Walk to Freedom Itinerary
Retracing the Southern New Jersey’s Underground Railroad
Dear Friends of Freedom,
Our walking itinerary was updated on Monday May 23, 2022. Our final public walk is this Saturday May 28 at 8:00 a.m. The starting point is historic Timbuctoo, at 130 Church St., Westampton, New Jersey. From Timbuctoo we will walk about eight miles to the Delaware River in Burlington. A public gathering and reception will immediately follow the walk at the Burlington New Jersey Quaker Meeting House. It takes between 2.5-3.5 hours to walk eight miles at a 20-25 minute per hour pace. Please confirm your participation by emailing us at: ourwalktofreedom@yahoo.com
Please see the schedule below to learn more on our whereabouts. We’re a slow moving train!
A word on the itinerary.
Details on the walk are subject to change. Weeks 3-6, April 9- May 15, are still being planned and important stopping points will be added as they are confirmed. Inclement weather, illness or injury can also affect the schedule of the walk.
Along the way, we look forward to members of the public joining us. We will not be able to provide any water, food, or other assistance. We try to use sidewalks whenever available but most of the walks will be on open roads. We will require anyone joining the walk to sign a release.
The route we will be traveling is not exactly the route Freedom Seekers may have traveled across the Southern Counties of New Jersey during the period between the 1830 – 1865. Many of the towns we will stop at were part of the Underground Railroad, particularly from Port Elizabeth onward. The towns of Greenwich and Salem are significant because that is where the two of four Underground Railroad lines originating out of Southern New Jersey began.
Essentials for short day hikes
| · Small backpack | · Water | · Snacks |
| · Camera | · Bug spray | · Cell phone |
If you questions concerning the itinerary or about joining the walk, email us at ourwalktofreedom@yahoo.com
April 1-2, 2022
Day 1: Walk begins at 4:30 p.m.at Second & Beach Ave. and continues to the Harriet Tubman Museum, at 632 Lafayette St. After a brief meet and greet, the walk will turn north on Route 9 towards Whitesboro before ending at the Cape May Court House, about 15 miles.
Day 2: Beginning at 8:00 a.m. we will depart Cape May Court House heading to the Delmont Post Office, via Rt 47, approximately 14 miles.
The first weekend’s walk is in the books. We completed the second day of the walk at the Wawa in Dennisville, New Jersey. We will start out from this point on Saturday April 9, at 8:00 a.m.
April 9-10, 2022
Day 3: Despite a little rain this morning the walk will begin at 8:00 a.m. Starting from the Wawa, 121 Main St, Dennisville, we will push on to Port Elizabeth via Route 347, about 13 miles.
Day 4: Port Elizabeth, starting at the Dollar General Store to My Neighborhood Deli, 2600 Cedar St, Millville, via West Buckshutem Road, 11 miles.
April 16-17
Day 5: Starting at My Neighborhood Deli, 2600 Cedar St, Millville, via West Buckshutem Road to Gouldtown Trinity AME and Bridgeton, 10 miles
Day 6: Bridgeton to Springtown, and Greenwich, about 8 miles.
April 23-24
Day 7: Springtown, Greenwich, Lower Alloway Creek to Salem, 16 miles
Day 8: Salem to Marshalltown, 6 miles
April 30-May 1
Day 9: Marshalltown to Kings Highway, Pilesgrove, 8 miles
Day 10: Kings Highway to St. Pauls UAME Church, Swedesboro, Mt. Zion AME Church, Woolwich, to Mullica Hill, 11 miles
May 7-8 (Mother’s Day Break)
*Day 11: Monday May 9 (Catch up walk, 5:00 p.m.) Harrison Township Historical Society, 62 S Main St, Mullica Hill, to Sewell Post Office, 141 Center St., 5.5 miles
*Day 12: Tuesday May 10 (Catch up walk, 5:00 p.m.) Sewell to Deptford Mall, 5.5 miles
*Day 13: Wednesday May 11 (Catch up walk, 5:00 p.m.) Parking lot B13, next to Dicks, Deptford Mall to the historic Peter Mott House, 26 Kings Court, Lawnside, 5 miles.
*Day 14: Thursday May 12 (Catch up walk, 5:00 p.m.) Lawnside to James Cooper Elementary School, 1960 Greentree Rd, Cherry Hill, 6 miles
May 14-15
Day 15: Start time 12:30 pm. James Cooper Elementary School, Cherry Hill to Jacob’s Chapel, 318 Elbo Lane, Mt. Laurel, 5 miles
Day 16: Jacob’s Chapel to Timbuctoo, Westampton, 8 miles
May 28
Day 17: Timbuctoo, 130 Church St., Westampton to Burlington NJ Quaker Meeting House City, 340 High St, Burlington, about 8 miles. Free food, beverages, re-enactors, and more.
