Newark, NJ Cross Country Skiing Trails and Maps

1964 Reviews

Looking for the best Cross Country Skiing trails around Newark?

Find the top rated cross country skiing trails in Newark, whether you're looking for an easy short cross country skiing trail or a long cross country skiing trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a cross country skiing trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.

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Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type
52 Results
Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type

Berkshire Valley Management Area Trail

2.1 mi
State: NJ
Ballast, Cinder

Columbia Trail

15 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

D&L Trail

144.7 mi
State: PA
Asphalt, Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail

73.6 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt

Edgar Felix Memorial Bikeway

3.4 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt

Great Valley Trail

4.3 mi
State: NJ
Dirt, Grass

Heritage Trail (NY)

19.4 mi
State: NY
Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt

Hook Mountain/Nyack Beach Bikeway

4.9 mi
State: NY
Asphalt, Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail

4.1 mi
State: NY
Asphalt

Lake Iliff Trail

1.1 mi
State: NJ
Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone

Lawrence Hopewell Trail

19.2 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Manasquan Reservoir Trail

4.8 mi
State: NJ
Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt

Middlesex Greenway

3.6 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt

North County Trailway

20.7 mi
State: NY
Asphalt

Old Erie Path

3 mi
State: NY
Dirt, Gravel

Putnam Trailway

12 mi
State: NY
Asphalt

Raymond G. Esposito Memorial Trail

1 mi
State: NY
Crushed Stone

South County Trailway

14.4 mi
State: NY
Asphalt, Concrete

Sussex Branch Trail

21.2 mi
State: NJ
Cinder, Dirt, Grass

Tallman Mountain State Park Bike Path

2.1 mi
State: NY
Asphalt, Cinder, Dirt
Accordion

Trolley Line Trail (NJ)

2 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt

Union Transportation Trail

9.3 mi
State: NJ
Crushed Stone

West Essex Trail

3.3 mi
State: NJ
Cinder, Gravel

Bedminster Hike and Bikeway

6.53 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt

Capoolong Creek Wildlife Management Area

3.7 mi
State: NJ
Cinder, Dirt, Grass, Gravel

Jones Point Path

2 mi
State: NY
Asphalt

Joseph M. McDade Recreational Trail

31.3 mi
State: PA
Gravel

Landsdown Trail

1.8 mi
State: NJ
Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

Loantaka Brook Reservation Trail

7 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt

Morris Canal Greenway

4.1 mi
State: NJ
Dirt, Grass

Ogden Mine Railroad Path

2.7 mi
State: NJ
Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt

Old Croton Aqueduct Trail

26.5 mi
State: NY
Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel

Patriots' Path

35 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt, Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel

Paulinskill Valley Trail

27.1 mi
State: NJ
Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass

Randolph Trails

16 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Taylor SteelWorkers Historical Greenway

7 mi
State: NJ
Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

Thompson Park Trails

5.4 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt, Boardwalk

Wood Duck Nature Trail (Wallkill River NWR)

1.5 mi
State: NJ
Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass

Briarcliff-Peekskill Trailway

12 mi
State: NY
Asphalt, Dirt, Grass

Hamburg Mountain Wildlife Management Area

3 mi
State: NJ
Ballast, Cinder, Dirt

Jack Harrington White Plains Greenway

1.2 mi
State: NY
Woodchips

Johnson Trolley Line Trail

3.3 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt, Dirt, Grass, Gravel

Norwalk River Valley Trail

12.2 mi
State: CT
Asphalt, Boardwalk, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Gravel

Pequest Wildlife Management Area Trail

4.2 mi
State: NJ
Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Gravel

Ramsey Bike Path

1 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt

Samuel G. Fisher Mount Ivy Environmental Park

2 mi
State: NY
Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Grass, Woodchips

