Morris Canal Greenway
So does anyone know what has or is happening to preserve Hackettstown's portion of the Morris Canal. We have FLORENCE W. KUIPERS MEMORIAL PARK but I don't have a clue where or what that is.
Here are some descriptive sites but I can't find out what has happened or, more important, if anything is happening to actual preserve the site and truly turn it into a real greenway.
http://canalsocietynj.org/CSNJ/index.html
http://www.morriscanal.org/kuiperspark.html
I have travelled the C&O canal from Antietam to Georgetown and would love to do the same end to end someday on the Morris. Or just from one end to the other of Hackettstown.
mistergoogle The canal in Hackettstown has been cut/filled in a few places to build apartments and Route 517.
Mark Mc. According to the map:
http://www.morriscanal.org/Signage/Florence%20Kuipers%20Park.pdf
Going away from town, you'd take a right off Grand Ave. onto Buck Hill Road, just a bit before the one lane railroad underpass. That's the access road to the park, which is West of, and runs parallel to both the RR line and Grand Ave. It runs all the way up to the corner of Roosevelt and Harvey Street, where the "dry canal prism" is located.
Phil D. 
USAfirst mistergoogle, it's going to be somewhat dangerous walking up Raymond Boulevard through Newark. I suppose you could take a subway ride instead; it follows the same path.
ianimal Ah, my old stomping grounds. Well, I guess for Phase 400 we can tear up the street to put the canal back, this time bracketed with concertino wire. Fact is the C&O and other canals being built along rivers do not have the development the Morris does.
But I do remember fondly not only walking along the Erie but ice skating past a multitude of warming fires. So cool to be able to actually go somewhere when you skate.
Canal tow paths are a great resource for perfect walking or bike riding paths. It's just too bad we in northern NJ did not capitalize on this further.
HOWEVER, for the brave of heart: here's how to walk the canal from Bloomfield (almost Newark for the Iman's journey) to the end: http://www.tux.org/~bagleyd/morris_canal.html
And here's the Hackettstown section: "Continue on Highland Trail leaving it just before RR crossing. There is a road to right with Keep Out signs on each side, just left of this is the path for the Canal. Take this path, every so often there is a Morris Canal marker. At top of hill where you see electric poles is the prism of the canal. Continue as there is no real path along hill. At clearing make a left. There will be 2 paths off to right stay straight and then veer left crossing over former canal onto historical canal tow path. Continue, there will be an spillway and then a bridge of logs. After this the way is easier, eventually meeting Bilby Rd where you make a right and parking is available. Continue on Bilby Road and make a left onto County Rd. 517.
Continue to you see Tow Path Dr. on left there is a sign that the canal passed here. Make right through Cochran Funeral Home and straight onto Countryside Dr., and then straight on E Hamilton Dr. make left onto 5th St. and right onto E. Baldwin St. At Main St (Route 46) make right. Continue to you see Canal Ln. on right. Make left onto Roosevelt Ave. There is a sign that the canal crossed here. Make left onto S. Harvey St. Here there is a mile long canal path on right. Also there are ruins of a canal store owned by Silas S. Harvey, now part of Florence Kuipers Memorial Park.
Continue on canal path over bridge, then it intersects the end of Roosevelt Ave. Continue on to Buck Hill Rd. Where canal path comes to an end. Make left and go under railroad bridge to Grand Ave. make right passing College View Drive on left. Past railroad tunnel the road changes name to Rockport Rd. Just across street from Rockport Game farm there is a dirt road where a sign about the 1830 Rockport Boat Basin and at Hazen Rd there was a Canal Store owned by John B. Sliker. A path continues along the canal and comes to a dead end to the right, to the left is a path to an overlook. Continuing on Rockport Rd. at Hazen Rd the canal crosses and is now on left side. A little ways down Thomas Rd. (before RR) there is a sign about canal. And also at Washburn Rd. there is a sign about canal and its "Visible Prism". There is a sign that the "Historic Morris Canal" parallels Rockport Rd on left just before Cherry Tree Bend Rd. Make left onto this road. It looks like it crosses Bright Rd. a little ways down. Continue on Cherry Tree Bend Rd., soon after bridge there is an access path to Morris Canal Path. Here at Port Murray there was a boat yard and canal basin. Continue on Towpath Rd. to Main St. Here there was a canal store and a lime kiln. The path continues across Main St. but dead ends.
Uh oh... MisterGoogle may try to walk through my back yard... ;)
The tow path is pretty overgrown here, though.
Me and friends use to ice skate on the canal from Hamilton street,walk right through people's yards or came in from the church.....back when the canal actually had water in it ! This was the early 70s,it was a fairly sizable area with no trees if I remember correctly.
Dam There's a great old Inlcined Plane at Waterloo, you access via trails off Continental Drive. There's another section from the International Trade Center, you have to park at the NJ Transit parking lot, scoot 200 yards west along the tracks and you can access the towpath that takes you to Inclined Plane 3W - at the bottom is the remains of an old stone house. Not sure if this is private land or not though. Another old plane ruin is Port Murray and you can see the underground turbine chamber in cross section.
Stephan THAT'S what that is! My aunt lives off Grand Ave, and going past there sometimes lately I have seen that road and always thought it was just someone's private driveway to a house back there. Then the other day I went by and saw someone had set up a wooden information kiosk, like a "park information board". Was wondering if it was some kind of new park or something.
Evan Is Florence Kuipers park a good place to get a run in? I've driven by the parking lot on Grand a number of times. I'm always looking for new places to explore.
HappyFeet 
Greg I just hiked it on Sunday. If you start on Grand Ave entrance, the initial hill is rocky, once you get up to the old Morris Canal it is flat and a smooth path( except for a few roots) . However as a runner it is pretty short, only a mile at the most.
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