Rahway River Parkway, NJ - Mohawk to Droescher's Mill

ABOUT THE PARK:
Rahway River Parkway - Friends of Rahway River Parkway

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.640172, -74.294211

Street side parking along Mohawk Drive.

TRAIL MAP:
Rahway River Parkway Cranford Section - Union County Parks (does not show any trails)

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HIKE DISTANCE:  5 miles

THE HIKE:
In keeping with recommended guidelines in the midst of COVID-19 restrictions, I am using this as an opportunity check out more local trails and am, surprisingly, finding much more than I thought was there.

"How to Get Outside (During a Pandemic" - Outdoor Alliance

To the right of the playground, a pedestrian bridge over ...

Rahway River

Turning right on a paved loop around Big Bend Lake.

There were several other people on this loop but everyone was keeping their distance.

Signs of spring everywhere.

Big Bend Lake

Coming up along the opposite side.

Where left would head back to the pedestrian bridge, we kept straight.

At the end a left ...

Then a short distance ahead at the end of the guardrail, another left.  Note the many people up ahead walking on the street.  We were going to be leaving that all behind.

Right on the trail along the river where there was nobody else.  In this crowded suburban area we had this trail along the Rahway River all to ourselves.

Up ahead another pedestrian bridge which leads to the trail on the other side.  I had done this loop before but when I looked at the Gaia app, it showed a continuation of the trail up ahead.  Must check this out.

At the pavement left goes to the bridge, we turned right.

Then left on the paved road where everyone else was walking just to the trees up ahead.

There the trail continued down to ...

... a tunnel under the Lehigh Valley Railroad tracks.

The trail on the Gaia app was actually that dirt road along the tracks straight ahead but there was a footpath to the left ...

... which continued along the Rahway River.

Another pedestrian bridge up ahead.

It was just a connection to a residential area so we turned back.

Keeping straight coming off of the bridge.

Then a left on High Street for four blocks of residential sidewalk walking.

Coming up on historic Droescher's Mill, the red building, built in the 1700's.

After crossing Lincoln Avenue, a left to continue alongside the mill.

Some ruins along the way.

Then left onto the Cranford Heritage Corridor Riverwalk.

With this being a paved section, there were more people walking but it wasn't crowded at all.

This trail ends at the eastern side of downtown Cranford.  If there is additional trail farther along it will need to wait for another day because my lunch hour was already going to be turning into two hours.

Heading back.

More ruins.

Where all gyms are closed and classes cancelled, what a great way to take classes remotely.

I knew there was a short trail on the other side of the river but I hadn't been there in years so we crossed the Lincoln Avenue bridge and turned right into ...

... Droescher's Mill Park.

The trail used to be dirt but it is now mulched.  I remember the dirt trail continuing straight ahead for a bit but someone was sitting smack in the middle with her dog so we couldn't go that way.  A new gravel trail goes left so we followed that ...

... back out onto the road to Lincoln Avenue where we crossed over ...

... and retraced on High Street.

This time instead of veering right to the path along the river, we stayed straight on the dirt road along the railroad tracks.

We had a lot of rain the day before but were able to successfully avoid the many puddles.

Meeting back up with the trail and retracing through the tunnel under the railroad tracks.

Where we had walked along the road earlier, we just stayed along the treeline to avoid people on the street.

At the paved trail, a right across the pedestrian bridge.

Immediately after crossing the bridge, a left onto a dirt path on the opposite side of the river from where we had been earlier.

We only ran into one family here and they graciously stepped aside and let us pass. 

Looks like a scene from The Duck Bachelorette.

The trail eventually veers away from the river.

Coming out at the opposite side of the playground from where we parked at Mowawk Park.