I don’t remember how I stumbled upon this bike trail, but I know that I had not heard of it before 2020, and I liked it so much that we visited it 3 times this summer! We parked at the Jersey Bridge parking area just south of Titusville, PA. This is also within walking distance of Drake Well and Museum, which celebrates the inception of the petroleum industry. Pairing a trip to the museum with a ride on the trail would make for a nice day, but unfortunately, it was closed throughout 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
We rode this trail, the entire distance of the park, as a family of five twice. It is 20 miles round trip, but the relatively flat grade made this doable for everyone, including the youngest, at age ten. The third trip here we were joined by my parents who, still very active in their 70’s also enjoyed the trail.
Sights along the Oil Creek State Park bike path
The trail is very secluded. Once you leave the parking area, there are no roads or road noise!
The path follows Oil Creek, crossing it twice on the way to an area of the park called Petroleum Center. This part of the state park had a restroom, picnic areas, a seasonal train station, and a very cool interpretive boardwalk with photographs of what the town of Petroleum Center looked like during the Pennsylvania oil rush of the mid 19th century.
Oil Creek, near the south end of the state park, with remnants of Pennsylvania’s oil boom in the background.
This was a great ride, in a beautiful place. It was also a powerful reminder of how humans can both destroy and restore the world that they live in. I enjoy learning the history, but hope to live my life as one of the restorers.
Summer 2020 was full of socially distant outdoor activities. One of our family’s favorites was exploring the many bike paths within a few hours of our home in western NY. The next 3 blog posts will feature our 3 favorites this summer. We started this trip by taking a picnic lunch up to Leonard Harrison State Park in Wellsboro, PA.
This park is in the heart of the area known as the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon and is situated on its eastern rim. The boardwalk leads to overlooks with sweeping views of the canyon and Pine Creek below. When we visited in July, there were also concessions featuring local treats. I was surprisingly pleased to see there is also an Iron Mike statue. These statues, to commemorate the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps, began with the first unveiling in 1935 in Griffith Park, Los Angeles California. Today there are 76 statues throughout the United States. So much of the groundwork in many of the parks I enjoy visiting on the east coast was laid by the workers of this depression-era program.
Now, about this bike trail! We parked at the Darling Run access lot just south of Ansonia, PA. Our plan was to ride about 7.5 miles down to the Tiadaghton camping area and back. The entire bike path is 62 miles long.
The youngest, always trying to catch up!
After riding for about 3 miles, we pulled off the trail to enjoy the creek. It was a warm day and it was a great place to splash and cool off.
After 7.5 miles we arrived at our destination. Again, we waded in the creek. this time we were joined by an adult and a juvenile Bald Eagle. The area was very peaceful.
It has been a summer of Eagles! This once nearly extinct bird has been a regular sight for us this year.
After cooling off for a bit it was time to return the way we came. A storm was blowing in as we biked the 7.5 miles back to our van.
Even though this trip was in July, I am writing about it in November. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I am so grateful for a day spent with family, a social program that promoted the protection of beautiful places while putting people to work, and all the people who fought for the protection of species like the Bald Eagle so that we can still enjoy them today.
October 2020 brought us to Frenchtown, NJ for a couple’s weekend while the kids stayed with Oma for the weekend! Why Frenchtown? It was within a 6-hour drive, had plenty of outdoor activity nearby, and was in a state that did not require us to quarantine after we returned! I did a quick google search for the best small towns and Frenchtown met our requirements! Frenchtown sits right on the Delaware River which forms the border between western New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania.
I booked three nights at the National Hotel. We arrived after 9:00pm the first night, but the dining room was open until 10:00. I loved the feel of renting a room above the restaurant in this old hotel. The service was great and the staff were all friendly.
Facade, stairs, and lobby of the National Hotel
Day 1
The next day was a beautiful fall day. We took a walk along the Delaware River and the Uhlerstown-Frenchtown bridge which crosses the river. Then we had breakfast at the Frenchtown Cafe before heading out on our bikes to explore the Delaware and Raritan bike path.
