Explore the best rated trails in Colonia, NJ. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Palmer Township Recreation Trail (Towpath Bike Trail) and Old Croton Aqueduct Trail. With more than 106 trails covering 862 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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...
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...
The Bronx River travels from the mouth of the East River north to the Kensico Dam, providing views of the natural history of the area. Because the trail is under development, there are several gaps...
The Fort Washington Park Greenway brings residents and visitors to Washington Heights right up to the edge of the Hudson. The mile-long trail begins near the pier at the end of Dyckman Street and...
At 2.6 miles, the Staten Island Greenbelt Multi-Purpose Trail offers a nice jaunt for joggers, walkers, and cyclists alike. The crushed-stone path is 6-feet wide and runs from Rockland Avenue to...
The Saddle River County Park Bike Path is a beautiful suburban trail that winds alongside the Saddle River. Most of the trail runs through moderately dense suburban development, with residential and...
The trail winds along the Bushkill Creek connects the old Simon Silk Mill on 13th Street to Third Street at the base of the stone stairs leading up to Lafayette College. The trail is paved and though...
Like Wantagh State Parkway, Ocean Parkway was built in the postwar 1930s to provide access to the crown jewel of the state park system, Jones Beach State Park. Unlike the former road, however, this...
The Forks Township Recreation Trail follows the an old right-of-way of the former Lehigh & New England Railroad. Starting at the trail's midpoint behind the Riverview Country Club in Easton, you'll...
Tatamy Trail begins in West Easton and heads north to Tatamy Borough, primarily along a former railroad corridor. On its southern end, it meets the Palmer Township Recreation Trail, which connects the...
The Calhoun Street Bridge spans 1,274 feet across the Delaware River, connecting Trenton, New Jersey, on its east bank with Morrisville, Pennsylvania, on its west bank. Built in 1884, the intricate...
This bike-ped path in Roselle Park, Union County. The bike path is nestled at the bottom of the railroad embankment carrying New Jersey Transit's Raritan Valley Line. Stretching between Galloping Hill...
Located about 25 miles east of Philadelphia, the Pemberton Rail-Trail is an excellent example of grassroots activism resulting in the creation of a community-based rail-trail. The Pemberton Rotary...
Tyler State Park, located in Newtown, Pennsylvania, covers over 1,700 acres on the grounds of an old farm in a charming woodland setting. The park features a network of interconnected trails,...
The nicely paved Bethpage Bikeway runs alongside suburban roads for long segments of the route, but it’s much more than a suburban trail. Each on-road suburban stretch is broken up by one of three...
Randall's Island Park Trails offer a series of interconnected paved loops on an island in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The park offers a quiet setting, especially enjoyed by runners, with...
While not a "rail-trail," the Hook Mountain/Nyack Beach Bikeway is a very scenic trail along the Hudson River in Rockland County. The southern half of this trail is flat and runs right along the...
The two diverse sections of the Shore Parkway Greenway Trail blend urban and scenic, offering views of sights ranging from the Statue of Liberty to wildlife refuges. Following the Belt/Shore Parkway,...
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...
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk follows Staten Island's eastern shore from Miller Field -- a recreational area for sports, picnicking and bird watching -- to Fort Wadsworth. Highlights of the...
This 2.1-mile long paved path runs directly adjacent to (about 30-40 feet off of) the Boulevard in Mountain Lakes, NJ, and follows the exact route of a former trolley line operated by the Morris...
The South County Trailway rolls 14.4 miles through one of the most densely populated parts of New York, but its route through pocket woodlots, parks, and golf courses and along riverbanks makes it...
The trail winds along the Bushkill Creek connects the old Simon Silk Mill on 13th Street to Third Street at the base of the stone stairs leading up to Lafayette College. The trail is paved and though...
The Laurelton Greenway is a short but well-maintained multiuse path connecting the neighborhoods of Jamaica and Rosedale in southern Queens, NY. The two-lane paved trail starts in Jamaica, and travels...
The Fort Washington Park Greenway brings residents and visitors to Washington Heights right up to the edge of the Hudson. The mile-long trail begins near the pier at the end of Dyckman Street and...
Running alongside a New Jersey Transit passenger line, the Traction Line Recreation Trail has been around since 1986, when Jersey Central Power & Light donated portions of the land to the Morris...
Since it opened as a railroad spur in the 1800s, this pretty trail has always been about connections. In 1834 the Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad launched the spur to carry goods from Bristol,...
