Hike Name



D & R Canal State Park, Route 1 to Carnegie Road (2/22/2014)

Last year, in warm, green, sunny July, we continued section-hiking the D&R main canal heading south. On that day we added a stretch to bring the total to about 30 miles from Landing Lane in New Brunswick to near Route 1 outside Princeton. Today we returned to attempt completion of the main canal, from Route 1 to Mulberry Street, on the condition that the path was plowed. Well, it wasn't plowed. The tiny parking area (for four cars) wasn't even plowed. So the going was as slow as last week. When we reached Carnegie Road (1.1 miles south of Route 1) we decided to turn back. When we got back to the parking area we decided to add the small section between Route 1 and the Brearley House trail (a part we hadn't done in July). That turned out to be as long as the stretch between Route 1 and Carnegie Road, and just as slow-going!

We noticed that south of Basin Road (the first street crossing south of Route 1), it seems possible to hike on both sides of the canal. There are gates on both sides but along every stretch one side is more accessible than the other. For instance, between Route 1 and Basin Road we were on the western side of the canal, but south of Basin street we were on the eastern side. When we reached Carnegie Road we decided to cross the canal and return along the western path, but within minutes encountered overgrowth (even though the entrance had a park gate with the D&R sign). So we headed back to Carnegie and retraced our steps all the way back.

Total distance covered was 4.1 miles in deep, slushy snow in just over 2.5 hours.

(Click on the thumbnail to bring up a bigger image in a pop-up window)


Parking lot on Route 1

Frozen canal ...

... looking south

Antenna building at car lot


Partially frozen here

Deep, semi-frozen snow

Laura likes it!

Heading south

 

5 miles to the very end

Canada geese overhead

Basin Road bridge

Interior of hornet's nest
 


Basin Road bridge

View of frozen canal north

On Basin Road bridge

Info sign on eastern bank
 


View north of Basin Road

Continuing south

Zoom of Carnegie Road bridge

Blow-down
 


Sweetgum balls on canal

Two on path

Big blow-down

Four curious deer
 



Swamp east


Tiny tree in canal
 


Phragmites east

Approaching powerline cut

Powerline cut, view east

Powerline cut, view west
 


Berries

Canal house at Carnegie Road

Surface of bridge

View of canal north
 


Gate on western bank heading north

View of canal house from western bank

Small reservoir of run-off water west

Towpath with water on both sides
 


Pipe for run-off west of canal

Heading back to Carnegie Road

Broken ice in canal

Sweetgum balls
 


Blow-down hopping [photo by Laura]

4.5 mile marker looking north

Views to ...

... Basin Road bridge
 


The D&R over Route 1

Heading up

View of car lot

Path goes over Route 1
 


View south

Horse and boat silhouette

Heading down on western side

Indeed?
 


Built in 2003

Canada geese

Under an entrance ramp for Rt. 1 south

Heading under I-95
 


View south to Laura

I-95 exit signs above

Graffiti art

Entrance ramp to I-95 west
 


Lots of underpasses

Pigeons sunbathing

D&R sing at Route 1

On dry ground! [photo by Laura]
 

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