Winter Delaware Water Gap trip

[Paul Germain]

There's not nearly enough Right Coast content here, so I wanted to chime in with the story this trip on my Sam up and down the Delaware (River) Water Gap between upper NJ & PA. (The river forms the state boundary.) 

Early this past spring, Joan Oppel posted pics of her trip in the Water Gap with a group of eastern Riv owners that included Steve Palincsar, Tom Robinson and others at the annual Cirque du Cylisme in Leesburg, VA. Though I'm 7 hours away from upper PA, down in balmy Richmond, VA, I could not erase the thought of getting to experience that area for myself. Life (and a number of other rides) got in the way and I found 2013 waning, so decided to go for it, driving up on a Tues. so I could ride the trip Wed. & Thurs.

Temps were in the mid-30's to mid-40's with a reading of 15 degrees on my bike computer on day two when I crawled out of the tent. As ya'll say, pictures prove it happened - text describing the trip is on the Flickr set:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikecrazy-paul/sets/72157637953125903/

I can recommend this area for a near car-free trip. This PDF map of the Water Gap takes a few seconds to load, but gives an excellent idea of the area:

http://hfc.nps.gov/carto/PDF/DEWAmap1.pdf

Paul Germain

Midlothian, Va.

[Michael]

Thanks Paul!  Looks like a nice ride!

 

I wonder if one can ride the whole Appalacian trail. I saw that picture of that sign "Maine to Georgia". Sounds like east coast camping/riding. 

[WETH]

Paul,
Great pictures to view and write-up to read on a cold November night.
Thanks,
Erl

[Deacon Patrick]

Great looking trip!

With abandon,

Patrick

[Anne Paulson]

Most of the Appalachian Trail does not allow bikes.

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-- Anne Paulson

It isn't a contest. Enjoy the ride.

[Anne Paulson]

Great looking trip. I'm originally from northern New Jersey, and would
love to ride that area again some time. Not, though, in November, at
least for camping... brrrr.

[Bob E]

Looks like a great trip! Nice photos, too -- love that late-autumn sun!

Regarding the McDade trail: Was it continuous all the way from the Dingman's Ferry bridge to Hialeah? I've been hesitant to ride that, as the other maps I've seen show the trail as being disconnected, with missing bridges.

[cyclotourist]

Paul, what a great tour! Looks like everything came together without incident!

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Cheers,
David

"it isn't a contest. Just enjoy the ride." - Seth Vidal

[Mike B]

Cool beans Paul.    I think I can be there in under two hours on the train from NYC.  Might pick your brain a bit before I go.  Probably not till spring though.  I was camping out near the AT last weekend and man it was getting cold.  

Mike

[Paul Germain]

Michael, as Anne says, no bikes are allowed on the actual AT trails, but the trail does at times come into small towns like this one (Delaware Water Gap township). In this case, it allows the hikers to cross the river on the Rt.611 bridge pedestrian path and to touch base with civilization, recoup, restock food, etc. My experience on the trail is that it would be largely unridable, even on a mountain bike. No piece of cake. Nothing like the groomed trail I rode back on Day 2 (the McDade Recreational Trail).    

If you saw the PDF map of the park, the AT skirts down the eastern side and generally snakes down (up) linked state & nat'l forests or parks along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains form Maine to Georgia.

Down in southwestern Va., we have the little town of Damascus, where the Appalachian Trail and the TransAm Bike Route 76 intersect.

Paul Germain

Midlothian, Va.

Michael <john1...@gmail.com> Nov 24 03:09PM -0800  

[Paul Germain]

Bob,

It was contiguous from Dingman's Ferry down to Hialeah. The map shows it goes all the way up to Rt 206 near Milford, though I did not have an extra day for the much riding. I did read a review of the trail that mentioned it was not very well marked at the top end, so a call to park HQ might be in order. They were quite helpful to me, including mailing me a great map. (I could not print the PDF off their site large enough to be helpful in low light like I had.) The trail is accessible from numerous points along Rt 209, which runs parallel. 

As to missing bridges, It's possible there were some that washed out over the years, but the "official" park mp I had showed only one place to cross except the top and bottom of the park. All the trail bridges (over creeks) were rather small ones, in good shape and maintained.

While not a rail trail, the McDade did have numerous river views and the surface was quite nice, with no muddy spots. The terrain on the trail was quite varied, so interesting without being too difficult with heavy winter gear. I experienced no hunters driving ATVs either, which was surprising. That would not be the case in most Nat'l Forests here in the east. I saw only one other bike rider (recreational and a local) the whole way down. No riders at all the first day up Old Mine Rd.

