United States > New Jersey > Clinton
South Branch Raritan River 2009  
by NJwandr

The way points of this bicycle route:

. . . start going southwest on Valley Brook Rd

Chester

actually the South Branch of the Raritan River around here is further west by Long Valley and north by Flanders + Budd Lake, but I like these roads better than the roads by the river.

. . . Left + quick Right to cross rt 517 / Fairmount Rd

alternative -- to get to the Raritan River sooner: instead continue straight on Valley Brook Rd, soon goes down hill, pass by Beaver Rd, then just after passing by Columbia Trail turn Left on Vernoy Rd. Not checked by me since 2009.

. . . Left on Frog Hollow Rd, to its end

. . . Right on Main St

. . . Right on Academy St / rt 512 then immediate Left on River Rd, to its end

Califon

possible food options - (more food options to northwest on rt 513)

road surface soon turns to dirt-gravel -- about 2.2 miles on dirt-gravel for this section.

high bridge over the River was rebuilt for the Columbia Trail - (formerly a bridge freight for freight railroad)

road surface soon becomes asphalt

Alternative -- to go to High Bridge on the off-road Columbia Trail but riding alongside a nice lake: instead turn Right on Cokesbury Rd, cross river, then immediately after going under railroad overpass, turn Left onto dirt-gravel ramp and go southeast on dirt-gravel trail, later turns to asphalt, to its end, then Left on the street which is Main St of High Bridge. (not checked by me since 2009)

. . . Left on Cokebury Rd (going east)

. . . soon first Right on River Rd (south)

. . . long curve right and pass by park

. . . Left on McDonald St, up short steep hill, to its end

High Bridge

. . . Left on Main St

food options

. . . Right on rt 213 / Bridge St, to its end

. . . Left on rt 513, south then curves west, to its end

. . . Left on rt 31 south -- high-speed high-traffic road, has wide shoulder on south-bound in this section (as of 2009)

. . . Right on rt 513 South. There are two right turns next to each other -- take the first one.

. . . Right on Lower Center St - (just after crossing Raritan River), to its end

Clinton

food options

stone museum building on right

. . . Left on Main St

. . . first Right on Leigh St / rt 513 south

. . . at traffic light, Straight across rt 173 onto Leigh St - (while rt 513 instead turns right) -- later becomes Hamden Rd

. . . Right - Hamden Rd

. . . Right on Lower Landsdown Rd

. . . Left on Landsdown Rd

. . . first Left on Sidney School Rd

alternate -- to avoid sections on dirt/gravel, but miss some riding alongside the river, and climb longer + steeper: instead continue straight on Sidney School Rd to its end, Left on Sidney Rd / rt 617 south, soon first Left on Spring Hill Rd, down to its end and turn Left.

. . . Left on Pine Hill Rd, starts east, down hill, later curves north, then east, becomes dirt-gravel, narrow bridge across River, becomes Camp Buck Rd (dirt-gravel), to its end

. . . Right - Hamden Rd, at first surface is dirt-gravel

. . . curve Right and cross over Raritan River

. . . curve Left - surface becomes asphalt (after about 0.6 mile on dirt-gravel, including part of Camp Buck Rd)

. . . Left on Kiceniuk Rd (immediately cross River) to its end

. . . Left to continue on Kiceniuk Rd, to its end

. . . Right on Lilac Dr, to its end

Stanton

. . . Right on Stanton Station Rd, soon cross Raritan River, then climb hill, to its end

. . . Left on Old Clinton Rd

. . . curve Right then quick Left to continue south on Old Clinton Rd

. . . next Left on River Rd, east down hill, to its end

. . . Right on River Rd, to its end

. . . Right on rt 31 South -- high-speed high-traffic road, south-bound side has reasonable shoulder in this section (as of 2009)

. . . after median barrier ends, dismount and walk east across route 31 to its north-bound side. There is median space between the traffic lanes at this point (as of 2009)

. . . soon first Right off rt 31 and go east a short ways

. . . Right on River Rd, south to its end

Alternate -- to avoid dirt-gravel section and higher-traffic section, but miss some riding alongside the River: instead turn Left on rt 523 around a mile, Right on Barley Sheaf Rd over a mile, Right on Locust Rd, soon first Right on Lazy Brook Rd to its end, turn Left to rejoin main route. (not checked by me since 2009)

. . . Right on rt 523 West

. . . quick Left on Flemington Rd

at next intersection, many vehicles use right-turn lane and turn right, but this route continues straight.

next section often gets substantial motor traffic, and road is not real wide

. . . bear Left to continue on River Rd - (and pass by Case Blvd which goes to right)

. . . Left on Rockafellows Rd (dirt-gravel), immediately crosses Raritan River.

. . . Right on River Av (dirt-gravel -- total about 1.5 miles on dirt-gravel, including part of Rockfellows Rd)

. . . curve Left, then pass by possible dirt-gravel road on right

. . . turn Right to continue on River Av, to its end

road surface becomes asphalt

. . . at traffic lift, go Straight across high-speed high-traffic route 202

. . . Right on Main St

Three Bridges

. . . after crossing over River, turn Left on Hillsborough Rd, later becomes Three Bridges Rd

. . . bear Right to pass by Higginsville Rd, continue southeast on Three Bridges Rd, to its end

. . . Left on Woodfern Rd (north), later turns right (east), to its end

. . . Right on Woodfern Rd, soon curves Left, later goes Straight across Blackpoint Rd, continues east then curves Left, soon to its end

. . . Right on Elm St, soon narrow bridge east across Raritan River, to its end

Neshanic Station

sometimes a food option

. . . Right coming off bridge

. . . immediate Left onto Mill Lane, east+north, later becomes Riverside Dr, to its end

. . . Right on River Rd (north)

. . . Left on Studdiford Dr / rt 606 -- bridge over South Branch Raritan River, to its end

. . . Right on South Branch Rd

. . . first Right on South Branch Rd, to its end

. . . Right on Old York Rd

Branchburg

next stage of overall loop route (Raritan River Circle) starts here: "North Branch Raritan River". For more info + links + connections to other routes, see www.roberts-1.com/b/x/nj). Turn Left on North Branch River Rd to join that next stage.

Raritan

see the confluence of the North and South branches of the Raritan River just south of this bridge

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