West Essex Trail:
New Jersey
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Description:
The West Essex Trail follows a short distance (just under 3 miles) of the former rail bed of the Caldwell Branch on the old Erie-Lackawanna Railroad. The trail runs between the Essex–Passiac county line in Cedar Grove and Arnold Way in Verona. The trail crosses a trestle over the Peckman River and also passes by a shuttered psychiatric hospital, which housed patients in the late 19th to early 20th century. The property is now a conservation easement.

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Parking & Trail Access:
The best access to the West Essex Trail is from near Verona High School, 151 Fairview Avenue. Take Route 280 to Exit 7/Pleasant Valley Way and turn right. Turn left onto Bloomfield Avenue then right onto Fairview Avenue. The Trail crosses Fairview at Verona High School.

From New York, take the George Washington Bridge or Lincoln Tunnel to the New Jersey Turnpike South. Take Exit 15W for Route 280 West and proceed with the above directions.

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Reviews: [2 trail ratings]
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Add Mills Reservation for more challenge
By fosket2 in December, 2011
The West Essex trail is now in great shape for biking, just watch out for a few fallen trees that are only about 6 feet over the trail, may have to duck if your tall. To add a challenging piece to it, turn on right on Francisco Ave up to Ridge Rd, make another right, then trailhead is on left near Reservoir. It has a couple of miles of single track, lots of rocky hills, stream crossings, ramps. Quite challenging! You can then return to the rail trail at Bowden Rd. See my map link below. Makes for about an 8 mile loop, if you start at Verona HS.
http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/1067158
Shows the great potential of Essex/Passaic county trails
By beaumontc in May, 2011
The West Essex trail is one of the nicest trails in this area. So well maintained that walking on it is very relaxing year round. Its also quite shady and that makes it cool, even in the summer.

The area still has a long way to go to become hiker friendly like many other towns are. I would like to see some of the side trails expanded.

There would be another nice potential trail along the Peckman Brook from Verona to the Passaic, since both Verona and Cedar Grove have their parks and Little Falls is developing one in the Wigmore Road area, but unfortunately an area south of the railroad tracks near the northeast end of Cedar Grove has been used as a composting area so the entire area is very smelly and often, noisy.

If that problem could be addressed, it might be possible to develop a gorgeous trail along the stream and eventually perhaps make a big circle out of the two routes. The area just north of the active railroad trestle used to be a natural wetland that was home to all sorts of wildlife, and its been restored somewhat, but all that work seems to have gone to waste because of the rancid smells from the compost activities.
Great potential but needs work
By Tom Z in April, 2010
As a kid who used to play along these tracks years ago, I was looking forward to riding this trail. I had not set foot in this area in about 30 years. The trail was considerably washed out in the area from Verona High School to the Essex County Hospital Center. It was better continuing along to the Little Falls end. I don't know if it was a mess because of the recent damaging rains or lack of maintenance. This would be a great suburban trail with a little grading and smoothing from the county.
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