Would the D&R Canal towpath be the best way to reach Duke Farms? Or would a road option be better?
Biking to Duke Farms has been on the list for a while.
But if we wanted to benefit from the calmness of the D&R Canal towpath for much of the ride, the trade-off would be some stretches of busy road. Would it be worth it?
Continue reading “How to bike to Duke Farms (with a detour to the new Flounder Brewing)”Duke Farms has 7 miles of paved trails plus additional gravel miles open to bikes.
Here’s a family-friendly place to ride a bike that you might not expect: Duke Farms in Hillsborough, NJ.
This is the estate of tobacco heiress Doris Duke, and it was opened to the public in 2012 (before that, it was only open for tours). Not only does it have 7 miles of paved trails (plus more miles that are gravel) that go past ruins of the foundation for the grand mansion that was never built, man-made lakes, the one-time horse barn that comes with a clocktower and much more, but it also has a bike-share system!
It has 80 bikes — a mix of cruisers (with a few gears), adult tricycles, even bikes for kids. So even if you don’t know how to bike, there’s a solution for you. Cost is $5 for two hours, though they hardly seem to be timing the rental.
Note that although it’s called Duke Farms, it’s not a working farm. Nor is it a traditional garden. It’s certainly a lovely place to ride! You can read my take on it here.
Now to find a route that will let me bike there from home. Perhaps the D&R Canal towpath (and East Coast Greenway segment) for much of the way?
UPDATE: We tested out a couple of routes! Read about it here.
Exploring by bicycle 