My problem was that I was "winging it" from Hialeah down the River Road toward I-80 to cross the river to my van and could find no one who could tell me if I could get under the Interstate. (I did and was able to backtrack the final 8 miles before dark.)

Paul Germain

Midlothian, Va

 Winter Delaware Water Gap trip

Bob E <ree...@gmail.com> Nov 24 04:55PM -0800  

[Bob E]

Thanks very much for the info, Paul – it’s good to hear that the trail is no longer disjointed; I’ll have to give it a go!

 

For anyone who might be interested in other trail rides along the Delaware River, a little further south of the Delaware Water Gap is a rail trail that runs alongside both the river and the feeder canal for the Delaware and Raritan Canal: it runs 31 miles from Frenchtown down to Trenton on the New Jersey side (passing through some lovely little river towns), and is in excellent condition. At Trenton, the trail turns northeast into the interior of New Jersey on the old towpath of the Delaware and Raritan Canal proper and runs for another 34 miles to the city of New Brunswick. The trail is also accessible by NJ Transit trains at various points along the main canal, so one can ride one way and take a train back. Here is a link:

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/drcanal.html

 

On the Pennsylvania side runs the Delaware Canal trail; some parts of the path had been damaged by storms over the years, so its surface condition varies considerably depending on the location:

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/delawarecanal/

 

Using the several bridges that span the Delaware in this area (including a beautiful Roebling-built pedestrian suspension bridge), one can put together a number of loop rides of varying length; here’s a link to some photos taken during a 35-mile ride I took in September from Lambertville, NJ to Frenchtown, NJ and back, utilizing both sides of the river:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30490050@N04/sets/72157635438917731/

 

Bob Ehrenbeck

Garwood, New Jersey

[Mike B]

Bob...   I've ridden that trail from Trenton to Riegelsville.  Definite thumbs up.   Riegelsville is just a few miles from Phillipsburg.  Do you know a good route to take from Phillipsburg to the southern end of the Delaware Water Gap?  Seems like about twenty miles on the map but I wouldn't know what the roads are like.

Mike

[Bob E]

Mike B -- I haven't ridden between those two points, so don't have a route mapped out. But if I were to ride from the northern end of the D&R Canal trail to say, Columbia, I would generally hug the river -- except that I would skirt around Phillipsburg to the east (via Green, Roseberry, and Belvidere roads). North of Belvidere, the only road along the river in that area is Route 46, which I would avoid (traffic, iffy shoulders at times), so I would take some of the quieter and more scenic roads to the east (Sarepta, Koeck, and Linaberry roads). Around Columbia it gets tricky, as I-80 interchanges with Routes 46 and 94 there, and there are some high-speed ramps. I would probably get on Route 46 from Walnut Road just south of Columbia and then ride the short distance to town on the shoulder (wider here) of the southbound lane just to avoid that mess.

 

Another option would to cross into Pennsylvania at Easton (a portion of the Delaware Canal trail just south of Easton is still closed) and take the river roads on that side, but I'm even less familiar with those roads.

 

Just my quick two cents!

 

Bob

[Montclair BobbyB]

I love the Gap area, and in fact I rode it a few years ago in early December (it was COLD, and I'm not tough enough for winter camping). While I haven't yet ridden the McDade sections, there are some nice interior NJ routes back to the Gap (via the Paulinskill Valley), including the route Joan, Steve, Pudge & Sons and others followed in the Spring... I'd be happy to share that route with anyone interested. 

Thrilled to hear there's interest in riding NJ.  I live along the Delaware River, not far from the aforementioned Canal Trail (down in Lambertville, just across from New Hope, PA).  It's an awesome place to live and ride with beautiful trails on both the PA and NJ sides of the river, dirt roads, country lanes, scenic hollows and streams.  Lately I've been thinking of hosting (perhaps in the Spring) a weekend ride in the area (including several covered bridges in Bucks County PA).  There's great history in the area, and the lovely town of Lambertville has fabulous restaurants and pubs.  If anyone is interested in a weekend "Delaware River Rally" (in the April timeframe), I'd be happy to host.  I can even accommodate a handful of guests at my place, and there are several beautiful inns (including the Chimney Hill Estate Inn - http://www.chimneyhillinn.com/), a short 2 minute bike ride away.  (Just listen to me, I sound like a travel agent)... 