Black River County Park Trail

2.3 mi
State: NJ
Dirt

Liberty Loop Trail

2.5 mi
State: NJ
Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel

Northport Rail Trail

0.75 mi
State: NY
Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt

Quarry Trail

0.1 mi
State: NY
Dirt, Grass
Trail Image Trail Name States Length Surface Rating
The Berkshire Valley Management Area Trail passes through hardwood forests and affords views of the valley below to the right. Equestrians must have a NJ Wildlife Permit, which is available from NJ...
NJ 2.1 mi Ballast, Cinder
Overview The Columbia Trail has the distinction of being named for a natural gas pipeline that runs beneath the 15 miles of the trail that spans rural northern New Jersey. The crushed-stone trail...
NJ 15 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
Overview The D&L Trail runs for more than 140 miles through Eastern Pennsylvania, from just north of Philadelphia to Mountain Top in the Poconos Region. It follows historical canal and railroad...
PA 144.7 mi Asphalt, Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel
Overview Spanning 73.6 miles, the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail is the longest completed multiuse trail in the state and is described by many as the crown jewel of New Jersey trails....
NJ 73.6 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt
Overview    The Edgar Felix Memorial Bikeway, also known as the Edgar Felix Bike Path, is a mostly straight and secluded paved pathway between the coastal New Jersey town of Manasaquan, and Allaire...
NJ 3.4 mi Asphalt
The Great Valley Trail, built on the former Lehigh & New England Railroad, offers an unpaved, natural experience through quiet woodlands between the townships of Hampton and Frankford. Although...
NJ 4.3 mi Dirt, Grass
Overview Built on the former Erie Railroad main line, the 15-mile Heritage Trail runs through the small Orange County towns of Goshen, Chester, Monroe, and Harriman. The shaded trail runs through...
NY 19.4 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt
Overview The Hook Mountain/Nyack Beach Bikeway is a scenic trail that runs almost 5 miles along the Hudson River in Rockland County.  About the Route The trail runs through Hook Mountain...
NY 4.9 mi Asphalt, Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel
You might expect a 4-mile rail-trail that passes through three downtowns to be excessively urban, but the quaint town centers on the Joseph B. Clarke Rail Trail are compact and surrounded by...
NY 4.1 mi Asphalt
This is the first phase of the proposed Lehigh & Hudson River Rail Trail. The second phase will connect Hillside Park to Kittatinny Valley State Park. It is hoped that there will be an eventual...
NJ 1.1 mi Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone
The Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) offers more than 19 miles of pathway on a developing loop through public and private land in Lawrence and Hopewell Townships, about 5 miles north of Trenton. The...
NJ 19.2 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
The Manasquan Reservoir Trail is located in the Howell Township and provides a great natural destination in the heart of the town. The trail forms a perimeter loop around the 770 acre reservoir...
NJ 4.8 mi Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt
It’s hard to believe that a noisy locomotive once ran through here, given that stillness is a defining characteristic of the Middlesex Greenway. Even when people pour onto the trail from the adjacent...
NJ 3.6 mi Asphalt
Overview At just over 20 miles, the North County Trailway is the longest of four rail trails created from the former New York Central Railroad’s Putnam Division line. The trail travels through...
NY 20.7 mi Asphalt
The Old Erie Path reveals spectacular views of the Hudson River Valley as the rail-trail rolls along cliffs that border the river’s western shore. Although fairly short, it joins two other...
NY 3 mi Dirt, Gravel
The old New York Central rail line that ran from the Bronx to northern bedroom communities in Westchester and Putnam Counties carried commuters during the workweek, but on the weekends tourists...
NY 12 mi Asphalt
The Raymond G. Esposito Memorial Trail travels from one end of the village of South Nyack to the other in 1 mile but greatly expands its reach by connecting with the Old Erie Path and a new shared-use...
NY 1 mi Crushed Stone
Overview   The South County Trailway rolls 14.4 miles through one of the most dense parts of greater New York City, though its backcountry route through pocket woodlots, parks, and golf courses and...
NY 14.4 mi Asphalt, Concrete
Overview The Sussex Branch Trail is a 21.2-mile trail that runs between Branchville and Byram in northern New Jersey. Following a former railroad corridor, the surface of the unpaved trail is a mix...
NJ 21.2 mi Cinder, Dirt, Grass
Tallman Mountain State Park Bike Path is partially paved and bisects the Tallman Mountain State Park. The route provides a motor-vehicle-free way for bicyclists using US Route 9W to connect with...
NY 2.1 mi Asphalt, Cinder, Dirt
Accordion
The Trolley Line Trail is a 2.5 mile paved pathway between Rabbit Hill Road and Penn Lyle Road in West Windsor. The trail is on the right of way of the former Fast Line electric trolley that connected...
NJ 2 mi Asphalt
The Union Transportation Trail follows the path of the former Pemberton & Hightstown Railroad, which began operating in 1868. The original purpose of the railroad was to allow local farms and dairies...
NJ 9.3 mi Crushed Stone
Overview The West Essex Trail runs for 3.3 miles through Cedar Grove, New Jersey along the former rail bed of the Caldwell Branch on the old Erie-Lackawanna Railroad. About the Route The...
NJ 3.3 mi Cinder, Gravel
Overview The 6.53-mile eastern phase of the Bedminster Hike and Bikeway allows pedestrians and cyclists to safely traverse part of Bedminster Township by crossing over I-287 and US 206/202 via a...
NJ 6.53 mi Asphalt
This trail goes through the Black River Wildlife Management area along streambeds and forest. Equestrians must have a NJ Wildlife Permit, which is available from NJ DEP for a fee. The trail follows...
NJ 4 mi Ballast
This pleasant, flat rail-trail parallels Capoolong Creek through the Capoolong Creek Wildlife Management Area for nearly 4 miles. The surface is varied, so the trail is best suited for hiking or...
