Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park

06/13/2026

PARK ADVISORY: D&R Canal State Park - Scudders Falls

Effective immediately, the Scudders Falls section of D&R Canal State Park will be closed to park visitors on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays through Sept. 8.

The closure is a result of excessive usage that has led to illegal activities and damage, creating an unsafe environment for visitors and park staff. Weekend visitors who usually park at this location for canal towpath use or launching kayak and canoes are encouraged to use the other public designated locations at D&R Canal State Park, Bulls Island Recreation Area or nearby Washington Crossing State Park.

📍View D&R Canal State Park’s map for alternate park access points:https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/parksandforests/drcanal-areamap.pdf

The Scudders Falls area will continue to be utilized by park visitors Monday through Thursday.

🔗 Learn more about D&R Canal State Park: https://dep.nj.gov/parksandforests/state-park/dr-canal-state-park/

06/12/2026

PARK ADVISORY: Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park

With longer days and rising temperatures, spring and summer is the perfect time to visit Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park. One of New Jersey’s most popular and expansive parks, the park attracts visitors from across the region each year. To help visitors plan ahead and enjoy their trip safely, New Jersey State Parks is sharing several helpful tips for exploring the park.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO 🚨
🚫 🏊 Swimming is not permitted from anywhere in D&R Canal State Park.
🚫🔥 Fires of any kind are not permitted.
🚫🍾 Alcohol is not permitted.
🚫🚬 Smoking and va**ng are not permitted.
🚙 Parking is limited and only permitted in designated areas. Illegally parked vehicles are subject to fines and may be towed.
⚠️ The Cooley Parking Lot is closed due to summer operations.

THINGS TO DO 🌲
🧺 Picnicking and grilling is permitted in designated picnic areas.
🚴 The Canal Towpath is an ideal place for walking, bicycling or jogging.
🚣 Canoes and kayaks are allowed along the entire length of the canal.
♻️ Keep it clean and green! Take your trash home with you – trashcans are not provided.

RIVER TUBING
🌊 River tubing in the Delaware River is one of the most popular activities at D&R Canal State Park. Big Bear Gear is the only tubing company licensed to operate in the state park. For more information on rentals and pricing visit Big Bear Gear’s website: https://bigbeargearnj.com/pages/delaware-river-tubing

Park visitors bringing their own river tubes and not using the Big Bear Gear concession may launch only from the Riverview parking lot. All tubes must exit the river at the Point Pleasant parking lot.

🔗 For additional information about D&R Canal State Park visit: https://dep.nj.gov/parksandforests/state-park/dr-canal-state-park/
📍 D&R Canal State Park Map:https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/parksandforests/drcanal-areamap.pdf

04/28/2026

A big thank you to all who came out to volunteer with us from EY in honor of Earth Day! With their help, we were able to cover 2.5 miles of the Towpath near Six Mile Run and collect 54 pounds of litter from along the trail. This was an excellent reminder for everyone to carry in and carry out their garbage anytime you recreate, and to be mindful of our impacts on the planet. Volunteers also managed to remove vines from more than 100 trees and had the opportunity to learn about local ecology from park staff. Thank you volunteers!

04/14/2026

Happy (almost) Earth Day! Staff at Bulls Island Recreation Area are hosting a free event this Sunday to celebrate and would love the chance to teach everyone a little bit about the park and our planet!

🌻🌳Celebrate Earth Day 2026 at Bulls Island!🌳🌻

Join us for a relaxing day of fun by the river to celebrate all things outdoors in honor of Earth Day! Learn about the world around you from park naturalists and special guests, make some fun nature themed arts & crafts, and learn how to enjoy the outdoors safely. The rain date for this event is April 26th, so keep an eye on the Bulls Island page for any updates. Woodlands Wildlife Refuge will only be available on the original date. This is a family event so feel free to stay and make it a picnic!

Date: Sunday April 19th
Rain Date: Sunday April 26th
Time: 10:00 – 2:00
Cost: Free!

Program Schedule:
Raptor Walk ~ 10:15-11:15
Life of a Bear ~ 11:30-12:30
Nature Walk ~ 12:45-1:45

We hope to see you there!

04/02/2026

Enjoy this fun nature walk hosted by the lovely staff at Bulls Island Recreation Area! Spring is a great time of year to get outside and explore your local trails.

🐾🌳Pop Up Hike This Weekend!🌳🐾

Join park staff on a fun and easy 1.5 mile hike through beautiful Horseshoe Bend Park! Learn about the world around you as we observe spring emerging. Sections of the trail will likely be muddy so dress for the weather. Things you can bring include binoculars, cameras, snacks, and smiles. All ages are welcome to this free event!

Date: Saturday, April 4th
Time: 12:00 - 2:30
Location: Horseshoe Bend Park, south entrance (signs will be posted to help find the meeting area)
Cost: Free

We hope to see you there!

03/23/2026

Do you love the outdoors and meeting new people? Turn your passion into a summer job! Bulls Island Recreation Area is hiring Visitor Service Assistants to help welcome and assist visitors.
Visitor Service Assistants provide accurate information to visitors at park facilities, report emergencies and assist with directing traffic when needed, perform visual inspections of park facilities and grounds, help ensure visitors have a safe and enjoyable experience and more!

03/10/2026

Are you searching for an opportunity to get outside and enjoy the beautiful spring weather? Look no further! Bulls Island staff will be hosting a fun guided hike this weekend on Saturday March 14th from 12:00 - 2:30. All are welcome!

