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DE Water Gap + D & L Lehigh Rail Trail (NJ, PA-USA)

See the scenic side of NJ and PA

Moderate
DE Lehigh Gorge 2
DE Lehigh Gorge
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Overview

This route connects 3 separate rail trails:

  • Delaware and Raritan Canal Trail (~40 miles: New Brunswick to Trenton, NJ)
    • It’s a flat, easy-to-moderate multi-use trail on crushed stone or gravel, making it ideal for bikes of all kinds and great for long, relaxed rides along water and through quaint towns like Princeton and Lambertville. The canal corridor’s rich history as a 19th-century transportation route adds scenic and cultural context to the ride.
  • Delaware Water Gap Region(~50 miles: Trenton, NJ to Easton, PA)
    • This segment isn’t a single dedicated rail trail under one name so much as a connection of forest roads, bike-friendly parks, and scenic river routes centered around the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Cyclists in this section often ride portions of the McDade Recreational Trail and nearby paved or gravel roads that parallel the Delaware River, with forest views, river scenery, and varied terrain making for a quieter, more nature-oriented experience compared with urban corridor trails.
  • D&L + Lehigh Gorge Trail (_80 miles: Easton to White Haven, PA)
    • The D&L Trail itself is a long-distance multi-use path following historic canal and rail corridors. It weaves through small towns, river valleys, and cultural-historic sites with mainly crushed stone surfacing and generally easy to moderate difficulty. North of Jim Thorpe, the Lehigh Gorge Trail adds a spectacular ~26-mile rail-trail stretch along the Lehigh River through deep forested gorge scenery. This section is flat to gently graded, perfect for touring bikes and gravel setups alike.

Difficulty Explained

This rating could easily fluctuate between easy and moderate.  If riding conditions were the only criteria, since this is a pretty straightforward bike route, except for a few sections on the road, this would be rated as easy.  Some parts along the water gap and in PA are a bit more remote, so advanced planning is necessary. Also, the lack of wide access to public transit make this a little trickier and require this to be an out and back.

Notable towns along the way (Starting from New Brunswick)

  • Princeton, NJ - Awesome town center with the World's #1 unviersity
  • New Hope, PA - Perfect town to make a pitstop and enjoy some good food and views of the DE Water Gap.
  • Easton, PA
  • Allentown, PA
  • Northampton, PA
  • Lehighton, PA
  • Jim Thorpe, PA - Super cute town tucked away between the gorge!
  • White Haven, PA
Map
Local Amenities
Sites
Logistics
Warnings

Interactive map showing the complete route. Green marker indicates start point, red marker shows the end point.

Local Businesses

Food/Drink

Sunrise Creek Bagels & Deli – East Millstone (East Millstone, NJ): Awesome Bagel joint about 10 miles from the start in New Brunswick. Great spot for your first break to enjoy those Jersey Bagels!!. 50 ft from trail, across river. 

The Bent Spoon (Princeton, NJ): Princeton is premier hotspot for ice cream. Bent Spoon is nationally recognized spot famous for unique, seasonal flavors and artisanal quality. Heart of Princeton. 

It’s Nutts Restaurant (Titusville): Home of the famous Tomato Pie. Great place to enjoy a bite to eat with some outdoor seating. Directly off the trail. 

L’Annexe de Mamie Colette (Titusville, NJ): Local Bakery with a great hometown feel. Directly off the trail. 

Owowcow Creamery (Lambertville, NJ): Ice Cream spot directly in the heart of town. Directly off the trail. 

Something to taco about (Riegesville, PA): Feeling Mexican! Enjoy this local taco joint with more to eat than just tacos. Directly off the trail. 

The Burger Shack (Whitehall, PA): Savor these burgers and other tasty sandwiches + wraps. Directly off the trail. 

Lodging

Porches on the Towpath (New Hope, PA): Great spot that caters to cyclists of the DE Water Gap. Directly off the trail. 

Deer Wood Campground (Pipersville): Camp along the Water Gap. .5 mile from the trail . 

Treasure Island River Camping (Pipersville): Great spot for camping along the river. Caters to cyclists of the trail. . Directly off the trail. 

Dogwood Haven Family Campground (Upper Black Eddy): Campground. Directly off the trail. 

The Inn At Jim Thorpe (Jim Thorpe, PA): Hotel right in the heart of gorgeous Jim Thorpe. A hidden gem that makes for an awesome night stay!. Directly off the trail. 

