Eighth annual LHT Full Moon Bike Ride set for Sept. 30

On Saturday, Sept. 30, the Lawrence Hopewell Trail and Mercer County Park Commission will host their eighth Full Moon Bike Ride at Rosedale Lake in Mercer Meadows.

A rider on a decorated bike prepares to ride in a previous Lawrence Hopewell Trail Full Moon Bike Ride. (Photo courtesy of the Lawrence Hopewell Trail.)

The six-mile loop ride on the LHT and other Mercer Meadow trails is intended to offer a “magical experience,” with twinkling lights under a tree canopy, live music along the trail, glow-in-the-dark features, and a campfire with s’mores near Rosedale Lake. There is also a bike decorating contest, offering participants a chance to win prizes.

The Full Moon Bike Ride begins at 7:30 p.m. with a sendoff near the Rosedale Lake parking area, though participants can arrive later. Registration will open at 7 p.m., as will the campfire and music. Participants are welcome to arrive early and bring a picnic dinner.

Adults and children of all ages are welcome at the activities around Rosedale Lake, with the expectation that adults supervise children at all times. The Full Moon Bike Ride itself is open to adults and children aged 12 and above.

Registration for riders is $20 for adults (18 and over) and $15 for youth (12 to 17). Adult registration is $25 at the event. Details and registration at- lhtrail.org/annual-fullmoonride. The 2023 Full Moon Bike Ride T-shirt will be available for pre-purchase.

Nonprofits can email the LHT ([email protected]) for group rates. There is no fee for nonriders. The event is a fundraiser for the Lawrence Hopewell Trail, a nonprofit corporation.

For riders under 18, helmets are required by law. The LHT encourages helmets for all riders for safety reasons, and also highly recommends the use of front and rear bike lights. Moonlight, even on a clear night, will not fully light the trail in the woods.

Participants should use the park entrance on Federal City Road between Blackwell Road and Old Mill Road in Hopewell Township. The rain date is Sunday, Oct. 1, but if rain forces the change, the program will be limited to the ride.

The Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation is joining Mercer County to assess the feasibility of a walking and biking route that could one day connect Trenton, Ewing, Lawrence and Princeton.

The Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation says that connecting the almost-completed 22-mile LHT to neighboring communities is a top priority for the organization.

The $175,000 award to Mercer County comes from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Greater Philadelphia region that includes Mercer County. It is one of six grants made to New Jersey applicants this year.

The grant will allow Mercer County to hire consultants who will work with its planning department, the Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation, and officials in Trenton, Ewing, Lawrence, and Princeton to assess what is being called the Johnson Trolley Trail Corridor.

Based on the findings of this feasibility study, funding could then be sought to do detailed design and engineering work, followed eventually by construction.

“We are very grateful to the DVRPC, Mercer County, the City of Trenton, Ewing and Lawrence Townships, and the Municipality of Princeton as partners in this endeavor,” Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation chair David Sandahl said in a media release. “Working together, we will make the vision of reconnecting our communities a reality.”

“This grant is a crucial step in helping the LHT connect to these communities,” said Lisa Serieyssol, the LHT’s executive director. “Trails and active transportation networks are essential infrastructure to address equitably the most pressing issues facing our region--from economic development, to climate resiliency, mobility, and bicyclist and pedestrian safety.”

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