By Alison Mitchell
Executive director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation
Forming one of New Jersey’s longest borders, the Delaware River has connected people and places for thousands of years. From Indigenous settlements and Revolutionary War battles to the rise of American industry, the river has been central to New Jersey’s story.
The Delaware River Heritage Trail (DRHT) honors that history and the river’s natural beauty by linking 26 communities across the state and Pennsylvania, weaving together neighborhoods, parks and historic sites from Trenton to Camden and Philadelphia.
The planned 85-mile loop – stretching through the densely populated heart of the Delaware River corridor and scenic estuary – is a bold vision for equitable outdoor access; historic preservation; and active transportation, which refers to getting from one place to another by walking, cycling or using a wheelchair, among other means.
“In New Jersey, the core idea is this linear park between Trenton and Camden, two cities with a lot of disinvestment, where many low-income residents don’t have the means to drive to a high-quality park,” says Corey Hannigan, active transportation program manager for the Tri-State Transportation Campaign and coordinator of the Mercer County Action Team. “This is a project that brings the park to them.”
The trail is both a celebration of the past and an investment in our shared future. As part of the Circuit, an 870-mile network of biking and pedestrian trails in the greater Philadelphia region, the DRHT is poised to become a key artery in a broader push to make the outdoors accessible to all. When completed, it will offer residents and visitors alike a safe, sustainable, and scenic way to move through the region – on foot or by bike – connecting with green spaces that are often hard to come by in urban environments.
In cities like Camden and Trenton, which are home to many low-income and majority-Black and Brown communities, green space is often limited or inaccessible. The heritage trail is an opportunity to change that. Those who follow the trail through Camden and Trenton will witness a powerful shift, where revitalization efforts are now connecting neighborhoods to riverfronts, turning industrial stretches into public assets.
In both cities, the trail has the potential to reconnect people to the river, and the beauty and history that flow from it.
Trails like the heritage route – considered greenways and linear parks – provide free, close-to-home opportunities for exercise, reconnection with neighbors and the natural world, and easy access to public transit that helps commuters and people without cars. They also offer a low-carbon transportation alternative that supports climate resilience and public health and give children a chance to move freely and safely in their own communities.
The heritage trail is a collaborative achievement. The Delaware River Greenway Partnership – along with the Circuit Trails Coalition, a group of government and nonprofit leaders that includes the New Jersey Conservation Foundation – has led the charge in planning and promoting the project. County and municipal governments are now working to bring it to life, one segment at a time.
On both the New Jersey and Pennsylvania sides of the river, the trail also aligns with the East Coast Greenway. In New Jersey, more than 20 miles have already been created, with an additional four miles in progress.
Beyond paving trails, the Delaware River Greenway Partnership is also focused on interpretation, telling stories of the people, places and ecosystems it traverses. Special signage and a virtual trail website help visitors understand how the Delaware River has shaped the region and the nation and why its protection matters now more than ever.
Visit https://delawareriverheritagetrail.org/ to view an interactive map and https://www.dvrpc.org/webmaps/thecircuilt to see completed trail segments, as well as those under construction and planned for the future.
