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| Bulls Island Recreation Area Credit: Erica Vavrence, D&R Canal Commission |
Located along the Delaware River, the trail overlooks one of the most scenic and historic portions of the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park.
The Delaware River was once a critical transportation route. Currently, the river provides 100 million gallons of drinking water daily for 1 million residents in Central New Jersey.
More than 400 native trees and shrub species, as well as 250 native wildflowers, have been planted along the trail to help reforest the area with native flora.
The plantings were done with assistance from a variety of partners including the Delaware Township Environmental Commission, Kingwood Township Environmental Commission, Lower Wild and Scenic Delaware River Committee, AmeriCorps New Jersey Watershed Ambassadors Program, Delaware & Raritan Canal Commission, and the New Jersey Forest Service.
From the trail in the northern section of the island, park patrons will be able to see white-capped water as it rushes over the Delaware River wing dam, diverting river water into the nearby feeder canal, and view the original towpath of the 188-year-old canal.
The Delaware and Raritan Canal, listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places, is valued for its natural beauty, recreational opportunities and the reliable supply of drinking water it provides to more than 1 million people per day. The canal region also is home to hundreds of species of wildlife, birds and plants.
The canal is the heart of the 7,131-acre Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park, which is widely regarded as the second most popular among the more than 50 parks, forests and recreation areas within the State Park Service.
The 79-acre Bulls Island Recreation Area is approximately three miles north of Stockton, within Delaware Township.
In 2019, the Delaware & Raritan Canal Commission convened a working group of colleagues within the DEP’s Division of State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites to devise a plan that would allow the northern section of the island, previously a campground, to revert to its natural state while also giving visitors access to the canal’s priceless history and enhancing recreational opportunities.
The new trail, shaped like a lollipop, was achieved with minimal tree cutting and encompasses an existing paved road.
To further enhance the new trail, the Delaware & Raritan Canal Commission directed mitigation funds from other state tree-removal projects toward planting new trees including sugar maples, red maples, tulip poplar, white oak, flowering dogwood, Common hackberry and witch hazel.
These new trees help provide a lush understory, supporting wildlife that migrate through or reside in the area.
In March, the DEP in partnership with the Trails Task Force of the New Jersey Geospatial Forum announced the release of a first phase of a statewide inventory of public trails in New Jersey.
The inventory uses information provided by government agencies and nonprofits to improve, expand and better connect the state’s expansive network of trails, thereby improving trails access for all New Jersey residents.
Additionally, the inventory’s data will help planners and advocates identify areas of focus in the state, prioritizing projects and acquisitions that will link to larger trails and advance goals of the New Jersey Trails Plan.
For more about New Jersey state parks, forests and historic sites, visit www.njparksandforests.org.
source: NJ Department of Environmental Protection
