For those looking for a quiet and reflective moment during the busy and often hectic holidays, it’s time to take advantage of our proximity to the beautiful region along the Delaware River.
High on the list is an actual high spot.
Goat Hill Overlook outside Lambertville is a small New Jersey state park where easy and short hikes lead to a spectacular view of the Delaware River. Make that two views. One is an easy and family-friendly walk that leads to an open area with picnic tables. The other leads to an extended rock formation and is for the more sure-footed and adventurous. Nevertheless, both provide commanding views of the Delaware River, the towns of Lambertville and New Hope, and the bridge that connects them.
To get to Goat Hill Overlook, take Route 29 to just south of Lambertville and take Valley Road, and then turn left on Goat Hill Road; follow up about a mile and then on the left turn on Washington Road. Follow it to the parking lot.
Open daily from morning to dusk.
Goat Hill also gives a glimpse of another location — although for the more adventurous: the Lambertville Wing Dam.
Starting on Bridge Street in Lambertville, take the tow path south and pass the Lambertville Station Conference Center, boat club, and water treatment buildings, and continue to a place where there is a bench on the left and a path down a high to the dam that can be seen through the trees.
Built in the early 1800s to feed the canal and power Lambertville paper mills, it is now regulated by the Delaware River Basin Commission based in Trenton.
A combination of stone and concrete, the dam extends from both sides of the river in a chevron formation with an opening to let the water race through. Although often submerged after high waters resulting from heavy storms, the dam is usually above the water line and provides visitors with the opportunity to walk close to the surface and into the center of the river.
There you can stand with water running under foot and hear only the musical sound of the moving water. Look south and gaze at the white-capped water rushing over rocks and around small islands, then notice the river arching to the left and Bowman Tower on top of its mountain to the right.
Turn around and gaze at the silent traffic glittering in the sun as it travels across the Lambertville-New Hope Bridge and the 19th and early 20th century buildings of both towns seemingly out of a vintage Bucks County painting.
Five miles south of Lambertville on Route 29 in Hopewell Township is Baldpate Mountain Park, formerly known as Kuser Mountain.
Owned and operated by Mercer County, the park has more than 12 miles of trails. Some are short loops at the top of the mount. Others are steep and include climbs up rocky hills.
In addition to the beautiful overlook of the Delaware River, on a clear day, visitors willing to search will be able to locate the gold dome of the state capitol in Trenton as well as the tips of Philadelphia’s skyscrapers. Restrooms are usually available.
Baldpate Mountain, open from dawn to dusk, is located off Route 29 North. Turn on Fiddlers Creek Road and look for the entrance on the left.
About seven miles south of Lambertville on Route 29 is Washington Crossing State Park. Although the park is the site of the celebrated Christmas Day crossing, recreated annually on Christmas Day, it is usually quiet the rest of the season.
Maintained by the State of New Jersey, the 140-acre natural area offers 15 miles of trails. There is also a museum and restrooms.
Next to the park is the 877-foot Washington Crossing Bridge that leads to the Washington Crossing Historic Park in Pennsylvania, where there are also quiet attractions and a visitor center. There are also restaurants on both sides of bridge.
Another winning location is the Lumberville-Raven Rock Pedestrian Bridge, 13 miles north of Lambertville, part of Bulls Island State Park.
The only pedestrian bridge connecting New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the 689-foot suspension bridge was designed in 1947 by the Trenton-based John A. Roebling Company.
In addition to providing the opportunity to watch the river rush below, the walk also leads to two generally quiet dining venues. One is the Black Bass Hotel, where guests can visit a restaurant and watch the river through glass walls or heated outdoor areas. The other spot is the quaint Lumberville General Store, where visitors can sit, have a snack, and sip warm beverages.
For more information on Bulls Island State Park, visit www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/bull.html.
Those looking to get a breath of freedom with a breath of fresh pine air can also plan a quick getaway to the quiet with a leisurely trip to the following easy visiting places in the New Jersey Pinelands:
Atsion Recreation Area. Hiking and history are just part of the attractions at this easy-to-find spot about 45 minutes south of the Princeton area on Route 206.
The 100-acre park features two color coded trails — red and blue — that start at the parking lot and loop along the shores of Lake Atsion.
Atsion’s official summer hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and there are various small entry or swimming fees. But, like most state parks, visitors can hike free from fall through spring — and get an eye full of beauty and some quiet (except for traffic on Route 206). For more information, go to nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks.
Whitesbog Village — about 40 miles or 1 hour from the Princeton area — can be a haven for those looking for peace on earth.
As the Whitesbog Preservation Trust notes about the early 20th century company town and agricultural community, “In the early 1900s, Whitesbog was the largest cranberry farm in New Jersey. Its founder, Joseph J. White, was a nationally recognized leader in the cranberry industry.”
In 1916, Elizabeth C. White, Joseph’s daughter, collaborated with Dr. Frederick A. Coville of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and developed the first cultivated blueberry at Whitesbog.
Whitesbog today includes a restored village, general store, and 3,000 surrounding acres of cranberry bogs, blueberry fields, forests, and 18 miles of crisscrossing sand roads for easy hiking, walking, and sky gazing.
At this time of the year, Whitesbog also offers a natural wonder — the annual wintering of the Tundra or “whistling” swans gleaming in the sun as they swirl over one of the bogs. They can sometimes be difficult to find, but just listen for their whooping and calling and be prepared for a treat.
The grounds are open from dawn to dusk, 365 days a year, but the buildings are open mainly for scheduled events or tours. For more information, check out the Whitesbog Preservation Trust’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/whitesbog.preservationtrust.
Note: As a bonus, enjoy this piece of Pine Barrens poetry by James Zinsmeister.
— James Zinsmeister
James Zinsmeister is a teacher at South Brunswick high school as well as an artist and musician whose work previously published in U.S. 1 include contributions to its annual Summer Fiction issues as well as his “periodic table” of Beatles albums (U.S. 1, March 19, 2013).
