The best walks and hikes around Lambertville

Yes, Lambertville is great for family outings. The area features many flat, accessible paths, especially along the Delaware and Raritan Canal. For a gentle walk through the woods, the Strawberry Hill loop from Washington Crossing is an excellent choice, offering a pleasant experience without strenuous climbs.

Many trails in the Lambertville area are dog-friendly, provided your dog is kept on a leash. The D&R Canal State Park towpath is a popular choice for dog walkers. For more varied terrain, the nearby Sourland Mountain Preserve is a highly-regarded spot where you can explore numerous trails with your canine companion.

For panoramic views, Goat Hill Overlook is a local favorite, providing a stunning vantage point over the river, Lambertville, and New Hope. For continuous, ground-level scenery, the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail runs right alongside the river, offering beautiful water views throughout your walk.

While many trails are gentle, you can find more strenuous options. The trails at Baldpate Mountain (Ted Stiles Preserve) offer a good workout with varied elevations and over 12 miles of marked paths through forests. It's a popular destination for those seeking a more challenging hike.

There are several access points with parking for the D&R Canal towpath. You can find designated parking lots in Lambertville itself, as well as in nearby towns along the canal like Stockton. These lots provide direct access to the flat, scenic trail.

Besides the main trails, hikers enjoy several key spots:

• Goat Hill Overlook: A must-visit for its famous scenic views. The walk to the top is relatively short and very rewarding.
• Baldpate Mountain: Known for its extensive trail network and more rugged terrain, making it a top choice for a longer, more challenging day of hiking.
• Sourland Mountain Preserve: A highly-regarded preserve with rocky trails perfect for hiking and mountain biking.
• D&R Canal Trail Stockton - Lambertville: Praised for its tranquil, scenic walk along the water, offering a peaceful outdoor experience.

Yes, you can find several loop trails. Many hikers create their own circular routes by using the D&R Canal towpath on the New Jersey side and crossing one of the bridges, like the New Hope–Lambertville Bridge, to return via paths on the Pennsylvania side. The New Hope–Lambertville Bridge loop from New Hope Station is a longer example of this type of scenic river loop.

The hike to Goat Hill Overlook is generally considered easy to moderate. The main path from the parking area is a wide, gravel trail with a steady but manageable incline. The walk to the main overlook typically takes about 10-15 minutes, making it accessible for most fitness levels.

The area is well-regarded by the komoot community. Hikers often praise the variety of terrain, from the flat, peaceful D&R Canal towpath to the wooded hills with rewarding views. The combination of natural scenery and local history is a frequently mentioned highlight.

There are over 20 designated hiking routes around Lambertville available on komoot. These range from easy, flat walks along the canal to more moderate loops through the surrounding hills and preserves, offering plenty of options to explore.

The trails at the Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain feature more rugged and varied terrain compared to the canal paths. You can expect a mix of forested singletrack, wider paths, and some rocky sections with moderate elevation changes, providing a more traditional hiking experience.