NJ 3.7 mi Cinder, Dirt, Grass, Gravel
The Jones Point Path occupies an abandoned motor vehicle route (old US Route 9W). The path provides bicyclists with a relatively safe bypass to a dangerous section of busy US Route 9W near Bear...
NY 2 mi Asphalt
Please note: With a surface of large-sized gravel, the trail is not recommended for road bikes nor mountain bikes with no suspension.  The Joseph M. McDade Recreational Trail runs nearly the length...
PA 31.3 mi Gravel
The Landsdown Trail runs 1.8 miles between Lower Landsdown Road and W. Main in Clinton. The trail passes among open fields, woodlands and wetlands and provides access to the South Branch of the...
NJ 1.8 mi Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel
The system of trails in Loantaka Brook Reservation are open to hikers, cyclists and equestrians, although the trails are marked as to which uses are permitted on each segment. Loantaka Brook...
NJ 7 mi Asphalt
In the early 1830s the Morris Canal opened across northern New Jersey, from Phillipsburg on the Delaware River to Newark, and later to Jersey City on the Hudson River. It provided a thoroughfare for...
NJ 4.1 mi Dirt, Grass
This trail is located in the Mahlon Dickerson Reservation which is a unit of the Morris County Park Commission. The trail follows an abandoned railroad bed through hardwood forests, past ponds, swamps...
NJ 2.7 mi Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt
Overview The Old Croton Aqueduct Trail spans 26.5 miles across West Chester County, NY. It is often a singletrack dirt pathway that winds through communities and trees and provides an oasis of...
NY 26.5 mi Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel
The Patriots' Path covers roughly 35 miles of terrain and is open to mountain biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing and hiking. The multi-use trails links parks, open space, recreational...
NJ 35 mi Asphalt, Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel
The Paulinskill Valley Trail follows a creek by the same name through a section of rural New Jersey with a strong German influence. In fact, the word kill is Dutch for “riverbed or stream channel.”...
NJ 27.1 mi Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass
The Randolph Trail system covers 16 miles of pathways through five parks, the Clyde Potts Reservoir watershed and 2,000 acres of pristine open space. The trails link schools and neighborhoods and also...
NJ 16 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
DESCRIPTION: The Created by Union Forge Heritage Association in 2007,Taylor SteelWorkers Historical Greenway is a 7 mile trail that winds its way through High Bridge criss-crossing a number of...
NJ 7 mi Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel
With fields, woodlands, trails, a playground, an arts center, and a lake, Thompson Park offers a multitude of outdoor activities. Established in 1968 with Geraldine Thompson's donation of the horse...
NJ 5.4 mi Asphalt, Boardwalk
A short rail trail with two covered bridges occupying a portion of the former Mount Hope Mineral Railroad right-of-way in Wharton, NJ. In the future this trail will be linked with the Rockaway...
NJ 0.5 mi Asphalt
The Wood Duck Nature Trail, appropriately named for the secretive duck, was made possible through the hard work and dedication of refuge volunteers. This beautiful trail now extends about 1.5 miles on...
NJ 1.5 mi Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass
The Briarcliff-Peekskill Trailway is a 12-mile linear park that runs from the town of Ossining north to Westchester County's Blue Mountain Reservation in Peekskill. The trail is built on land...
NY 12 mi Asphalt, Dirt, Grass
This trail is in an area rich in geological history. Zinc and Iron Ores were transported along this branch from mines in the area that operated for over 200 years. The trail is scenic with a slight...
NJ 3 mi Ballast, Cinder, Dirt
The Jack Harrington White Plains Greenway was recently renamed to honor a long-time member of the city's conservation board. The trail's corridor follows the former New York, Westchester & Boston...
NY 1.2 mi Woodchips
The Johnson Trolley Line has two sections, north and south, which are split by Interstate 95. The Trenton-Princeton Traction Company ran the old trolley, known as the "Fast Line," through this...
NJ 3.3 mi Asphalt, Dirt, Grass, Gravel
When completed, the Norwalk River Valley Trail will run from Danbury to Long Island Sound in southwestern Connecticut, for a total of about 27 miles. Currently, several disconnected sections totaling...
CT 12.2 mi Asphalt, Boardwalk, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Gravel
This trail is much better suited to walking than to biking. It provides excellent access to the Pequest River which is stocked with trout. Not all of the bridges across the river have been decked and...
NJ 4.2 mi Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Gravel
The Ramsey Bike Path is a recreational path built on the former Paterson to Suffern trolley line right-of-way. The path extends along a north-south route from one end of Ramsey to the other....
NJ 1 mi Asphalt
A former right-of-way of the NY & NJ Railroad. Near historical Mount Ivy which was the center of a Quaker settlement in the 18th century. Hiking along railroad bed and wildlife observation and...
NY 2 mi Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Grass, Woodchips
In the mid 1800s Chester, New Jersey, was the home of the iron ore industry; railroads shipped the ore all over the county. With the end of the industry, however, the rail lines were abandoned, turned...
NJ 2.3 mi Dirt
Overview Located in the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, the Liberty Loop Trail is 2.5 miles long with a surface of gravel, grass, dirt, and crushed stone. Some portions may have raised...
NJ 2.5 mi Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel
Overview The Northport Rail Trail runs for 0.75 miles in the suburbs of Northport on Long Island, NY. About the Route The northern end of the Northport Rail Trail is located along Elwood Rd....
NY 0.75 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt
The Quarry Trail is currently a 600-foot long unimproved strip of land along what is known as Quarry Road in the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. The trail links Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic...
NY 0.1 mi Dirt, Grass

