D & R Canal Watch

Help Preserve the D&R Canal Park

To protect, maintain, and promote the recreational, historical, aesthetic, and environmental qualities of the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park and its environs, and to assist and to support regional, state, local, and private enterprise efforts which contribute to this goal.

 

CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR THE CANAL WATCH,
THE STATE PARK, AND OUR SISTER GROUPS

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Sunday, January 29 – 2 pm. Come out for the fun of it! Winter Festival Walk, Bridging Two Canals.

Meet by the caboose behind the Lambertville Station Restaurant, 11 Bridge Street Join the Friends of the Delaware Canal and the D&R Canal Watch for a guided history and nature tour along both of our neighboring towpaths.  This popular event is just one of the many events held during the Lambertville-New Hope Winter Festival.

    The first stop on this two-mile walk will be the D&R Feeder Canal lift lock and outlet lock to learn how canal boats once crossed the Delaware River via a cable ferry. We'll then follow the path of the mule teams of old as we hike through Lambertville and cross the river bridge into New Hope

    Heading west, the Delaware Canal towpath will soon be found. We'll trek southward through town to Lock 11 and the Locktender's House.  Hot chocolate with marshmallows and other goodies will be waiting inside. For those who want to walk and see a bit more, we'll venture a short distance south to the New Hope inlet to take in the many historic sites and the glorious vistas of the River and wingdam.

   The Winter Festival Walk is free and will be held weather permitting.  If in doubt, please visit www.fodc.org for go/no go info. 

   The Lambertville-New Hope Winter Festival schedule is jammed full of great events. Don't miss ---

  Taste of Winter Festival - Thursday, January 26

  David Uosikkinen's In The Pocket in concert - Friday, January 27

 Winter Festival Parade - Saturday , January 28

  Beef n Brew - January 28

  A Roast & Toast to Hizzoner Mayor Larry Keller - January 28

  And all weekend long --- Ice Sculptures, Snowfolk, Music Everywhere, Hikes and Tours, Family Fun. To make your reservations for the events listed with *s, visit www.winterfest.net, and do it soon.  Mayor Keller would be delighted to see you, and the Chili Cookoff is sold out already. 

Sunday, February 5 10 a.m. Walk the D&R Canal from Carnegie Road to the Trenton Battle Monument ( 4.1 miles) or do a shorter walk, Carnegie Road to Mulberry Street, Trenton ( 2.9 miles). Meet at the Trenton Battle Monument on Broad Street. Questions? Contact Bob Barth at 201-401-3121 or barths@att.net.

Saturday, March 10 – 10 am. Walk the D&R Canal from Upper Ferry Road to the Trenton Battle Monument ( 5.0 miles), or do a shorter walk, Upper Ferry Road to Cadwalader Park ( 3.0 miles). Meet at the Trenton Battle Monument on Broad Street. Questions? Contact Bob Barth at 201-401-3121 or barths@att.net. We will see the improvements to the canal park in the capital city and pass the homes of bridgetenders and of the superintendent.  The two aqueducts in the city pass over Parkside Road and Sullivan Way. 

Saturday, March 31 10 am. D&R Canal Watch 5K Fun Run. Register on our website, www.canalwatch.org. Questions? Contact Bill Valocchi, 609-989-1931, or Barbara Ross, 609-924-2683.

Saturday, April 7 – 10 am. Walk the D&R Canal from Upper Ferry Road to the northern end of Titusville ( 5.0 miles), at the junction of River Drive and Route 29. Meet at the intersection of River Drive and Route 29 (just south of Fiddler’s Creek Road). Questions? Contact Bob Barth at 201-401-3121 or barths@att.net.Features of this walk include a turning basin, a bridgetender's house, several culverts and two spillways.

Sunday, April 29 10 am. Walk the D&R Canal from Firemen’s Eddy to Stockton ( 5.0 miles), or do a shorter walk, ending at Holcombe-Jimison Farmstead Museum ( 2.4 miles). Meet at Firemen’s Eddy, Route 29, 0.9 miles north of Pleasant Valley Road. Questions? Contact Bob Barth at 201-401-3121 or barths@att.net.

Saturday, May 5 – Bus tour along the D&R Canal in Somerset County, sponsored by the Heritage Trail Association. $10 per person.Register online at the Heritage Trail, www.heritagetrail.org, or call at 732-356-8856. Canal enthusiasts Bob and Linda Barth will lead the tour, with stops at Griggstown, Rocky Hill, and Kingston.

Saturday, May 5 or Sunday, May 6 8 a.m. Bird walk along the towpath, Zarephath to Weston, led by Canal Watch trustee George Dawson. Meet at the parking area at Weston, at the end of the Weston Causeway. Questions? Contact George Dawson at 732-249-2670.

