The Millstone Valley Scenic Byway received national and state designation for its scenic beauty, historic importance, and environmental integrity. Located in the beautiful Millstone Valley of central New Jersey, the Byway is a touchstone for preservation and conservation efforts. The  


The Millstone Valley Scenic Byway received national and state designation for its scenic beauty, historic importance, and environmental integrity. Located in the beautiful Millstone Valley of central New Jersey, the Byway is a touchstone for preservation and conservation efforts. The Millstone Valley Preservation Coalition, sponsor of the Byway, encourages you to visit the Valley, drive the byway, and enjoy walking, birding, fishing and canoeing at the D&R Canal State Park. 

The Millstone Valley Preservation Coalition, working with TravelstorysGPS, has produced an audio tour of the Millstone Valley National Scenic Byway for visitors and residents. The tour uses 20 geotags, each for a particular section of the Byway and each with a narrative and 4 to 5 images. Please see our Audio Tour page under VISIT for download instructions and more!

2024 Season Opening of the Millstone Valley Scenic Byway 

VISITOR CENTER

Weekends: Saturday, May 4 through Sunday, October 27
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

THE MILLSTONE VALLEY NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY VISITOR CENTER
2 GRIGGSTOWN CAUSEWAY
PRINCETON , NJ

The Millstone Valley Preservation Coalition, sponsor of the Millstone Valley National Scenic Byway will reopen the Byway Visitor Center in Griggstown on Saturday May 4; it will be open every Saturday and Sunday thereafter until the last weekend in October, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Visitor Center is in one of the original D&R Canal bridgetender’s houses; its kitchen is interpreted and furnished for the period 1840-1860; a lovely garden contains period medicinal plantings and favorite table vegetables. The Visitor Center distributes maps, brochures, and pamphlets of trails, historical sites, and recreational opportunities around and about the Byway.

The Millstone Valley National Scenic Byway is a loop formed by two roughly parallel roadways one that roughly parallels the natural Millstone River and the other the man-made D&R Canal.

Exploring the Millstone Valley

We provide programming at our Visitor Center as part of the Somerset County Journey through the Past Weekend, the second weekend of October. We occasionally offer educational events, such as lectures and film screenings about history and preservation. Join us for the 2023 Walk and Roll events. Sign up for our email list to receive notices of upcoming events and follow Millstone Valley National Scenic Byway on Facebook. 

The Millstone Valley played a key role in the American Revolutionary War. The Continental Army marched up the valley in 1777, following the victory at the Battle of Princeton. In  1781 French and American troops, under the generals Rochambeau and Washington, passed through the valley on their way to final victory at Yorktown, VA. That vital march is commemorated by the Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail.

Located at the historic Griggstown Bridge-Tenders House on the D&R Canal, the Visitor Center is open weekend afternoons April through October. We have an information room manned by knowledgeable volunteers, a museum depicting an 1850s kitchen and 19th century interpretive gardens. Watch videos that explain local history, pick up maps and brochures, and visit the museum and gardens. The center is opening for the summer on April 30, 2022.

Passing northward through the Millstone Valley, the Delaware & Raritan Canal played a vital role for a century, helping to deliver coal, agricultural products, and manufactured goods to the booming New York metropolis. Now a public water, recreational, and historic resource, the canal offers 70 miles of walking and biking, canal buildings, and thriving wildlife of all kinds.  

Byway Map

Millstone Valley State and National Scenic Byway

The Millstone Valley State and National Scenic Byway is formed by two roughly parallel roadways that offer recreational parkland, historic sites, and natural areas. It has long been a refuge for many - from wildlife to Revolutionary War soldiers. The 27-mile Byway encircles a portion of the Millstone River in central New Jersey. It is located largely in Somerset County, but also in small portions of Mercer and Middlesex Counties.

The Byway takes visitors through the beautiful Millstone River Valley with two lovely waterways. To the west is River Road, winding alongside the Millstone River, and to the east Canal Road follows the banks of the Delaware and Raritan Canal. The historic D & R Canal and towpath provide extensive opportunities to enjoy nature and walk, jog, cycle, kayak or canoe. See you soon!

Learn more about the Millstone Valley National Scenic Byway on the FHA National Scenic Byway website

Learn more about the Millstone Valley State Scenic Byway on the New Jersey State Scenic Byway website

NOAA

Monitor flood levels at bridges along the byway at the National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service

Millstone Valley Preservation Coalition
a 501(3)(c) organization

Millstone Valley Scenic Byway Visitor Center

Open 1 to 4 PM Saturday & Sunday                                    

April through October (Opening on May 04, 2024)

© Copyright 2024 Millstone Valley Preservation Coalition