This technically isn’t part of the Lawrence Hopewell Trail — but I love it

From the LHT, turn right at this sign onto the path to the parking lot.

There’s now a paved wide pathway from the Mount Rose Preserve parking lot off Carter Road in Hopewell Township, NJ, to the Mount Rose section of the Lawrence Hopewell Trail.

It’s no secret that I think the LHT is fabulous. To me, the Mount Rose section is one of the prettiest sections.

And while I know this new access path isn’t part of the “trail”, I’m going to start using it to access Carter Road. It just seems that you’ll be more visible to traffic at the wide opening for the parking lot than where the LHT hits this 45-mph road.

And for those who aren’t the biggest fans of biking on the road, this lets you shave off about a quarter-mile of Carter Road, which lacks a bike lane down to the left turn onto Cleveland Road. (You come out just down from the NJ Bio entrance.) Or you have an easily accessible place to get picked up.

One day the LHT will continue on the other side of Carter Road, letting you avoid the road entirely.

But for now, if you’re going to continue on Carter Road, you can exit the trail before you reach the parking lot. These two options are close to each other. Carter Road is at the end of the road going left.