Sunday, May 6 – 10 am. History Bike Tour. Explore the structures along the D&R Canal with Canal Watch trustee Bob Barth. Bike from Griggstown to Kingston and back ( 10 miles round trip). Meet at the parking lot on the Griggstown Causeway. Bring water; helmet required. Questions? Contact Bob Barth at 201-401-3121 or barths@att.net.

Saturday, May 12 – 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Spirit of the Jerseys State History Fair, Washington Crossing State Park. Visit the tables of the Canal Watch and the Canal Society of New Jersey. Take a boat ride on the feeder canal.

Saturday, June 9 – 10 am. Walk the D&R Canal from Bull’s Island to Prallsville ( 3.0 miles) with an extension to Stockton (an additional 0.6 miles round trip). Meet at Bull’s Island parking lot closest to Route 29. Questions? Contact Bob Barth at 201-401-3121 or barths@att.net. Features of this walk include the Wickecheoke Creek and spillway, the Lockatong Creek and spillway, and the guard lock at Bull's Island. After the walk, participants may cross the pedestrian bridge at Bulls Island (from which the wing dam can be viewed) to Pennsylvania and visit the locks of the Delaware Canal.

Sunday, June 10 – 2 pm. D&R Canal Watch Annual Meeting. Photographer Ted Settle will share his beautiful photos of the canal. Location to be announced. Questions? Contact Bob Barth at 201-401-3121 or barths@att.net.

Sunday, July 8 – BEGIN THE JOURNEY. 10 am. Walk the D&R Canal Main Line from Landing Lane, New Brunswick to Lock 11, South Bound Brook ( 5.3 miles), or do a shorter walk, Landing Lane to 5-Mile Lock (3.7). Meet at Lock 11, Canal Road, South Bound Brook, across from the post office. Questions? Contact Bob Barth at 201-401-3121 or barths@att.net.

Sunday, August 5 - 10 am. Walk the D&R Canal from East Millstone to South Bound Brook ( 5.3 miles) or do a shorter walk, ending at Zarephath ( 2.7 miles). Meet at Lock 11, Canal Road, South Bound Brook, across from the post office. Questions? Contact Bob Barth at 201-401-3121 or barths@att.net.

Monday, September 3 (Labor Day) 10 am. Walk the D&R Canal from Griggstown to East Millstone ( 5.6 miles), or do a shorter walk, ending at Blackwells Mills ( 3.5 miles). Meet at the parking lot in East Millstone, at the bridgetender’s house. Questions? Contact Bob Barth at 201-401-3121 or barths@att.net. This walk will take us through one of the most rural sections of the park, as well as Somerset County's lovely Colonial Park. We will also visit the newly restored East Millstone bridgetender's house. East Millstone has a canal basin; a support for the king post bridge is still visible downstream of the present bridge. Nearby in the Millstone River is a pier for the Somerset and Mercer Railroad. We will pass the North Brunswick Water Treatment Plant, which uses water from the canal to serve its customers, and the Mule Tenders Barracks Museum in Griggstown.

Sunday, September 30 10 am. Walk the D&R Canal from Griggstown to Rocky Hill ( 3.1 miles). Meet at the Griggstown Causeway parking lot. Questions? Contact Linda Barth at 908-240-0488 or barths@att.net.

Saturday, October 6 – 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. - 2nd Annual East Millstone CanalFest. Tours of the restored bridgetender’s house; music; food; crafts; vendors. Market Street off Amwell Road (Route 514), East Millstone.

TBA 10 am. Walk the D&R Canal from Rocky Hill to Alexander Road, Princeton ( 5.7 miles), or do a shorter walk, ending at Kingston ( 3.8 miles). Meet at the basin parking lot on Alexander Road, just south of Princeton. Questions? Contact Bob Barth at 201-401-3121 or barths@att.net.

TBA 10 am. Walk the D&R Canal Main Line from Carnegie Road to Alexander Road ( 5.5 miles) or do a shorter walk, Carnegie Road to Port Mercer ( 2.9 miles). Meet at the basin parking lot on Alexander Road, just south of Princeton. Questions? Contact Bob Barth at 201-401-3121 or barths@att.net.

Sunday, November 11 - Donald B. Jones Memorial walks, leaving from Prallsville Mills. Three choices, with varying lengths. Details TBA. Questions? 908-234-1225 or carol@njconservation.org

Saturday, November 17 – 10 am. Walk the D&R Canal Feeder from the Ellarslie Mansion in Cadwalader Park to the junction with the main canal at Old Rose Street ( 2.3 miles). See the Pedicaris waste gate, bridgetender’s homes, with a special visit inside the Calhoun Street bridgetender’s home. Questions? Contact Bill Valocchi, 609-989-1931 or bval2@verizon.net.

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