Sidewalk in front of the Frenchtown Cafe
The bike path! Wow, what a great find. There are actually two paths, one on each side of the river. The D&R Canal towpath trail is on the New Jersey side and the Delaware Canal towpath trail is on the Pennsylvania side. Both paths are about 60 miles long and there are multiple bridges across the river so you can spend a few hours or a whole day making a loop or figure 8’s along the trails.
bike path near parking in Frenchtown, great orientation sign along trail, a pedestrian bridge crossing
There was beautiful scenery on both sides of the Delaware river. The New Jersey side was wider, with the Pennsylvania side often being only wide enough for a single bike, but both sides were equally scenic.
There were a lot of well preserved remnants of the the days when canals in this area were essential for bringing resources to manufacturing centers during the industrial revolution. The D&R canal transported freight between Philadelphia and New York. The Delaware Canal has retained most all of its features from its operations in the 1800’s even though the last paid canal fare was in 1931 when railroads overtook canals as a means of efficient transport.
There was no shortage of interesting historical markers or quiet places to stop and rest along the trail.
We rode our bikes from Frenchtown on the D&R towpath trail to the pedestrian bridge at Bull Island. We crossed the river here but continued south and crossed again to arrive in the quiet town of Stockton, NJ. We stopped for lunch at the Stockton Market, an indoor farmer’s market with an eclectic mix of offerings.
Sign at the entrance of the Bull Island Recreation area along the tow path bike trail.Stockton Market, indoor farmer’s market
Ecuadorian “lazana” for lunch!
Dessert from the chocolate counter!
After lunch we headed back north, crossed the pedestrian bridge again to bike up the Delaware Canal towpath trail on the Pennsylvania side of the river. We finished 28 miles of biking with a great covered bridge before crossing one more time back into Frenchtown.
Uhlerstown, PA covered bridge
After our busy day of biking, we dined at the Frenchtown Inn. To encourage greater social distancing, they converted outdoor space into a unique dining experience. It was a relaxing meal with a view of the bridge and the Delaware River.
Dinner at the Frenchtown Inn
Day 2
Day 2 was a drive to investigate a nearby county park, the surrounding area, and Washington Crossing Historic Park.
First stop-Ringing Rocks Park
Ringing Rocks County Park was a little gem of a place. The highlight was its boulder field full of rocks that resonate different pitches when hit. The rocks showed scars from all the attempts at making music here!
Scars on the rocks were they have been struck.
The trail at Ringing Rocks formed a loop that took you around the boulder field and past a seasonal waterfall. The trail was wooded and well marked.
Season waterfall, just a trickle in October
After hiking the roughly 1-mile loop around ringing rocks we took a scenic drive through eastern PA to pass through the Frankenfield covered bridge on our way to Washington Crossing Historic Park.
The Frankenfield covered bridge
After reading 1776 by David McCullough a few years ago, I had a vivid mental picture of what George Washington’s Christmas crossing of the Delaware was like. I was excited to find that the location was not far from Frenchtown while I was planning this trip. On the drive there we passed signs for Bowman’s Hill Tower and made a quick stop there. There is an entrance fee and they recommend reserving an entrance time online in advance. The website can be found here.
The view from the top of Bowman’s Hill Tower
The majority of the park was just a short drive down the road from the tower. The park preserves several buildings present during the 1776 crossing. My favorite was McConkey’s Inn, located right next to the Delaware River. The sign said that this inn was where Washington and his aides ate dinner prior to the crossing.
McConkey’s Ferry Inn
Durham boatsSign marking the crossing on the New Jersey side of the river.
The common thread running through the sights we visited was the power of transformation. This area was transformed from untamed wild, to purposed for human use, to abandonment, to a balance between their history, preservation, and enjoyment. May we all find this balance in our travels. May we pay tribute to the past with an eye for sustainable balance in the future.
