The Camden Water Trail
As part of the Discover the Delaware partnership, Upstream Alliance is leading the initiative to create a 13-mile water trail along the Back Channel and Cooper River in Camden, NJ. With a $500K contract from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, UA and 5 partners are planning and implementing the 13-mile Camden Water Trail, multiple outdoor programs, and a wild celery restoration project in addition to planning for an 8-mile greenway.
Throughout history, water trails have been integral to moving people and goods along waterways. Indigenous communities and voyageurs usually traveled by water due to a lack of land trails. Today the revival of water trails is driven by increasing demands for water based recreational and educational opportunities. A water trail can be defined as a recreational waterway between specific locations containing access points. Trails can include launch ramps, campsites, and access to parks or beaches with the goal of catering to a high diversity of users.
The idea for a water trail in Camden came from the Director of Camden County Parks Department, Maggie McCann. As a champion of the river and the Camden area, she saw an opportunity in the Back Channel and Cooper River. Few people thought of the Cooper as a recreational asset, and access was almost non-existent. The trail became a rallying point for the effort to support the revitalization of the Camden community and as evidence that the water is now clean enough to use and enjoy.
The UA team along with Joe Sikora, President of Sikora Wells Appel, a landscape architecture firm, is working on solving the challenge associated with interpretative signage along the trail. One of the biggest issues, aside from permits, categorical exclusions, and other difficulties that occur when working on a project spanning different jurisdictions, is the type of signs and their placement. The tidal range in the Back Channel of the Delaware River and in the Cooper River is about 7 feet. Upstream continues brainstorming ways around this challenge.
To help create the vision for the trail, look for signage placement, and think through options, UA went on a two-day scouting trip to Camden on April 13th & 14th. The first day the team put in at Kaighn Avenue Dam and paddled downriver to Pyne Poynt Park, taking pictures of bridges, access points, and wildlife along the way. The next day, they put in on the upstream side of Kaighn Avenue Dam and paddled upriver through Cooper River Park to the Camden County Parks Department. The diversity of wildlife along the river was astounding; everything from Double-crested Cormorants to Eastern Coyotes can be found in and adjacent to the waterway. The scout was immensely successful in clarifying questions, examining historical sites along the river, and making decisions about what the trail will look like.
A few weeks later, on April 28th, Upstream Alliance President and Founder Don Baugh joined the Camden County Board of Commissioners, public land advocates, mayors and other nonprofits to unveil a $100 million plan to revitalize Camden County’s 24 parks, waterways, and conservation areas. The project, Parks Alive 2025, will address water quality issues, public accessibility, and the enhancement of already existing parks in the county. The Camden Water Trail falls within this historically large investment in green spaces. UA hopes that this water trail will help build partnerships, foster stewardship, engage volunteers, educate through hands-on experiences, connect communities, and provide recreational opportunities for everyone.
Head over the Camden County website to learn more about the trail.
