The section contains a a map listing of ALL of the entrances to the towpath of the Main Canal. Each entrance is shown on a google map and there is a short description. Some entrances provide access for pedestrians or bicyclists, whereas others have parking. Canoes, kayaks and boats can also be launched into the canal. Facilities, i.e., toilets, are rare, and are listed on the guide below. There is no access to food and water on the towpath itself or in the nearby properties of the D&R Canal State Park. For some entrances, Towpathguy has listed the location of nearby amenities. The google maps of each entrance allow you to search for nearby restaurants. Hotels are located near to the towpath only at the Davidson Avenue and Bakers Basin Road entrances.
The northern terminus of the towpath is at Landing Lane in New Brunswick in Middlesex County, and the southern terminus is at Mulberry Road in Trenton in Mercer County. In between, the canal and towpath pass through Somerset, South Bound Brook, East Millstone, Griggstown, Rocky Hill, Kingston, Princeton, Lawrence, and Hamilton. The total rideable/hikable/runnable distance is 33.9 miles (54.6 km).
If you live in any of these towns, you have easy access to the towpath and canal from one or more of a variety of entrances (see the map below). In addition, for much its length the towpath runs right along the border of two towns, so the residents of Highland Park, Piscataway, Bound Brook, Manville, Millstone, Hillsborough, and Montgomery also have easy to this haven for bicyclists and runners.
The official website of the D&R state park has maps and a mileage chart for the Main Canal (and also,of course, for the Feeder Canal on the Delaware River). The D&R maps and charts show parking and picnic areas. The availability of parking obviously increases access especially if you live far from the towpath, dread biking on the street or have children who are not quite ready for fighting NJ traffic. A bonus not evident from the D&R maps is that several of the park entrances are near a NJ Transit station which makes access for bicyclists from northern NJ, New York City or Philadelphia possible!
The list provided here (below the map) details the towpath access points from north to south. This list includes information not available elsewhere including restrooms (rare), restaurants, hotels, museums, and, where needed, detailed directions for both drivers and bicyclists.
Access Points to the Main Canal. Green dots indicate entrances with parking; red dots indicates the presence of parking and toilets; blue dots are for pedestrian and/or bicycle accss. View Larger Map
The access points to the Main Canal towpath from north to south.
- Landing Lane (parking in Johnson Park, close to Rutgers University and UMDNJ, 1 mile from NJ Transit in New Brunswick)
- DeMott Lane Footbridge (parking)
- Davidson Avenue Lock - 5 Mile Lock (parking, hotels, close to I-287)
- Converted Rail Bridge
- Queens Bridge (1/2 mile from NJ Transit in Bound Brook)
- South Bound Brook Lock (parking, picnic area)
- Footbridge on Weston Canal Rd.
- 10 Mile Lock (parking)
- Zarephath
- Manville Causeway (parking)
- Colonial Park Footbridge -- proposed by Somerset County Park Commission -- bids supposedly out, estimated completion in 2010, according to the D&R Canal Main Office.
- Amwell Road (parking)
- Blackwells Mill Road (parking, picnic area)
- Griggstown Causeway (parking, picnic area)
- Griggstown Lock (parking)
- Little Valley (parking)
- Rocky Hill (parking)
- Kingston Lock (parking)
- Millstone Aqueduct (parking, picnic area)
- Harrison Street
- Washington Road
- Alexander Road (parking, picnic area, 1/2 mile from NJ Transit in Princeton Junction)
- Institute Woods -- pedestrians only (no bikes!)
- Port Mercer/Quaker Bridge Rd (parking, picnic area)
- Provinceline Road
- Brearley House Trail
- U.S. Route 1 (parking)
- Bakers Basin Road
- Carnegie Road (parking), 3/4 mile from NJ Transit in Hamilton).
- Whitehead Road (1/2 mile from NJ Transit in Hamilton).
- Mulberry Road -- (1.8 mile from NJ Transit in Trenton).
