Where to Kayak Near Hamilton, New Jersey
Hamilton is a township in Mercer County, New Jersey. It is part of the New York metro, directly bordering Trenton as well as the Philadelphia metro. But despite its rather urban location, it offers many great kayaking and canoeing destinations that offer a quiet escape from the busy city life. Grab your paddle and come along as we explore a few of the best kayaking and canoeing destinations located near Hamilton, NJ.
Best Kayaking near Hamilton
Hamilton is a large community with a small-town feel. There are lots of parks and waterways nearby offering many great locations for kayaking. Here are just a few of the most popular spots to put your paddle in the water near Hamilton, New Jersey.
Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park
One of New Jersey’s most popular recreational corridors, The Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park offer canoeing, jogging, hiking, biking, fishing, horseback riding and more. The canal and towpath are part of the National Recreational Trail System and offer miles of scenic, easy paddling for canoes and kayaks aside from a few low bridges and locks that many need to be portaged around. The park itself runs for 70 linear miles. There’s something for nature lovers as well as history lovers with lots of wildlife and 19th-century bridges, bridgetender houses, past and present locks, cobblestone spillways and hand-built stone-arched culverts.
Mercer County Lake
The man-made lake is at the very northern reaches of New Jersey’s coastal plain in West Windsor, bordering Hamilton. The park is located where inland and coastal forests transition, giving a home to many native plants and wildlife that are otherwise seldom seen in central New Jersey. Kayakers here will often see blue herons, beavers, sunbathing turtles, predatory raptors and many fish. The lake is also home of one of the US Olympic Rowing Team’s training centers.
Millstone River
The Millstone River is a 38.6-mile-long tributary of the Raritan River in central New Jersey flowing northward from Princeton, NJ toward Bridgewater Township. The river flows through an extremely scenic marsh just a few paddle strokes upstream of Carnegie Lake. Many impressive plant and wildlife species can be seen along the river including turtles, beavers, egrets, bald eagles, blue herons and swans.
Lake Carnegie
Lake Carnegie is a 800-foot-wide reservoir formed from a dam on the Millstone River, in the northeastern corner of Princeton. The lake is owned by the university, but all can use it for canoeing, kayaking, sailing and fishing. Some of the incredible wildlife you can spot include hawks, owls and a resident fox. Not too far south of the lake you can paddle past a few historic sites including the site of the Battle of Princeton and Washington Crossing State Park.
Kayak Storage Racks
Hamilton, New Jersey provides endless options for escaping the city and enjoying nature. Although the options for kayaking near Hamilton may be endless, your kayaking adventure can’t be. So, when it’s time to pull your kayak or canoe from the water, be sure to keep it safe and at the ready with a beautiful hand-crafted, cedar log kayak storage rack from Log Kayak. Proper storage will keep your kayak in better shape, allowing you to enjoy it for years to come. Our durable frames are naturally weather-resistant and can store up to eight kayaks, keeping your shoreline or property clutter free. Shop our kayak racks online now or contact us for a custom kayak storage solution to meet your Hamilton, New Jersey kayak storage needs.