🐾🌳Pop Up Hikes are back for 2026!🌳🐾

Enjoy a guided hike with friendly park staff and join us on the White Oak Trail. The hike will be approximately 1.7 miles, and we will travel at a slow pace to enjoy all the sights and sounds of nature. This is a free event with no pre-registration required and is open to all ages. We ask that hikers meet at the Bulls Island office where there is an option to leave your phone for the duration of the hike. Staff will have one in case of emergency. Dress for the weather, and in the event that we need to cancel, updates will be posted here. Items you can bring include snacks, a camera, a journal, a sketchbook, and a smile!

Date: Saturday, March 14th

Time: 12:00 – 2:30

Cost: Free!

We hope to see you there!

01/24/2026

Due to the impending winter storm, all New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites will close to visitors at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24.

Existing camping reservations will be honored, however campers should be prepared for the conditions.

Parks will reopen to visitors for winter activities once maintenance crews complete snowplowing operations.

View the real-time operating status of state parks, forests and historic sites at stateparks.nj.gov

01/01/2026

𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗗𝗨𝗟𝗘𝗗 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗛𝗜𝗞𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗗 𝗗𝗨𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗟𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗪𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥. 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗗𝗨𝗟𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗦 𝗔 𝗣𝗢𝗣-𝗨𝗣 𝗪𝗔𝗟𝗞 𝗜𝗡 𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗬 𝗙𝗘𝗕𝗥𝗨𝗔𝗥𝗬...𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗬 𝗧𝗨𝗡𝗘𝗗!

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 – 𝗟𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗽; 𝟯 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀
𝗗̵𝗔̵𝗧̵𝗘̵:̵ ̵𝗦̵𝗮̵𝘁̵𝘂̵𝗿̵𝗱̵𝗮̵𝘆̵,̵ ̵𝗝̵𝗮̵𝗻̵𝘂̵𝗮̵𝗿̵𝘆̵ ̵𝟭̵𝟬̵,̵ ̵𝟮̵𝟬̵𝟮̵𝟲̵
̵𝗧̵𝗜̵𝗠̵𝗘̵:̵ ̵𝟭̵:̵𝟬̵𝟬̵ ̵𝗣̵𝗠̵ ̵-̵ ̵𝟯̵:̵𝟯̵𝟬̵ ̵𝗣̵𝗠̵
𝗟𝗢𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡: 𝗗&𝗥 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗟𝗼𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗲 𝗝𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘂𝗺 𝗮𝘁 𝟭𝟲𝟬𝟱 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘆 𝗛𝘄𝘆, 𝗟𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲, 𝗡𝗝 𝟬𝟴𝟱𝟯𝟬
(𝗵𝘁𝘁𝗽𝘀://𝗺𝗮𝗽𝘀.𝗮𝗽𝗽.𝗴𝗼𝗼.𝗴𝗹/𝗥𝗤𝗞𝗝𝗞𝗚𝗺𝗺𝗝𝗷𝗬𝘂𝘆𝗩𝗔𝗪𝟳)
𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗗 / 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘

𝗣𝗔𝗠 𝗥𝗘𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗦 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗛𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗&𝗥 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸. This walk will be moderately paced and last about 2 1/2 hours. Children are welcome but those under 15 must be accompanied by an adult. Participants are asked to meet promptly at the designated parking area and start time indicated above.

𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗛𝗜𝗞𝗘; 𝗦𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗬 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗥 & 𝗝𝗢𝗜𝗡 𝗨𝗦!
_________________________________________________________________

Start 2026 off with your best foot forward and join Pam for a First Day Hike through Lambertville! We encourage you to join this easy 3-mile Lambertville Loop First Day Walk. Attendees will meet at the D&R Canal State Park parking lot located off Route 29 (Daniel Bray Highway) north of Lambertville next to the Holcombe Jimison Farmstead Museum (𝟭𝟲𝟬𝟱 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘆 𝗛𝘄𝘆, 𝗟𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲, 𝗡𝗝 𝟬𝟴𝟱𝟯𝟬; 𝗦𝗘𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗞 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗩𝗘) at 1:00 pm. The group will head south along the canal into Lambertville. This walk will take us to its historic downtown and further south to the D&R's lift and outlet locks and back.

So start the year off right with a hardy winter walk! Put on your hiking shoes, dress for the weather and come enjoy a First Day Hike at the D&R Canal State Park! You'll get outside, accumulate some steps, meet new people and learn a little bit about the D&R Canal and this historic Delaware River town! We hope you will join us.

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱. 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝟭:𝟬𝟬 𝗽𝗺. 𝗕𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝟮 𝟭/𝟮 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸.

𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺. 𝗔 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗺𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝘁 https://dandrcanal.org/programs

𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻? 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝘁 (𝟲𝟬𝟵) 𝟵𝟮𝟰-𝟱𝟳𝟬𝟱.

12/24/2025

Step back in time with us for a First Day Hike celebrating 250 Years of Exploring Trenton! 🚶‍♂️🏛️

Join Trenton Walks! and NJDEP for a guided hike through 250 years of Trenton history along D&R Canal State Park, exploring the past and present significance of our Capital City.

📅 January 1, 2026
🕐 1:00 PM
📍 Meet at the Trenton Battle Monument

Route: The hike begins at the Trenton Battle Monument, winds through the city along the D&R Canal State Park, continues to historic Cadwalader Park, and returns to the Battle Monument.

🥾 Details:
• Total distance: 3.5 miles
• Terrain: Urban walk
• All ages welcome

📧 Registration: Registration is recommended as space is limited.
Email [email protected] with questions or to register.