Delaware River Run
The Delaware River is an extraordinarily beautiful area that feels a world away from NYC—and yet it is so close and wonderfully bikeable. This trip serves up some of the best it has to offer through the part of the Garden State that is actually green.
Ride Details
82 miles
2 day ride
Depart: NJ Transit Morristown Line
Penn Station >> Dover
Return: NJ Transit Northeast Corridor
Trenton >> Penn Station
Mix of asphalt, crushed stone, and dirt
Stay in Milford
Combine this trip with the Princeton Sprinter for a full three-day tour down the entirety of the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park Trail and then some. Should you do so, I recommend crashing Night 2 in the Lambertville and New Hope area, rather than anywhere directly around Trenton (because Trenton kinda sucks…).
Day 1: Dover >> Milford
Road Riding PSA. This leg of the trip has a few on-road segments, so be careful. The hill out of Dover station is perhaps the most cruel of the bunch, but it’s short lived and mostly downhill after that. The other section to beware of is the five mile jaunt down County Road 513 running west of Pittstown, as it's a faster road. Fortunately, New Jersey drivers in this part of the state are a far sight more forgiving than those you encounter directly across the river.
Get a snack in High Bridge. Carini's Pizza & Pasta does the trick and is exactly what you expect it to be.
Trail PSA: Capoolong Creek Wildlife Management Area, which is the last trail before you hit the Delaware, is a bumpy one. I rode it on 28mm tires, got through fine enough, but it was a slog. The two trails that precede this one coming from Dover are a joy.
Eat at Canal House Station. Do. Not. Miss. Book in advance. This place is a real highlight and oh so, so good.
Stay in (or around) Milford. Chestnut Hill B&B, Riverstone 1730 B&B, and Bridgeton House on the Delaware are all good options in the area. If you’re making this a bike camping adventure, head a little further to Dogwood Haven Family Campground.
Day 2: Milford >> Trenton
Pick me up at Homestead Coffee Roasters. Good place to start your day.
Ride the NJ side. There are two premier trails that flank the Delaware: the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park Trail on the Jersey side, and the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (aka D&L Trail) on the Pennsylvania side. Each has its own vibe, and they’re both great. Given the number of bridges that cross the river, you can also easily jump from one side to the other throughout your ride. For this trip though, I recommend sticking mostly to the NJ side and saving the PA side for a future trip riding Philly or Bust.
Get breakfast in Frenchtown. It’s a short ride from Milford with lots of tasty options. Can’t go wrong with Bridge Cafe, Frenchtown Cafe, or Lovin’ Oven.
Take a break at Bull’s Island Recreation Area. Pretty place for a breather. Just across the river on the PA side is the Lumberville General Store for snacks.
Explore Lambertville and New Hope. I first learned about these sister towns and the verb “antiquing” when my father brought me here as a teenager. Yes, they’re full of antique shops, but also so much more. Both are very quaint and great places to stop and explore for a few. Eat at Restaurant Lambertville Station, read at Farley’s Bookshop, take a bike selfie at the New Hope Railroad, and check out Buck’s County Playhouse. Roll up and down the Main streets for more window shopping and river views.
Visit Washington Crossing. Both of them. Start with Washington Crossing State Park Visitors Center on the NJ side, which is mostly just a park, then hop over to Washington Crossing Historic Park on the PA side and visit the museum. Lots of cool history here and plenty of fodder for bike selfies.
Ride the PA side to Trenton. The approach into Trenton on the NJ side eventually gets a little dicey, so I recommend wrapping up the journey by heading south on the PA side from Washington Crossing. Added bonus that you get to cross the Lower Trenton Bridge, which you’ve almost certainly passed on Amtrak and wondered what the hell the giant “Trenton Makes, World Takes” sign is supposed to mean. I don’t know either.
Cap it off at Vault Brewing Company. Good place for a pint and some bar eats before ending at Trenton Transit Center. Get your grand finale in at the brewery because there’s not much to enjoy on the other end in Trenton beyond that bridge above.