Eventually, the Barnegat Branch Trail will travel nearly 16 miles from Barnegat Township north to Toms River along a branch of the former Central Railroad of New Jersey. As of 2019, three disconnected...
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....
The Lake Galena Park Hike & Bike Trail (alternatively the Peace Valley Park Hike & Bike Trail) offers 6 miles of blacktop along the shores of Lake Galena, just north of Doylestown in eastern...
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...
At 2.6 miles, the Staten Island Greenbelt Multi-Purpose Trail offers a nice jaunt for joggers, walkers, and cyclists alike. The crushed-stone path is 6-feet wide and runs from Rockland Avenue to...
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The Palmer Township Recreation Trail (a.k.a. the Towpath Bike Trail) is a terrific community asset for Palmer and Bethlehem township residents and a great destination for visitors as well. Three modes...
The 2.8-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 series of three...
While not a "rail-trail," the Hook Mountain/Nyack Beach Bikeway is a very scenic trail along the Hudson River in Rockland County. The southern half of this trail is flat and runs right along the...
Prepare to be whisked into the past when you take the Edgar Felix Memorial Bikeway. The paved trail follows a short-line railroad corridor from the coastal city of Manasquan to a village at Allaire...
At first glance, there’s no evidence that an aqueduct ever existed along the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail. The trail is often a singletrack dirt pathway that winds through communities and trees and...
The paved pathway running through West Hudson Park offers a scenic, tree-lined escape between Harrison and Kearny, NJ. The trail provides access to the park’s stocked lake, water park, athletic...
The High Line trail runs 30 feet above the bustling Manhattan streets and sidewalks below, which for trail lovers makes it an attraction in the same league as the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State...
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...
The two diverse sections of the Shore Parkway Greenway Trail blend urban and scenic, offering views of sights ranging from the Statue of Liberty to wildlife refuges. Following the Belt/Shore Parkway,...
The nicely paved Bethpage Bikeway runs alongside suburban roads for long segments of the route, but it’s much more than a suburban trail. Each on-road suburban stretch is broken up by one of three...
Although the Neshaminy Creek Greenway is only about a half mile long, big things are in its future. One day, the greenway could span as much as 33 miles, reaching the Delaware River. Currently, the...
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk follows Staten Island's eastern shore from Miller Field -- a recreational area for sports, picnicking and bird watching -- to Fort Wadsworth. Highlights of the...
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...
The tree-lined 22.5-mile Henry Hudson Trail is the definition of scenic variety. Traversing both urban and natural environments, the route passes wetlands, streams, fields, and the Garden State...
Brooklyn's Flatbush Avenue Greenway parallels its namesake roadway for just over a mile from Marine Parkway Bridge to a connection with the Shore Parkway Greenway Trail. The two trails are part of the...
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...
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous; please refer to the interactive maps on the websites in the Related Content section. The D&L Trail runs for more than 140 miles through...
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...
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...
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The 1.5-mile Thomas F. Hampton Trail was named for a past executive director of the New Jersey Natural Lands Trust. Now an interpretive nature hike, the trail occupies the former rail bed of part of...
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...
The Battery Bikeway is a only a half a mile long but it is an important link in the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway system, connecting the East River Greenway with the Hudson River Greenway to form a...
The Pennypack Trail travels through wooded parks in Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties along Pennypack Creek, which derives its name from a local American Indian term for a slow-moving creek....
The Palmer Township Recreation Trail (a.k.a. the Towpath Bike Trail) is a terrific community asset for Palmer and Bethlehem township residents and a great destination for visitors as well. Three modes...
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...
The Hudson River Waterfront Walkway is a 1.5 mile walkway along the bank of the Hudson River in Jersey City. The walkway offers stunning views of Manhattan as well as access to a number of ferries and...
The Hutchinson River Greenway offers a convenient alternative to the Hutchinson River Parkway, which it closely follows. Although adjacent to the busy thoroughfare, trees have been planted along the...
The Eastern Parkway Trail is a 2-mile route along a tree-lined boulevard in Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood. The path begins at Prospect Park, which houses some of Brooklyn's most popular...
