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Recently, I took a bike ride beginning at Washington Crossing State Park and ending at Lambertville. The ride was
approximately seven miles up the New Jersey side of the of the canal and back down the Pennsylvania side, and it was jam-packed
with educational opportunities. The pictures you see below were captured during this trip, and the following destinations
are highly recommended. An exciting adventure of learning awaits children of all ages!
WARNING: At some areas the towpath has been washed-out due to floods. These areas are not
passable.
Lambertville/New Hope
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| This is a picture of the Lambertville Station, which has now been renovated into a restaurant. |
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| This is a view of Main Street in Lambertville. |
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Enjoy the shops and restaurants that line the streets of these small riverside towns. Spend some time walking through
the bustling sidewalks of New Hope, and then cross over the bridge to visit the town of Lambertville. The iron bridge connecting
Lambertville and New Hope has been standing since 1904. The previous covered bridge was washed away in the flood of 1903.
In Lambertville, an old-fashioned train resembling the one that replaced the canals awaits your boarding.
For more information about New Hope click here!!
For more information about Lambertville click here!!
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Washington's Crossing
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| This monument is located at the spot where George Washington crossed the Delaware River. |
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| Here is a picture I took of a monument of George Washington. |
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Experience the site where George Washington crossed the Delaware River on Christmas night of 1776. It was at this spot
that General Washington surprised the Hessians as they were relaxing and celebrating the holiday on a cold winter night. At
a time when morale was very low for his troops, General Washington navigated his troops across a churning icy river in large,
heavy Durham boats. They attacked and defeated the unsuspecting Hessians at midnight, when the enemy troops were sure to be
tired. Many historians consider the winning of this battle to be the turning point of the Revolutionary War. In 1917, the
Washington Crossing Park was founded at this spot in an effort to preserve the memory of this important time in America's
history.
Every year on Christmas day, the crossing of the Delaware is reenacted at this spot to commemorate the battle of Trenton.
All are welcome to view this annual event. During other times of the year, children can "cross the Delaware" on their own
by walking across the bridge beginning at Washington's Crossing.
For more information about Washington's Crossing click here!!
Cemetery of Unknown Soldiers
In this military graveyard located along the towpath, many American Revolutionary War soldiers were buried without identification.
A monument has been erected at this spot in their memory.
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| Here is a picture that I took of the unkown soldiers. |
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Activities & Environmental Education
Spend the day biking, walking, or jogging along the Delaware River. You can also participate in water sports, such as
fishing, canoeing, or kayaking. While traveling along the river, take notice of the various vegetation and parks you will
see. Year-round educational programs are offered to help the participants gain an understanding of the environment and its
natural resources.
There is much to learn about nature and environmental science in this area. The Delaware, which is the longest free-flowing
river east of the Mississippi River, is home to many different species of fish. One such fish, named the American shad, is
unique in that it is an anadromous species. This means that it travels to the river to spawn in fresh water, and
then spends the majority of its life in salt water. In this case, the American shad spend 3 to 6 years in the Atlantic Ocean
before returning to the waters of their birth in the Delaware River to spawn. This process has been occurring for hundreds
of years, as the Lenape Indians depended on the spawning runs of the shad as a staple in their diet.
Click Here to Learn More About Biking On the Towpath!!
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