Bobby   

[Steve Palincsar]

On 11/27/2013 08:05 PM, Montclair BobbyB wrote:

I love the Gap area, and in fact I rode it a few years ago in early December (it was COLD, and I'm not tough enough for winter camping). While I haven't yet ridden the McDade sections, there are some nice interior NJ routes back to the Gap (via the Paulinskill Valley), including the route Joan, Steve, Pudge & Sons and others followed in the Spring... I'd be happy to share that route with anyone interested. 

Thrilled to hear there's interest in riding NJ.  I live along the Delaware River, not far from the aforementioned Canal Trail (down in Lambertville, just across from New Hope, PA).  It's an awesome place to live and ride with beautiful trails on both the PA and NJ sides of the river, dirt roads, country lanes, scenic hollows and streams.  Lately I've been thinking of hosting (perhaps in the Spring) a weekend ride in the area (including several covered bridges in Bucks County PA).  There's great history in the area, and the lovely town of Lambertville has fabulous restaurants and pubs.  If anyone is interested in a weekend "Delaware River Rally" (in the April timeframe), I'd be happy to host.  I can even accommodate a handful of guests at my place, and there are several beautiful inns (including the Chimney Hill Estate Inn - http://www.chimneyhillinn.com/), a short 2 minute bike ride away.  (Just listen to me, I sound like a travel agent)...

When?

[djbardwil]

I would love to join as well.

[Mike B]

Thanks for the info Bob.   Might see you all out there...

Mike

[Norman R]

I'll be in Lambertville tomorrow for Thanksgiving.  It's such a lovely area though a little on the flat side.  I'm sure now that you're living there it won't be hard for you to find some varied terrain.  Hope all is well and Happy Thanksgiving to you and everyone else reading this.

Norman

[Montclair BobbyB]

When?

 

"... (perhaps in the Spring) ..."

 "...(in the April timeframe) ..."

On Wednesday, November 27, 2013 10:07:08 PM UTC-5, Steve Palincsar wrote:

[Montclair BobbyB]

Norm:  The river and downtown is flat... everything else East of downtown (including the granny gear climb up to my neighborhood) is quite hilly, trust me.  

Peace,

BB

[Steve Palincsar]

On 11/28/2013 12:13 AM, Montclair BobbyB wrote:

When?

 

"... (perhaps in the Spring) ..."

 "...(in the April timeframe) ..."

I'm definitely interested.

[Anne Paulson]

I'm going to be in northern NJ in early May, if that timeframe would work.

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[cyclotourist]

"It's an awesome place to live and ride with beautiful trails on both
the PA and NJ sides of the river, dirt roads, country lanes, scenic
hollows and streams. "

This sounds like a wonderful area to ride!

[Montclair BobbyB]

Early May is also a possibility, Anne... 

[Steve Palincsar]

On 11/28/2013 12:29 PM, cyclotourist wrote:

"It's an awesome place to live and ride with beautiful trails on both
the PA and NJ sides of the river, dirt roads, country lanes, scenic
hollows and streams. "

This sounds like a wonderful area to ride!

Lots of photos from our trip this spring:  http://www.flickr.com/groups/2169588@N24/  

Here's one of mine of Buttermilk Falls:

[Joan Oppel]

I vote for early May and having Anne attend would be terrific.

Joan 

[Montclair BobbyB]

Well hey... I'm a reasonable guy...  Early May should be OK.  FYI Mother's Day is Sun May 11, and my daughter's college graduation is May 17-18, so would like to aim for the weekend of May 3-4.  

BB

[djbardwil]

Darn conflict - NYC 5 Boro Bike Tour is on May 4.  A great experience!

[Rusty Click]

I've been thinking about this ride since Joan posted in the spring.  May, or even early June would be great.  Sign me up!

Rusty

[Bob E]

Count me in, too -- I regret not being able to make last spring's ride.

[ctbiker]

Yes, last spring's ride was excellent!  

I'm not available the first weekend in May but thereafter I can make it.

Ray Foss

Lisbon, CT

[Allingham II, Thomas J]

I'm in, in either time frame. 

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[Paul Germain]

Bobby B. Montclair said:

Montclair BobbyB <montcla...@gmail.com> Nov 27 09:13PM -0800  

When?

*"... (perhaps in the Spring) ..."*
* "...(in the April timeframe) ..."*

 
On Wednesday, November 27, 2013 10:07:08 PM UTC-5, Steve Palincsar wrote:

 

Bobby et al,

I've got all of April and the first weekend in June open for this. I would love to join the group riding the Delaware Water Gap area. My short Nov. trip last weekend - taken after seeing photos of your spring 2013 trip) whetted my appetite! After that, I'm busy until after June 8. Would love to join you all!

Paul Germain

Midlothian, VA