Resources

Griggstown Farm (East Millstone, NJ): Cute local farm in NJ (Believe it or not!). Great place to feast on some healthy local produce and get some grocery items. . Cross Bridge in Griggstown. 

Notable Sites + Highlights

  • Rutgers Main Campus- NJ's state university that offers a ton of awesome eating and fun spots to fuel up
  • Princeton Univeristy- One of the top universities in the world; for the bike traveller the Princeton campus is also one of the prettiest campuses in the world. You'll love the amazing architecture. Also the town of Princeton is the PERFECT place to stop to fuel up on all types of great food and ice cream.
  • Easton & Hugh Moore Park: Start with the National Canal Museum and ride past restored canal locks and an 1800s mule-powered boat; great for history buffs and a perfect place to stretch before heading south or north.
  • Bethlehem & Allentown: Ride through industrial canal history near the old Bethlehem Steel stacks, now cultural venues.
  • Lehigh Gorge State Park: In the northern portion, the trail follows the Lehigh River through a deep forested gorge with lush scenery and seasonal color changes. Notable highlights include Rockport Access, where you can see cascading waterfall features like Buttermilk Falls and Luke’s Falls, especially striking in spring and early summer.
  • Jim Thorpe: This charming historic town in the mid-section is a classic ride destination—stop for food, coffee, or just to stroll the Victorian era streets before hopping back on the trail toward White Haven.
  • Lehigh Gorge State Park: In terms of scenery, this is probably the highlight of the trip.  It is the last leg of the journey and comprises about 10 miles of stunning gorgeous and river views.  Savor it!

Logistics

Transportation to and from

  • To Start: Getting to New Brunswick is very easy.  There are numerous train/bus lines connecting almost all areas of the Northeast.
  • In Between: Other major centers along the path include Easton, PA and Princeton/Trenton where you should have no issue accessing via public transit.  Beyond Easton, PA the public transit options are limited to none.
  • To End: Getting to White Haven, PA is not so easy.  If you decide to continue on past Easton, PA, you will have to most likely bike the trip back. Hence why this route is listed as an Out and Back

Recommended Gear (type of Bike, clothing, camping, etc)

  • Bike: Since the large majority is on Gravel; recommend a bike with slightly stubbier tires.  Hybrid, Gravel, Mountain bike should all suffice. Would not recommend a road bike.
  • Since this is multi-day trip, plan on carrying Ortlieb Classic Roller Pannier (Amazon Affiliate Link) to pack multiple sets of clothing, repair kits, and other necessities.
  • Camping: Camping is plentiful once you get passed Trenton so if you want to save money and sleep under the stars, totally consider bringing some camping gear. At a minimum, I would always recommend carrying at least a

Navigation (Signage, Direction)

  • NOTE: After passing Trenton: For about 30 miles there are actually 2 bike paths, one on each side of the Delaware Water Gap.  Both are safe and completely separated from cars. There are several opportunities to cross over if you want to.  I suppose the only real preference is if you feel like staying in NJ or PA for 30 miles longer !
  • Since transportation to White Haven, PA is not easy, this route is highlighted as an out and back trip.

Resources along the way

  • From New Brunswick to Trenton, there will be no shortage of resources.
  • Delaware Water Gap will have limited resource along the way so plan accordingly.
  • From Easton to White Haven, you will pass thru several small towns along the way so food should be no issue. Lodging may be limited so before you head out each day, ensure to have a plan of where you may want to spend the night.

Tips

  • Best Seasons: April - November. Discounting Winter, each season has it's pros and cons. Spring is cooler weather but little wetter. Summer is drier but plan for humid/muggy days. Fall is gorgeous with the colors; however will have to dress a little warmer.
  • Emergency Number (USA): 911 (+1 country code)

Important Warnings

From Jim Thorpe to Whitehaven, PA there are very limited resources. This is the last leg of the journey and is about 25 miles. Please plan accordingly for resources.

Route Details

Distance(Miles)

350 mi

Duration

5-8 Days

Elevation(ft)

4000

Countries

United States

Start/End Points

New Brunswick, NJ -> White Haven, PA

Route Format

Out and Back

Bike Lane Types

Bike Path
88%
Separated Bike Lane
8%
Shared Lane
4%

Tags

GravelMountainRail-TrailRiverScenicUrbanWaterfall

External Resources

  • Raritan Canal Trail Description
  • DE Water Gap Trail
  • D&L Bike Path Blog
    • Suggest an Edit

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