The Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) will host its ninth Full Moon Bike Ride on Saturday, Sept. 14 in Mercer Meadows.
This is an “out of this world” experience, perfect for date night or an evening out with a group of friends.
Light up your bike and compete for a prize. Kick off the six-mile ride with a lively DJ. Bike through Asteroid Alley. Stop for glow-in-the-dark juggling with the Trenton Circus Squad and for live music. Reward yourself with s’mores around the campfire at the end.
It’s so much fun that you may want to do the route twice!
Meet at Rosedale Lake off Federal City Road between Blackwell Road and Old Mill Road in Pennington. Registration check-in begins at 7 p.m. The ride kicks off with a special send-off at 7:30 p.m. but participants can start later as well. All riders must be off the course by 9:30 p.m.
Although the moon will be nearly full and offering some light, front and rear bike lights are still a must! Helmets are required by New Jersey law for those under 18, and the Lawrence Hopewell Trail encourages all others to wear one as well.
This ride, co-sponsored by the Mercer County Park Commission, is open to those 12 and older. More details and registration information is on the Lawrence Hopewell Trail website, https://lhtrail.org/ and at https://lhtrail.org/annual-fullmoonride/
“We are very proud that the Full Moon Ride has attracted cyclists from near and far, new riders and repeat riders to what has become our signature event,” said LHT Board Chair David Sandahl. “It’s hard to top a fun ride in a beautiful park under the light of the moon.”
“I’m proud that Mercer County can continue to support this great event,” said County Executive Dan Benson. “After years of planning and work, it’s incredible to see the Lawrence Hopewell Trail nearing completion. I believe that the trail’s success can serve as a blueprint as we work to expand and connect our trail systems throughout Mercer.”
The event is a fundraiser for the Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corp., which helps develop and maintain the trail. Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Full Moon Ride? Contact the Lawrence Hopewell Trail at info@lhtrail.org.
This year’s Full Moon Ride comes as the Lawrence Hopewell Trail moves closer to completion. Five short segments of the 20-mile trail remain to be built. Pre-construction work has already begun on one: a stunning boardwalk in Lawrence Township’s Maidenhead Meadows park that will eliminate the interim route on Princeton Pike. All other segments are in some stage of development.
The goal is to finish the trail by the end of 2026.
The Lawrence Hopewell Trail board continues to seek other connections to the trail and is supporting Mercer County’s feasibility study for the Johnson Trolley Trail Corridor that would connect to both Princeton and Trenton. The centerpiece is envisioned to be a biking and walking bridge over I-295 roughly where the old Johnson Trolley Line ran for decades. You can get more information on this project here: https://www.mercercounty.org/departments/planning/johnson-trolley-trail.
About the Lawrence Hopewell Trail
The nonprofit Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation has worked for more than 20 years with governments and companies, schools, land trusts and residents to build and maintain the developing 20-mile LHT multi-use trail in Hopewell and Lawrence townships. The LHT now hosts over 100,000 user visits every year.
The LHT is a key member of the Circuit Trails Coalition, a developing 800-mile network of bicycle and walking trails connecting people to jobs, communities and parks in the Greater Philadelphia Region.
The Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corp. relies on grants and donations to fund maintenance and operating expenses as well as community events such as the Saturday Morning Walking Club, bike rides and the popular Full Moon Bike Ride. Learn more about the LHT at LHTrail.org .
About Mercer Meadows
The Mercer County Park Commission manages diverse offerings within its more than 10,000 acres of parks, recreational facilities and open space throughout Mercer County. Mercer Meadows, where the Full Moon Bike Ride will take place, consists of more than 1,600 acres divided among five separate districts. Miles of mowed, paved and stone dust trails provide visitors and their families with scenic walking and biking routes through the meadows and woodland. Fishing is a popular activity at the park’s four water bodies. For more information, please visit www.mercercounty.org/parks
