Roebling Bike Path/Delaware River Heritage Trail , NJ

 

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Roebling Bike Path - nothing online.  I am not even sure that is what it is called but "bike path" signs all through town lead to it. 

Delaware River Heritage Trail - Route 130 Bypass Section - The Circuit Trail

 

DIRECTIONS: 

 GPS Coordinates 40.11825, -74.78174

Very limited parking at the end of 10th Avenue but ...

... lots of parking one block away all down the middle of Main Street to the right ...

... and to the left.

TRAIL MAP: 

Delaware River Heritage Trail - Route 130 Bypass Trail - Burlington County

The Roebling bike trail is to the east of the Delaware River Heritage Trail (or it may all be one and the same).

HIKE DISTANCE: 

This was the most I hiked in one day post-surgery.  Breaking it up into smaller hikes with 10-20 minute drives in between made my first day of 7.5 miles easy to accomplish.

 

Roebling Bike Path/ Delaware River Heritage Trail - 3.3 miles

    10 miles/20 minutes to
West Avenue Nature Trails - 1.4 miles
    4 miles/11 minutes to
Amico Island Park - 1.9 miles
    6 miles/13 minutes to
Little Woods on the Rancocas - .85 miles

  

THE HIKE:

The paved path begins at the end of 10th Avenue.

At the intersection we turned left and would be returning from the right.

This would be where those goats would be but they are apparently still on winter break as none were to be seen.

The path curves to the right following along the Delaware River.

Yay for lots of trash cans.  Once we start doing longer hikes and Brodie can carry it in his backpack and trash cans won't matter.

A bufflehead couple.

At first I thought this was a hawk but when I zoom in the head and beak look like that of an eagle so it might be a juvenile bald eagle.

To the right returns to where we started, straight ahead dead ends at a fence, left is where the Delaware River Heritage Trail section begins according to the map.

Some mallards and common mergansers.

Ducks dining.

The path passes along the abandoned Roebling steel mill site on the right.

Lots of female buffleheads.

If the boy buffleheads are looking for the girl buffleheads, they are straight ahead.

Ugh, a balloon I can't reach on the other side of the fence.

The path follows along live railroad tracks.

Apparently a railroad crossing dispute did not allow for the trail to go through but a resolution has been reached and ...

... according to this article, once this 1.3 million dollar crossing is complete the fence will go down and crossing will be allowed to continue on the trail.

But today this had to be our turn around point since crossing is still prohibited.

Coming back up on that intersection at the Roebling bike trails, we turned left.

Looks like a dog park on the left.  Nobody was there ...

... so in we went.

How nice, a dog park with a view of the Delaware River, although Brodie could have cared less about the views.

To the left leads to  Riverside Avenue - there are two such forks.

A left at the third fork leads back to 10th Avenue where we parked.

Note that there is no parking across the white line in the circle part of the road.

West Avenue Nature Trails, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK: 

West Avenue Nature Trails - Burlington County Times 

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 40.062692, -74.932509

Dedicated trail parking at the end of West Avenue.

TRAIL MAP: 

HIKE DISTANCE: 

This was the most I have hiked in one day post-surgery.  Breaking it up into smaller hikes with 15-20 minute drives in between made my first day of 7.5 miles easy to do.

Roebling Bike Path/ Delaware River Heritage Trail - 3.3 miles
    10 miles/20 minutes to
West Avenue Nature Trails - 1.4 miles
    4 miles/11 minutes to
Amico Island Park - 1.9 miles
    6 miles/13 minutes to
Little Woods on the Rancocas - .85 miles

THE HIKE: 

The trail starts at the end of West Avenue next to the sign.

Heading to the right bypass the EMS access...

... heading towards the scout sign.

After that sign there will be white arrows leading the way on the white trail. Other than these arrows and some faded paint on other trails, the trails are not well marked.

A partial view of the Delaware River.

A balloon!  This would actually be #2 of the year since I found one in my neighborhood on my daily walks but I am way behind other years right now due to lack of hiking.

There was a path to the right partially blocked by intentionally laid branches but we beyond that and up the hill for a look and found the best Delaware River view of the hike. 

Signs of Spring!

Back at the center where parking is to the left, we continued across for the other section of trails.

Sometimes there are old paint blazes.

The official overlook of the Delaware River.

Continuing to loop around the perimeter trails ...

... back to the parking lot.

City of Elizabeth Bikeway Waterfront Park, NJ

 

 

ABOUT THE PARK: 

I am not quite sure what this place is called.

• City of Elizabeth Bikeway Waterfront Park (what the sign says)
• Bike Hike and Roll Throughway (what the new sign says)
• Arthur Kill Waterfront
• changed from Slater Park to Marciante-Jackson-Millet Park

 

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 40.646934, -74.186060

Pier Parking

TRAIL MAP:

HIKE DISTANCE: 2 miles (1 mile each way)

 

THE HIKE: 

In my quest to do something different on a lunch hour for my daily rehab walks I decided to try the Elizabeth waterfront in hopes it would be as nice as the Perth Amboy Harbor Walk.  Sadly, it was not.  It's all nicely constructed with a ton of money having gone into it but the litter (especially booze bottles, beer bottles, cans and broken glass) is horrific.  Brodie was thrilled that he nabbed a dead fish. I was thrilled that he dropped it as I yanked him so I did not have to pry it out of his mouth.  Shudder.

The path starts from the parking lot as wood decking.

The Bayonne Bridge in the distance.

The path changes from wood to concrete.

Bayonne Bridge

This section was fairly quiet and peaceful ...

... until the trash truck came our way.

At the far end the path (I think this is an extension, not part of the actual bikeway) goes between idling trucks and razor wire on the left and chain link fence on the right.  We did not go all the way to the end as someone was fishing down there.

Heading back.

A very small sampling of the booze litter.  Too drunk to hit the trash can, apparently.

And a brand spanking new grand entrance and a new name?

Goethals Bridge

The highlight - a flock of something flying over.

They are brants, a type of goose that can drink salt water.

Back at the parking lot.