Biking Hiking with Kids

I went trail riding with my mountain bike on another section of the Delaware & Raritan Canal (D&R Canal) towpath trail. This time around, the ride was a loop ride that started from Lambertville, riding south to Washington Crossing State Park on the New Jersey side and from Washington Crossing, riding north back to New Hope on the PA side. The round trip was about 13 miles in total. Here is a link to the mileage chart for the main Delaware & Raritan Canal path and feeder canals.

Like the other parts of the D&R Canal towpath that I have been on so far, this section of trail is mostly hard packed dirt and cinder and is mostly flat with a few very small ups and downs.

Most of the trail is wide enough for one rider or walker or runner each way. However, there are quite a few vehicle and foot bridges on the PA side that pass over the trail and the bridge supports limit the width and visibility of the trail at those points. So take it easy when approaching these spots. Some of the bridges are also rather low to the ground (there are warning signs) and if you site high on your saddle, you may want to get off your bike and walk under these bridges.

Other than the section of trail with the bridges, the trail is very kid friendly. There are no real dangerous spots on the trail for kids except where the locks are located and a fall over the edge can be deadly due to the increased height of the drop offs. But as with any young children they should be watched carefully.

There is some nice scenery along the trail, especially on the PA side. There were a few spots where the Delaware River is very visible. There were also some well manicured backyards to look at.

For more information about the Delaware and Raritan State Park visit their website: Delaware and Raritan State Park

Here is the link to the official Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park map in high resolution.

See more pictures of the Delaware & Raritan Canal bike ride.