Gorgeous ride through farmlands and rolling countryside. Starts at the Princeton Junction train station, continuing through the wealthy outskirts of Princeton itself, to the Delaware River and Washington’s Crossing State Park, site of the famous Revolutionary War crossing and the surprise attack against the British, to New Hope for lunch, and back along a different route. The ride passes several other Revolutionary War encampments and battle sites, the oldest bike shop in the US, and includes 3.5 miles along the Delaware Canal towpath, two scenic bridge crossings and a short optional excursion through the historic part of the Princeton Campus and Nassau Hall, briefly the US capital. With 2,300 feet of climbing in all, the route is relatively flat on the way out, with one good hill and several rollers on the way back.
In New Hope we usually stop for lunch at Ferry Landing – Food court with good options; indoor and outdoor seating, good clean bathrooms. On Main Street one block before bridge. Mile 25.8. Other pits : Going out: Exon Station in Pennington. Mile 12.1, at intersection of West Delaware and Rte 31, marked on cue sheet and GPS; Visitor Center at Washington Crossing State Park, mile 19.0 (not marked on cue or gps). Coming back; Rosedale Mills at 37.3 – marked on cue; pretty much the only option on the way back before getting into Princeton.
Two notes: 1. At the light on 17.3, continue straight (a hundred yards or so) all the way to the T at River DRIVE (don’t make the immediate left onto River ROAD or onto the towpath). 2. At 21.2, the entrance to tow path is on the right and easy to miss. Go slow when approaching. Also, towpath is very pretty, but it’s 3.5 miles and might be muddy If it’s been raining hard; if that’s the case, consider just continuing on Rt 32 all the way into New Hope. Narrow 2 lanes and quite trafficky, though.
RS 5/7/2021