Showing posts with label NJ Crystal Lake Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NJ Crystal Lake Park. Show all posts

Sunday, December 7, 2025

Crystal Lake Park, NJ with Delaware River Heritage Trail

ABOUT THE PARK: 
Crystal Lake Park - Burlington County
Delaware River Heritage Trail - Burlington County

DIRECTIONS: 
GPS Coordinates 40.12214, -74.74344
Route 130 Trailhead Parking

TRAIL MAP: 
Crystal Lake Park Brochure - Burlington County


HIKE DISTANCE: 11.5 miles

THE HIKE: 
I hiked part of the Delaware Heritage Trail coming from the opposite end in March 2021.  This hike connects to where I left off.
From the parking lot taking the sidewalk to ...
... a left on the paved Route 130 Bypass Trail.
Right on a path.
Coming up on Crystal Lake.
A short white trail to the left ...
... leads to some views.
It was way more hilly and steep than I had expected.
A couple of trails actually dropped straight down.  Thanks, but no thanks, on this frosty 25-degree morning with thick leaf drop.
We just squiggled around on other trails.
Coming out on mowed paths around fields.
Conflicting signs - bikes and horses are not allowed on the bridge yet the sign warns that bridge might be slippery for bikes and horses?
Coming up on the main parking lot.
Crossing over ...
... to a left on the paved bike path that leads out of Crystal Lake Park.
The bike path moves on to the road while a sidewalk leads through Hedding.
The bike path resumes.
That house ahead had a ton of Christmas decorations but they were not blown up.  We would be seeing them fully on the way back.
A tunnel under Route 130.
Coming up on the railroad crossing.
This was not open when I was here last so the other side of the tracks had been the turn around point.
We continued on a bit.
Delaware River
Heading back.
There goes a train.
Coming back up on the railroad crossing, the picture on the left is from 2021 when it was still closed pending completion of a 1.3 MILLION dollar crossing.  Now it is complete and you can cross.  I can't believe it took that much money.  I have hiked many places where you just had to have enough sense not to cross when a train was coming.  For free.
Even Brodie, by no means the brightest dog on earth, knows to look.
Back under Route 130.
Coming back up on that house with all of the decorations now in their full glory.
Coming up where the bike path resumes, there is a faint path to the left ...
... that connects back over to the mowed paths in Crystal Lake Park.
Following the mowed path around the perimeter, it meets back up with the paved bike path ...
... back to the parking lot.