Explore the best rated trails in Elizabeth, NJ. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Timp-Torne Trail and Old Croton Aqueduct Trail. With more than 96 trails covering 809 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 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...
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...
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...
The former “Old Put” commuter rail corridor that ran from the Bronx to northern bedroom communities in Westchester and Putnam Counties is popular once again, only this time it’s for people riding...
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....
_188258_sc.jpg)
The Lenape Trail is an paved multiuse pathway stretching two miles end-to-end. The winding trail sits on the tree-covered bank of Plainsboro pond, home to geese, swans and other waterfowl. Residents...
The Hudson River Greenway (HRG) is one of the most popular places to ride, walk, and jog in New York City. It makes up part of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway loop, the cross-state Empire State...
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 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 Oxford Bikeway is a .9 mile long pave trail constructed on an abandoned railroad right-of-way. The trail can be accessed at three points. To the north the trail ends at Pequest Road, however there...
The Mosholu-Pelham Greenway connects several parks and recreational opportunities in New York City's north and central Bronx neighborhoods. A portion of the trail is also part of the growing East...
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...
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 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 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...
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 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.”...
The Cross Island Parkway Trail closely follows its namesake thoroughfare through northeastern Queens. From its northern end, you will soon enter Little Bay Park, which offers lovely views of the...
Closure Notice: As of 2021, the city is undertaking a series of construction projects in East River Park, which will result in ongoing closures to sections of the southern segment of the greenway...
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...
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...
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 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 EssexPassiac county...
_0_sc.jpg)
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...
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...
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...
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 Columbia Trail has the distinction of being named for a natural gas pipeline that runs beneath it for 15 miles in rural northern New Jersey. The crushed-stone trail rolls along the South Branch of...
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...
When Jones Beach State Park opened on Long Island’s South Shore in the late 1920s, a series of scenic parkways was built on infill dredged from nearby towns to connect New Yorkers to the new public...
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.”...
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...
Just an hour north of New York City, the Timp-Torne Trail offers a scenic hike through Bear Mountain and Harriman State Parks with panoramic vistas of the Hudson River. The rugged blue-blazed trail...
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...
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,...
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...
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 Cross Island Parkway Trail closely follows its namesake thoroughfare through northeastern Queens. From its northern end, you will soon enter Little Bay Park, which offers lovely views of the...
The Jones Beach Boardwalk traverses Jones Beach State Park, running parallel (and south of) Ocean Parkway. The pleasant pathway offers views of the beach and the ocean. Although bicycles are...
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...
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...
When Jones Beach State Park opened on Long Island’s South Shore in the late 1920s, a series of scenic parkways was built on infill dredged from nearby towns to connect New Yorkers to the new public...
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...
When complete the Green Brook Multi-Use Trail will meander for 7 miles through the communities of Plainfield and North Plainfield, New Jersey. The trail will connect major regional trails and parks as...
The Mohansic Trailway is a rail-trail providing an important link between the North County Trailway and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt State Park. The trailway occupies a short-lived spur of the New...
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...
_186267_sc.jpg)
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...
Freedom Trail Bikeway will eventually be a 10-mile route linking parks and open spaces throughout South Brunswick Township in northern New Jersey. The trail follows a former rail line through...
The Kingston Branch Loop Trail is a trip up one side and down the other of the scenic tree-lined Delaware and Raritan Canal. The eastern half of the loop follows the bed of the Rocky Hill Railroad and...
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 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...
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 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 Kinkora Rail Trail will one day span 13 miles between Mansfield and Springfield Township. In 2014, Springfield Township completed a small segment of the rail-trail that connects with the...
_199292_sc.jpg)
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 different...
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 former “Old Put” commuter rail corridor that ran from the Bronx to northern bedroom communities in Westchester and Putnam Counties is popular once again, only this time it’s for people riding...
The Jones Beach Boardwalk traverses Jones Beach State Park, running parallel (and south of) Ocean Parkway. The pleasant pathway offers views of the beach and the ocean. Although bicycles are...
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...
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...
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…
We started the trail in Middleport parking on Palmer Ave. Highly recommend this direction as it’s mainly uphill to Harriman. We clocked 19 miles exactly to Harriman. The uphill is not super intense but is uphill so the way back was super fun and easy! We stopped in Monroe on the way back to Middleport. 38 miles in total ALL PAVED and 99.5 % trail. Excellent. Little weird spot right before Goshen as the trail ends abruptly with no signs. Head into the main town of Goshen and turn right at the wine store and you’ll be back on track!
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.
I love this trail and the scenery. But there is a ditch with a crashed car at the bottom. The car is pretty old. Maybe late 70s or early 80s. It's between the parking space 17 park and ride lot in Monroe and the overpass. There's a green gate blocking the ditch. I would love to know more information about it if anyone knows.
Started at Milford Beach expecting a basically downhill ride. From Milford Beach to Dingmans Campground many stretches were unrideable and needed to walk bike up and down steps and steep slopes. The only positive in this stretch was that Raymondskill Falls was a short uphill walk from the trail and worth the view. By the time we got to Dingman Falls I did not have the energy left to afford another side excursion. Trail for flat sections was basically compacted cinders, the steep sections were dirt hiking trails. From Dingmans Campground to Hialeah the trails meanders up and down as well as sideways several steep cinder sections with one sign missing that almost caused a calamity. Steep drop with sharp right turn at bottom onto a bridge. Bridge was not visible until bottom and carrying to much speed right turn is not possible. Three choice run in stream, hit tree or exposed tree roots.
The trail is not recommended for street bikes and absolutely need MTB or Hybrid with suspension north of Dingmans Campground. From Hialeah to Dingmans required several side tours on to roadways, twice on Highway. Many flat stretches but also some pretty hefty grades in this run.
Historic trail with varied terrain and beautiful scenery. We parked in Rockland County and rode over the Tappan Zee Bridge and made am easy connection to the trail.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
Map Search
_199292_st.jpg)
_188258_st.jpg)
_186267_st.jpg)
_124926_st.jpg)
_0_st.jpg)
_319_st.jpg)
_138996_st.jpg)
