Great Canal Walk: XNJ

Join us on one of Jersey's best trails on our way to New York City. Part of the 100-mile Cross-Jersey Challenge.

Start: Turning Basin Park, Princeton

Optional start: Trenton Transit Center (6am)

Finish: New Brunswick Station

Distance: 28/40mi

Where to find us: Meet at Turning Basin Park (or in Trenton by 6:45am sharp, or at Princeton Station by 10:15am.

Terrain: Mostly gravel

Transit: NJ Transit or Septa to Trenton or Princeton Station, with a short walk from Princeton Station to Turning Basin Park.

Return: NJ Transit rail

Parking: Free parking at Princeton Station, Turning Basin Park, or $7 parking at Trenton River Line parking lot across from the station.

Difficulty: Expert - a challenging distance

Category: nature

Coordinator: Charles Updike - 916-225-0569, or [email protected]

(Optional ) Walk the full 40-mile walk starting early at 6:45 am in Trenton.

One of our best challenge walks. The route is generally quiet and remote, with few road crossings, a few portajohns along the way, and no provisions available on the route. Be sure to bring plenty of fluids and food for the journey.

(Landing Lane spillway is reconstructed and the full towpath is open.)

The FreeWalkers are again offering the Cross-Jersey Walking Challenge, with a goal of walking the 100 miles of the East Coast Greenway across the entire state at any time during the year. This walk is part of the ECG trail from Trenton to New York City. You have the option of completing the challenge over three to five days. Option 1: Complete the 40-mile Great Canal Walk from Trenton to New Brunswick in one day, or walk the Spring Ahead to Princeton and do the 28-mile Great Canal Walk from Princeton. Option 2: Complete the 50-mile Big Walk in one day, or walk 24 miles of the Big Walk to Elizabeth and complete the remaining 26 miles on the Staten Island Marathon Walk.

Highlights:

D & R Canal towpath

Spring 2026 Cross Jersey Challenge

Mar 21 Spring Ahead Walk (optional) 14mi

Apr 11 Great Canal Walk 28/40mi

Apr 19 Kruimer Walk 13mi

Apr 25 Paul's Big Walk 24/50mi

Jun 13 Staten Island Marathon Walk (optional) 22/26mi

Partners:

The East Coast Greenway Alliance is a non-profit organization developing a public multi-use 3,000 mile trail from Canada to Key West through New Jersey and New York. Donations and memberships help make this dream trail a reality.

Circuit Trails is 800 miles of interconnected trails in Greater Philadelphia in the making, already one of America's largest trail networks. Once connected, the Circuit Trails will be one of the nation's premier urban trail networks and it will provide multiple benefits to neighborhoods, communities and the region as a whole.

The FreeWalkers are again offering the Cross-Jersey Walking Challenge, with a goal of walking the 100 miles of the East Coast Greenway across the entire state at any time during the year. This walk is part of the ECG trail from Trenton to New York City.

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