Recent Trail Reviews

Timberdoodle Trail

No Bicycles

June, 2024 by flywithme_tl

Ride this trail in May 2024 quite nice a few bumpy areas however when you cross the road it goes to partial pavement nice trail only to get near the end and someone stopped me and said I was not allowed to bike their so I turned around . If anyone could shed more light on why I would appreciate feedback , otherwise nice trail would have liked to take further .

Wood Duck Nature Trail (Wallkill River NWR)

not a bad ride

June, 2024 by flywithme_tl

If your biking it is a little bumpy and a short distant trail .

Paulinskill Valley Trail

love this trail

June, 2024 by flywithme_tl

I did this trail in May after heavy rain and some me areas need attention but the things you see were worth the small problem areas such as water / mud . Not many places to go to and get food that I seen . Overall worth the ride very cool old steel bridge , streams and rivers .

Accordion

Sussex Branch Trail

plenty of resources

June, 2024 by flywithme_tl

Great trail very picturesque plenty of eateries along the way , deli by 206 you can detour a bit into Kittantinny park take a nice ride through and come out by Andover airport & lake Andover watch the planes . Also some eateries in Andover overall nice ride but in May they were doing some work on a portion that is near Andover .

Great Valley Trail

Nice trail

June, 2024 by flywithme_tl

Nice short run trail views of bridges , water go under an overpass cool graffiti and at the end in Branchville plenty of eateries within a few tenths of a mile .

Ocean Parkway Coastal Greenway

Enjoyable Ride

June, 2024 by manselmo77

One of my favorite rides of LI. Good speeds/pace going east. Return headwind can be tough.

Ellen Farrant Memorial Bikeway

Easy Ride

June, 2024 by manselmo77

Flat, great breeze and plenty of sun. Beautiful views heading down to Jones Beach then connect to Ocean Pkwy. Easily put in 20-30 miles round trip.

Heritage Trail (NY)

Heritage trail

June, 2024 by flywithme_tl

A must ride stopped in Middletown for a bite to eat .

Putnam Trailway

meh

June, 2024 by vbergerg_tl

Finally reached it from the North County trail way and was both surprised and disappointed. Some nice spots but mostly odd hills and backend of towns. Expected it to be much nicer. Now I’m trying to figure out the road connections in Brewster to get to the better reviewed Maybrook.

D&L Trail

Charles F

June, 2024 by feinauer

Started our ride from the Freemansburg parking area and rode west to Bethlehem. The lack of maintenance was evident along this portion and remnants of the canal were deplorable with tons of trash and homeless camps. On our return trip to Easton we encountered the worse section of this trail between Freemansburg and the Rt. 33 boat ramp access. Multiple pot holes ,huge roots and where trees have been uprooted leaving the trail inches wide and 5 foot deep holes. Hope improvements are in the works.

Columbia Trail

beautiful!!!

June, 2024 by ayeletbrenner

We loved it!

Great Valley Trail

Rough but pretty

June, 2024 by mick22

This scenic trail is woodsy and off the beaten path. A road bike won't cut it, but if you've got a hybrid or mountain bike and don't mind a rough ride, it can be fun. Bug repellant is a good idea in the warmer months.

If you're doing the Great Valley/Paulinskill/Sussex Branch loop, the Augusta Road parking lot is a good place to start because it's at a low elevation. You can start out making the uphill slog over Great Valley's rough terrain, then once you connect with Paulinskill the going gets easier (and the pesky bugs disappear!).

If you're doing the loop in this counter-clockwise direction, it can be hard to find the connection between Great Valley and Paulinskill. Note that Great Valley doesn't end at Plotts Road as shown in the Traillink map - you need to continue on a bit further until the trail meets Junction Road. Then cross the road diagonally and you should be able to find the entrance to the Paulinskill trail. See the map I posted in the photos section - it shows the mileage for each of the three legs.

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Accordion

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