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New Jersey | Delaware River / New Jersey

Delaware River

D&R Canal State Park Bull’s Island ramp to Lambertville ramp

Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.

Route location

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DistanceApproximately 6.9 river miles
DifficultyModerate
Typical time3–6 hours depending on discharge
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Delaware River at a USGS monitoring station, used as same-river context for the New Jersey Bull’s Island-to-Lambertville route.
Route photoDelaware River same-river context for the Bull’s Island-to-Lambertville planning reachPhoto by U.S. Geological Survey

Need to know

Why this call
This route is documented for planning, but does not receive a Paddle Today score.
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Conditions

Gauge history and hourly forecast

Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.

Gauge detail

Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

Checking preferred range.

Checking trend.

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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Next 8 hours

Short-route forecast

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Route overview

Quick facts and what's next

Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.

Quick facts

On-water distanceApproximately 6.9 river milesD&R Canal State Park Bull’s Island ramp to Lambertville ramp
DifficultymoderateThe named source describes recreational moving water. Shallow sections, current, strainers, bridges, cold water, and access restrictions remain material.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the vehicle at D&R Canal State Park Lambertville ramp only after confirming current parking, ramp sharing, access hours, and waterline; then launch at D&R Canal State Park Bull’s Island Recreation Area ramp. The shuttle does not authorize unloading on bridge shoulders, private banks, or across the state line.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow current NJDEP/NJDFW ramp notices, municipal parking rules, applicable New Jersey boating/PFD requirements, DRBC guidance, and any closure or water-quality advisory. Confirm seasonal launch permits where the official guide requires them; Lambertville is identified as the free exception in the park guidance.
CampingDay tripNo on-route camping is claimed. Use separately reserved lodging or a designated campground; public ramps and interstate river banks do not grant shoreline camping rights.
SeasonMar-NovSpring through fall is the practical planning season. Check current flow, recent rain, debris, water temperature, daylight, and park alerts before every launch.

Plan ahead

Upcoming outlook

These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

Waiting on forecast.

Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A bounded non-tidal Delaware River planning reach from the Bull’s Island Recreation Area concrete ramp to the free Lambertville paved ramp.

DirectionsApple MapsOpenStreetMap

Prepare this trip

Take the plan with you

Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.

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Start

Put-in

D&R Canal State Park Bull’s Island Recreation Area ramp
Open map

The NJDEP access guide is an official ramp inventory with dated GPS entries; confirm current facility status, parking, fees/permits, ramp sharing, and waterline before unloading.

Finish

Take-out

D&R Canal State Park Lambertville ramp
Open map

Coordinates are official GPS ramp anchors and still require a current wetted-edge and landing check.

Plan this segment

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • The NJDEP access guide is an official ramp inventory with dated GPS entries; confirm current facility status, parking, fees/permits, ramp sharing, and waterline before unloading.
  • Coordinates are official GPS ramp anchors and still require a current wetted-edge and landing check.
  • The Delaware is an interstate river. Do not cross, land, or shuttle through Pennsylvania access without separately following that manager’s rules.

Watch for

  • USGS 01446500 same-river proxy discharge, gage height, recent rainfall, and visual river conditions
  • cold water, wind, strainers, bridge and wing-dam hydraulics, motorboat traffic, and missed take-out
  • ramp sharing, parking, permit/fee changes, daylight, water quality, and shuttle failure

Route gallery

See this route on the water

Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.

The Delaware River at a USGS monitoring station, used as same-river context for the New Jersey Bull’s Island-to-Lambertville route.
Delaware River same-river context for the Bull’s Island-to-Lambertville planning reachPhoto by U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Geological Survey station image

Score & sources

Data and sources

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.

Read quality
Checking live inputs.

Pulling the latest gauge and weather. Usually under 10 seconds.

Gauge inputChecking

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Weather inputChecking

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Next stepChecking

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Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking

Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.

Why
  • Checking evidence-strength notes.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge siteDelaware River at Belvidere, NJ
DischargeChecking
Gauge heightChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Ideal rangeNeeds paddler reports
Known low-water floorNot calibrated yet
High thresholdNot calibrated yet
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreNJDEP Delaware River public boat-access list and DRBC water-trail context
Gauge sourceChecking
Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
NotesWhat to know before you go

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • Named moving-water corridorD&R Canal State Park Bull’s Island ramp to Lambertville ramp

    DRBC indexes the non-tidal Delaware River Water Trail and NJDEP’s official access sources identify both bounded public ramps.

    Source

  • Direct public endpoint evidenceD&R Canal State Park Bull’s Island Recreation Area ramp and D&R Canal State Park Lambertville ramp

    NJDEP publishes the named facilities, official GPS coordinates, ramp type, and current-use caveats; no bridge shoulder or private bank is used.

    Source

  • Proxy flow evidenceUSGS 01446500 Delaware River at Belvidere, NJ

    This same-river station is clearly labeled route-context proxy evidence; use its trend for planning context only and do not transfer a numeric cutoff.

    Source

  • Camping postureNearby basecamp only

    No public-ramp camping entitlement is claimed.

    Source

  • Live gaugeUSGS 01446500, Delaware River at Belvidere, NJ

    Clearly labeled proxy station: use current trend as regional planning context only; it does not establish a route-specific safe-flow cutoff.

    Source

  • Approved route imageryRights-cleared same-river or same-water-trail context image

    Same-river USGS Delaware River context image; it does not depict these NJ ramps or certify current flow, access, hazards, or water temperature.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

Reports

Paddler reports

See recent photos and notes from people on the route.

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Photos

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Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.

More in New Jersey

All 36 routes
New Jersey route guideBrowse every tracked New Jersey route.Delaware River / New JerseyJump to routes in this region.

More on Delaware River

All 12
Byram DEP Access to Bull’s Island Recreation Area DEP AccessDelaware River / New JerseyModerate · Approximately 0.9 river mileD&R Canal State Park Firemen’s Eddy access to City of Trenton Waterfront ParkDelaware River / New JerseyHard · Approximately 14.5 river milesFairview DEP Access to Byram DEP AccessDelaware River / New JerseyModerate · Approximately 5.9 river milesFiremen’s Eddy / Belle Mountain DEP Access to Washington’s Crossing State ParkDelaware River / New JerseyHard · Approximately 5.0 river miles

Nearby routes by distance

South Branch Raritan RiverSunnyside canoe access at Kiceniuk Road to Stanton Station Road public access · about 14 mi awayModerate · Approximately 1.5 river milesNorth Branch Raritan RiverBurnt Mills Road North Branch access to the North Branch–South Branch confluence area · about 24 mi awayModerate · Approximately 7 river milesMillstone RiverLincoln Avenue Park primitive boat launch lower Millstone same-access out-and-back · about 25 mi awayModerate · Approximately 4 river miles round tripPequest RiverNJDFW Route 46 Fish & Wildlife access to Orchard Street Bridge access · about 30 mi awayModerate · Approximately 2.8 river miles

Quick answers

Delaware River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Delaware River?

Paddle Today watches Delaware River at Belvidere, NJ and uses Not calibrated yet as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.

Where does this Delaware River route start and end?

This route starts at D&R Canal State Park Bull’s Island Recreation Area ramp and ends at D&R Canal State Park Lambertville ramp, about Approximately 6.9 river miles on the water.

Is this Delaware River route good for beginners?

This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.

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