ALONG THE WATERWAY: Cyclists are among those who frequent the towpath of D&R Canal State Park, which passes through Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, and Somerset counties. The park was created five decades ago and is celebrating with a series of events beginning September 14.

By Anne Levin

Passing through four New Jersey counties between Trenton and New Brunswick, the Delaware & Raritan (D&R) Canal was a vital link for the transportation of goods for nearly a century. While its purpose had become obsolete by the 1930s, its history was not forgotten.

In 1973, the canal was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A year later, Gov. Brendan Byrne signed legislation to create the 70-mile D&R Canal State Park. It is the anniversary of that legislation that the nonprofit D&R Canal Watch is celebrating on October 26 with a walk/run/bike event.

Centered at Trenton’s Cadwalader Park, “Tour de Towpath” includes a 50-mile bicycle route to Colonial Park in Franklin Township, as well as a 20-mile cycling route to Princeton’s Turning Basin Park. A non-competitive half marathon run/walk to Washington Crossing State Park in Hopewell and a 5K fun run/walk are also part of the celebration.

An earlier commemorative event is being planned for September 14 by the D&R Canal State Park and Commission at its headquarters at Prallsville Mill in Stockton, offering a photography show, live music, and information about the park’s history and preservation.

“The D&R Canal State Park is the second most-visited New Jersey State Park,” said Linda Barth, president of D&R Canal Watch, which organizes volunteer projects and raises funds to maintain the area. “It is just a wonderful recreational opportunity in central New Jersey, which is otherwise so crowded. It has been very important over the years — especially in Princeton, which was the halfway point of the canal where boatmen used to stop. There were hotels there at one time.”

Part of the National Recreation Trail System, the park is a popular recreational corridor for canoeing, jogging, hiking, bicycling, and fishing. Valued as a wildlife corridor, it is home to numerous species of birds.

“When it opened in 1834, the Delaware and Raritan Canal provided a direct transportation link between the cities of Philadelphia and New York City,” reads the website of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. “This new transportation corridor was a waterway connection that flowed through the heart of central New Jersey. What was once a thoroughfare for mule-powered canal boats, steam-powered vessels and pleasure boats of all kinds, is today a linear state park that offers a serene and surprising respite from the commotion of nearby highways and surrounding suburban communities. With more than 70 miles of flat, continuous path available for use, the D&R Canal State Park is a haven for cyclists, runners, hikers, and nature and history lovers of all kinds.”

Among the attractions for historians are wooden bridges and 19th century bridge tender houses, remnants of locks, cobblestone spillways and hand-built stone-arched culverts. The upper portion of the feeder canal follows the Delaware River through Frenchtown, Stockton, and Lambertville, while the main canal passes through the Port Mercer bridge tender’s house, Kingston, and Griggstown to Blackwells Mills, ending up in New Brunswick.

The Canal Commission, which was established under the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Law of 1974, is a state regulatory agency responsible for preserving and protecting the canal as a historic and natural resource, as well as a water supply system that provides drinking water to an estimated 1 million people in central New Jersey.

The celebration at Prallsville Mill on September 14 is from 2-5 p.m. At the Trenton event on October 26, all registered volunteers and participants will receive an event T-shirt. Registration is $50 in advance, and $60 the morning of the gathering. Visit tourdetowpath.org.

“As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the D&R Canal State Park with the Tour de Towpath event, we honor not only the beauty and importance of the canal but also the dedication of the community and organizations that support it,” said Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora. “I encourage everyone to join us for a day of fitness, fun, and festivities as we come together to recognize this remarkable park and its impact on our region.”