D&R Canal State Park, NJ - Carnegie Lake

ABOUT THE PARK:
Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park

DIRECTIONS:

GPS Coordinates 40.37430, -74.61861

Kingston Lock Parking

TRAIL MAP:
D&R Canal State Park Map

HIKE DISTANCE:
5.8 miles total out and back (2.9 miles each way)

THE HIKE:

Heading south at the Kingston Lock.

Towpath along the canal.

Spillway

Yuk

Some fall colors along the way.

Carnegie Lake on the right.

Mallard couples in the canal.

The canal on the left, Carnegie Lake on the right.

A few Great Blue Herons had taken off (and squawked loudly about it) as we approached but this guy sat still and posed.

Buoyfuls of cormorants

Blue Jay

Coming up on a bridge.

Looking south down the canal from the bridge.

We took the bridge south on the other side of the canal.

Swan parents with their teenager.

Looking north at the canal, the D&R towpath, Carnegie Lake.

The bridge on the far side of the canal leads to a path in a gas pipeline.

The towpath across the canal where we will be northbound soon.

Coming up on Harrison Street.

A right across the canal on the bridge.

Looking north up the canal from the Harrison Street bridge.

Another right to head north on the towpath.

Looking back across the canal at where we were earlier.

More cormorants in Carnegie Lake.

Even more cormorants in the trees along Carnegie Lake.

Even MORE along the banks.  I have never seen so many cormorants in one place at the same time.  This must be a stop over on their migration route.

Coming back up on the bridges but first, a side trail to the left that leads to ...

... views of Carnegie Lake and ...

... the bridge that the towpath crosses on.

Carnegie Lake Crew

Downy Woodpecker

Great Egret

Crab Apples

Shawnee's new hiking boots to keep her from scraping her nails down to the quick when she drags her paws.  I have looked high and low for just the right boots and these performed beautifully.  She likes them, too!

More cormorants and a couple of seagulls.

Kingston Lock just before the parking lot to the left.