:
The Walking Loop: 7.9 miles
To the Highland Park Farmers Market and back: 1.1 miles
THE WALK:
A couple of weeks ago I was at the Red Bank Farmers Market and bought some of the best fresh lettuce from Jeff's Organic Produce. They are at the Highland Park Farmers Market on Fridays. Because Memorial Day weekend was going to be a complete washout, I took the Friday before off work and decided to do some walking and hit the farmers market at the same time. So I came up with a loop connected parks on both sides of the Raritan River. Some trails were nice, others not so much.
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| First I went around some of the paths through the Highland Park Native Plant Sanctuary. There are wide mowed paths ... |
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| ... and more narrow wood chip paths. |
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| The paths come out behind the Eugene Young Environmental Center. |
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| Continuing along River Road to a right on Route 27 ... |
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| ... over the Raritan River. |
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| At the end of the bridge steps lead down to a path. |
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| I would be coming back this way to head in the opposite direction but first right through the underpass. |
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| There is a nice path between the Raritan River and the Delaware and Raritan Canal. This is no longer the D&R Canal State Park but the path continues on to the end of the canal in New Brunswick. |
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| Looking back at the bridge I had just crossed. |
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| There are a few bridges over the canal. Unfortunately there is also trash and litter. |
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| The path starts to become overgrown the closer you get to the end. |
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| A bit beyond that railing the trail was completely overgrown so I headed back. |
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| Taking this bridge over the canal. |
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| And going down the other side to the end of the canal. |
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| Heading back towards Route 27 on the paved path through Boyd Park. |
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| Killdeer |
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| Taking the bridge over the canal. |
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| Then back through the underpass and straight ahead. |
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| This is where things get kind of trashy and creepy. |
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| Looks like somebody is living here. |
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| Can't say I wasn't looking over my shoulder through this section. But I never saw anyone else down in here. |
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| It gets pretty overgrown then opens up again. |
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| Where that path ends at a Route 18 off ramp, heading over to the other side of that chain link fence on the left. |
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| Following this around under Route 18 ... |
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| ... it comes out at George Street where a crosswalk and steps lead to ... |
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| ... the path around Buccleuch Park. |
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| Finishing the loop and heading back down the steps over George Street. |
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| I had come in from the left now heading up on the right ... |
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| ... to the pedestrian crossing along Route 18 back over the Raritan River. |
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| Looking down at the canal, you can see a biker in red on the far right at the very end of the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail. |
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| After crossing the bridge continuing straight on a long pedestrian/bike path. |
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| This is all very nice in this area and I believe it is Rutgers University property. |
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| Turning left. |
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| Following that path all the way to the end at River Road ... |
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| ... and crossing left than right at the lights. |
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| The Metlar-Bodine House Museum is on the corner. |
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| Veering on the Johnson Park path then right along the park road through a parking lot to a left on the paved path. |
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| The path leads to a pond. |
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| I left the paved path and walked on the grass along the river instead. |
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| A Canada goose family at the second pond. |
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| I thought I had waited until they were off the path far enough before I passed but I was charged and hissed at by an angry parent anyway. It was all good, just being protective. |
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| Back on the path. |
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| Some construction going on but the path was still passable. |
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| Going under the railroad tracks. |
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| The path continues along River Road ... |
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| ... to where I parked up ahead. |
Because I was only half a mile away from the farmers market, I decided to walk there rather than drive a short distance and have to circle around for a parking spot, which is what would have happened.
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| Photo from Highland Park Farmers Market Facebook page. |
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| Photo from Highland Park Farmers Market Facebook page. |
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| Photo from Highland Park Farmers Market Facebook page. |
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