I just wanted to reach out and give some details regarding the FINAL JERSEY PERIMETER HIKE!!! This is coming up fast, Sunday November 8th! Further, this Sunday we have Centralia PA, and Nov 1 is the annual Halloween Hike at Sleepy Hollow NY. Details on the meetup group. But for now...
THIS IS IT!!! LAST JERSEY PERIMETER HIKE!!!!
Join us for our biggest, most significant event to date! This hike will be my last in the Perimeter of NJ Series, making me the first person to ever have hiked the entire perimeter of the Garden State!
This has been a fantastic journey of over 1,300 miles from the mountains of the northern perimeter, along countless miles of the Delaware River, bay estuaries, beaches, and urban environs!
The final leg will be between Roebling and Trenton. We will all meet at a state lot in Trenton, near the historic Trent House Museum, the lot with the State Police shanty in the middle of it, across from the Superior Court building. These are the GPS coordinates:
NJ40.212196, -74.764059
I am going to do this entire hike in a suit and tie, and I'm hoping to get many others in the group to "dress up" for this one in the true eccentric Metrotrails style!!!
To get to the starting point, we will walk a half mile from the parking lot where I have secured permission through state police to park, and walk a half mile to the Trenton Hamilton Light Rail station on the River Line. We will take the 8:46 train to Roebling. I posted the meeting time early so that everyone will have the opportunity to buy tickets. They are only $1.50 regular price and less for Seniors.
We should all be able to squeeze onto the river line train.
If things are crowded, you have the option of shuttling to Roebing, OR you can simply meet the group in Roebling at the train station at 9. Just note that there is limited parking at the Roebling Station.
Unlike others, this time I will give extreme details on exactly where we will be going in case anyone needs to intercept.
We will start by walking from the station across the tracks and loop around the development including Peace Street and Amboy Ave. We will turn left on Hornberger Ave and head south to Rt 130 (0.75 mile).
This will by far be the worst section of this hike because we'll have to follow the edge of the highway for a bit. We will keep to the left, and cut off to the side to follow the edge of a cemetery for a bit. We'll follow the road past a motel which may have a view behind it.
We may also step of the road briefly for a side trip on an abandoned road.
We will turn left onto Burlington Road, rt 662 at a fork (about 3 miles in).
Our next point of interest is Fieldsboro, where we'll pass the White Hill Mansion built in 1723. The home played a part in the American Revolution and was visited by famous commanders.
Through Fieldsboro, we will have to try to follow the edges of the streets as best we can. We'll try to get close to the mansion and continue onward closer to the Delaware. We'll likely have to take Union Street to 4th Street out of the village, which becomes Burlington Ave. We can't stay closer to the due to a juvenile detention center. HOWEVER, there will be a bit of a woods section on state land we can hike, an old woods road which in one bit is a little overgrown. Other than that it's okay. We enter the woods at about mile 4.34
After passing beneath Rt 295 at 5.19 miles, we reach Bordentown. From here, the hike gets far more interesting. We'll try to follow the back streets as best we can, and head along the Delaware near the confluence with Crosswicks Creek. Bordentown is a more walkable, historic town.
We will head down hill and reach the Lime Kiln Trail, another nice little pocket park in Bordentown at mile 5.7. A small loop in Bordentown around the boat launch area and Delaware River Memorial Trail along the river brings mileage up to 6.75. At about seven miles we get on the D&R Canal Trail to head across Crosswicks Creek on the rail bridge.
We will make our way to the Delaware and Raritan Canal Trail, which crosses Crosswick's Creek on the railroad bridge. It's a really neat, scenic spot. The first bit of this section will have a couple of little side trips as well, because there are out and backs and the overlook off of the highway we will try to get to.
From here, we head north. The trail turns left immediately after crossing the bridge, then heads over to the former site of D&R Canal Lock #1. We'll turn to the north on the trail, but may take time to explore parallel side trails. One of these WILL take us to the foot bridge over 295 and scenic overlook. We will take this as an out and back, which will be worth it.
Next, we return to the D&R Canal towpath, more undeveloped in this section than the sections to the north that most people are familiar with, and continue to follow it until we are parallel with Lamberton Road.
We reach the towpath again at about mile 8.25.
There is a side path to the left off of the towpath. We will take this and follow it out briefly to Lamberton Road. We will turn right on the road and follow it. The road takes a hard bend to the left, reaches closer to the Delaware River, then turns right, paralleling it.
We pass under Rt 295 again at mile 9.78. We leave the towpath and follow the road at mile 10.19.
We will be able to get closer to the Delaware again after a short while, as there is a trail close to the edge. The trail will go up a ramp, then take us on top of the tunnel that carries the highway beneath!
That is mile 12.1.
We'll continue as close as we can on the waterfront heading north, and we'll reach Waterfront Park South. There are more great views all along the river here, and we should have no problem at all wandering by. We pretty much just stay along the river northbound until we get to where we left off before at Old Warf. We reach Old Warf at about mile 13.5.
From here, it's not legal to follow the edge of the perimeter because of the Superhighways, and we've already done that bit before. The only thing that remains is to walk past the Trent House on the roads, then head directly up to the back of the State Capital Complex.
We will pass right by our cars it we want to put things away or something. It's only a short walk from here to the back of the Capital complex. We will arrive at the capital just shy of fifteen miles (the walk back to the car will be 15).
We will pass the historic Trent House pictured above, then have to cross the parking lots near where we are parked. It is only a short distance under the highway and onto the steps that lead to the fountain and walkway behind the capital building.
We'll take a few photos here, and slowly make our way over to the front of the building where there may be press, not sure exactly what is going to go on at this point.
I have secured permission to use the capital steps within a wide time window and have a permit for this huge group. I am anticipating over 100 people may attend this particular hike.
We have had a lot of media coverage for this hike in the past, and so there may be a lot of that again at this point.
If anyone is able to help me with leadership responsibilities on this one I would appreciate it. It's going to be hard to keep everyone together. Please look over the route ahead of time and be ready for all of the turns!!!
Here is the link to the video from Fox's Chasing News (note wrong date on that):
Have your suit or dress ready and join us for this momentous occasion!!!
NOTE: Those wishing to do an abbreviated version of this hike can join a bit late at the Bordentown Station. Otherwise, you will have to arrange to meet us on the perimeter on your own. Utilize the above description to intercept.
I hope to do a group photo in Bordentown.
Here is a link to the Chasing News broadcast of the hike:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4xKpHSqBVM
Here is a link to the NJ.com interview on the series:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgYRsTja6LU
Also, Steve from Driving Jersey on PBS plans to come along and film! Here is a link to the last episode we were on with Driving Jersey:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFm9drWGB2w
If you can come, please do! This is an historic event, and I would love for as many people to attend as possible. I'd really like to have the highest attendance ever on any of my events for this one.
Also, I will be on "Jersey Matters" on METV, WJLP NY and another for Philadelphia area. Stay tuned to the Metrotrails facebook page for updates on that. Video will be shared when it appears on youtube.
Hope to see you all soon!
M'ke Helbing
Metrotrails
