Lansdown and Capoolong Creek Trails
Directions to trailhead
Beginning of Lansdown Trail in Clinton:
GPS Coordinates 40.63385,-74.912872
Take I-78 to exit 15. Keep right on NJ-173/West Main Street and continue for 0.2 mile. Turn right between the Agway, Weichert Realtor and Fox Lumber (before the Exxon station). While there is no designated parking for the Lansdowne Trail, public parking may be used.
Capoolong Creek Trail in Pittstown: (to spot a car)
GPS Coordinates 40.583949, -74.945607
Take I-78 to exit 15. Turn left onto Pittstown Road and continue for 3.6 miles. Turn left onto White Bridge Road and continue for 0.4 mile to the trail.
Hike Description
Look for the start of the Lansdown Trail just to the right of Fox Lumber Company, easily identifiable by a crushed stone path leaving the parking lot. Follow this path along the side of lumber company, which at one time was the train station for this spur of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. An interpretive sign on the left outlines the interesting history of the railway.
After a short distance, pass under I-78 then cross a bridge. Don’t be discouraged by the sound of zooming traffic. This will soon fade away and be replaced by the sound of flowing water. About a quarter of a mile into the hike, the trail meets up with the South Branch of the Raritan River on the left. A little farther along, cross a paved road to an open view of the countryside to the right.
After crossing three more bridges and noticing piles of old railroad ties along the side of the trail, the Lansdown Trail comes to an end at a kiosk and pullout parking on Lower Lansdown Road. You have hiked 1.8 miles to this point. There are two ways to connect to the Capoolong Trail. Turn right on Lower Lansdown Road avoiding the very overgrown rail bed that continues straight ahead. After a few steps another overgrown rail bed leaves to the left. There is a path through and over the old railroad ties that still lie in place but if you want to avoid the overgrowth, continue walking along paved Lower Lansdown Road. A short distance ahead at the intersection, turn left on Lansdown Road. You will arrive at the same live railroad crossing as the overgrown rail bed.
Cross the live tracks and note the blue historical sign on the left. To the right just before the street signs, a footpath leaves the road – this is the Capoolong Trail although there is no sign. This trail, although well defined, will alternate between a wide cinder railbed and a narrow dirt footpath as it winds along the scenic Capoolong Creek.
At the 2.5-mile point, cross Lansdown Road and Sidney Road towards an interpretive sign where the trail continues. At 2.7 miles, turn right onto Lower Kingstown Road towards the bridge. The trail turns left before the bridge that someone has adorned with American flags and hanging plants. There is a gravel road with a “Private Drive” sign; proceed on the path to the left of that gravel road which will run a level higher. In 0.2 mile, the path and gravel road merge together briefly, then come out at a paved fork in a power cut. You might see some cattle grazing in the power cut to the left. Keep right on the paved road and turn right to pick up the trail just before the “Wrong Way” sign.
At the 3.6-mile point, cross Lower Kingstown Road again at a large red barn then in a quarter of a mile come out on Lower Kingstown Road once more, turn right and head towards the Lower and Upper Kingstown Road signs with the one-lane bridge on your right, cross Upper Kingstown Road and pick up trail at an interesting bench cut out of a huge tree trunk. NOTE: The trail from Upper Kingtown Road to White Bridge Road has been officially closed by the DEP due to hazardous trail conditions resulting from washouts and erosion.
At 4.6 miles into the hike, turn right on White Bridge Road and follow the road briefly. When White Bridge Road turns right, continue straight through a small gravel parking pad to once again pick up the trail that almost immediately crosses over a footbridge.
At 5.3 miles, cross a gravel road. Then, in another 500 feet, you'll notice the former train station (now in a dilapidated condition) on the right This is the end of the hike. Although there is a bridge across the stream a short distance ahead, this is a private bridge which is not open to hikers. Turn around and retrace your steps, either 0.7 mile to the second car at White Bridge Road, or all the way back to Clinton.
Turn-by-Turn Description
[ 0.00] Walk towards Fox Lumber keeping to the right of the parking lot to the trail head
[ 0.25] Cross bridge
[ 0.35] Cross paved road
[ 0.50] 1/2 mile marker
[ 1.15] Cross bridge then power cut then another bridge
[ 1.55] Cross bridge
[ 1.70] End of Lansdown Trail; either cross Lower Lansdown Road and veer right then left on unmaintained rail bed (not the unmaintained bed straight ahead, the one to the right of that) OR turn right on Lower Lansdown Road to intersection, left on Lansdown Road to live tracks
[ 1.85] Cross live tracks then turn right on Capoolong Creek Trail (not marked) just before the Lansdown and Sidney School Road signs
[ 2.45] Cross Lansdown and Sydney slightly to the left
[ 2.70] Veer right on Lower Kingstown Road briefly towards bridge, turn left before bridge - trail runs parallel to the left of the private drive
[ 2.90] Trail merges together with gravel private drive and comes out at paved fork in power cut; keep right and pick up the trail to the right just before the "Wrong Way" sign
[ 3.25] Cross wooden footbridge built by boy scouts
[ 3.55] Cross Lower Kingstown Road at a large red barn
[ 3.80] Turn right on Lower Kingstown Road and walk towards Lower and Upper Kingstown Road signs, with one lane bridge on the right, cross Upper Kingstown Road to pick up trail at log bench
[ 4.15] Cross bridge
[ 4.45] Cross bridge
[ 4.60] Turn right on White Bridge Road, continue straight towards parking pad, cross White Bridge Road where it curves to the right and continue on trail through parking pad; cross bridge built by boy scouts
[ 5.20] Cross bridge
[ 5.30] Cross gravel road
[ 5.40] End of Capoolong Trail at old train station on right.