From High School to Rt. 23 it’s bumpy and washed out in some areas. It was very nice after that and the water falls are an unexpected treasure. Overall we didn’t love it or hate it
While the views are awesome, be advised that the 2nd half of the trail from Califon to Long Valley is better suited to mountain bikes. We found most of this section to be uncomfortable for our hybrids with concern for our tires. From High Bridge to the mid point (the first 7.5 miles) was good riding and a smoother trail. This section also has the best views of river and woods. Recently made the round trip (30 miles) on November 11, 2021 and would rate only 3 stars due to the mentioned rough 2nd half ride of the trail. Best breakfast/lunch options were in High Bridge. Nice coffee shop on the northern end of trail (the Coffee Potter), but not much else close to the trail.
If you like wide open and flat trails then this is for you. Was nice to bring my dog with me; Appalachian trail is too narrow and rocky for my dog on a leash. Overall it was pretty dry, very quiet, and walking next to the Paulinskill was relaxing.
Updating my July 2020 review, the road down to the Nyack Beach State Park has reopened.
And at the top of the newly reconstructed road to the right of the entrance fee kiosk is a newly constructed foot trail that will take you to the Long Path with access to the Hook Mountain summit with great river views.
Oct 11, 2021. Parked in Glen Onoko parking lot. Lots of parking, but we could not find any toilets anywhere. Seems like with all that parking for visitors, the town or park should at least provide some porta-potties. We rode north for about 15 miles. Almost all of the trail was in great condition. There were a few spots near Glen Onoko with very loose fill that required walking (32 mm wide tires). Very nice scenery, and not crowded on a holiday Monday. Nice facilities at the Rockport trailhead. Overall a great ride!
Perfect surface. Lovely surrounding. Safe. Thoroughly enjoyable. Watch headwind, plan to have tail wind for return leg…
Run, walk, or ride! Great for everyone in the family!!
I only did 40 miles of the trail staring in New Brunswick; did enjoy it. I was impressed by the difference in temperature provided by the tree canopy during a good portion of the trail. My only concern, especially when riding with children, is that little attention has been given to traffic intersections. Too many drivers are careless and could prove hazardous. An enjoyable trail otherwise.
I was really pumped to go for a long run on this trail, heard nothing but amazing things. But it seems TS Henry and Ida took its toll on this path. LOTS of washouts, bridges closed and areas completely washed away. I’m sure it will get fixed in time but just be cautious for the time being
We rode this portion of the D&R trail two years ago, and thought we'd do it again yesterday. Started at the trail head along Carnegie Road at Lawrenceville, and rode for about 2 1/2 miles going north-east (we were plaining on doing 20 out and 20 back) . That was enough to decide to pack it up, and go to another trail closer to home. I guess, because of the heavy rains we had in August/September, to repair wash-outs, they just threw very fine gravel down, not packed, and in many places about 2" thick. It made for miserable riding on our cyclocross bikes with 32mm tires. Whoever is in charge of the trail maintenance needs to educate themselves of proper materials and techniques to be used for the trail repairs. Maybe it got better as you got further away from Lawrenceville, but we weren't going to chance it. A real shame, it used to be a great trail.
Some say the Delaware River Trail is the best in NJ. My vote is for Columbia Trail. The only negative is that it is a bit short at 15 miles. The trail is usually wide and well maintained, I've never seen it crowded, but I'm retired and use it during the week. The canopy of trees keeps it cool in the hot summer days of July and August and the turning leaves are spectacular in the fall. About 12 miles from High Bridge, in the town of Long Valley, is a great little coffee shop, the Coffee Potter, that sells pastries and really good coffee and teas. If that isn't enough, less than half a mile from the trail at the same intersection, you can ride to a group of three restaurants, a brew pub, a Latin restaurant, and and All American Cuisine restaurant. Beginning at High Bridge there is some minor elevation. I suggest starting there, so that coming back is easier.
Most of the trail is crushed stone, but there are sections of really hard dirt and some short stretches that might better be described as gravel, as well as a paved section - also very short. There are a few places intersections where a cyclist has to cross a road, but they aren't very busy. Still, caution is always recommended. I've ridden it with no problem with both a hybrid and a gravel bike, and that's what most riders use, but I've seen road bikes navigate the trail with no difficulties. A mountain bike would be fine, but isn't necessary.
Although this is an easy ride, if you're miles from your car and have a breakdown, it's still a problem. Bring the usual necessities in case of flat or other fixable breakdowns because of that distance. Watch for deer and other wildlife. I understand there are black bears, but I've never seen one. Bring the family. Enjoy.
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