Find the top rated trails in Merrick, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway Trail stretches just over 3 miles along Long Island’s north shore. Construction was completed in two phases with the first trail section opening in 2009...
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 final passenger cars of the Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad ran in 1958, but the rail line that so influenced development of this area still sparks nostalgia. The "Old Put"...
The multi-use pathway spanning the length of New Jersey's Sandy Hook peninsula offers beautiful views of the ocean, as well as shady sections through maritime forest. A bird observatory and wildlife...
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NOTE: The Bayshore Trail is currently open, however, storm damage has made trail conditions primitive with wet and muddy patches. Users should exercise caution and watch for construction vehicles in...
Ocean Parkway Coastal Greenway, which opened in June 2014, runs just shy of 4 miles between Jones Beach State Park and Tobay Beach. Both beaches permit swimming and provide opportunities to purchase...
The EPCAL Alternative Transportation Path loops around the 2,900-acre Enterprise Park at Calverton (hence its name: EPCAL) on New York’s Long Island and links to the Town of Riverhead’s 65-acre...
The Bethpage Bikeway is one of Long Island's most popular trails. It connects Merrick Road in Massapequa with Bethpage State Park, and includes additional trail north to Trail View State Park in...
The South County Trailway is a zippy paved trail heading north from Yonkers through the Hudson River Valley communities of Hastings-on-Hudson, Dobbs Ferry, Ardsley, Irvington, Greenburgh, and...
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...
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...
Roosevelt Island Greenway, a little-known gem in the Big Apple, was named after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1973. To reach this scenic pathway, board New York City’s only aerial tram,...
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 Bronx River Greenway will one day stretch 23 miles along the river through New York's Westchester and Bronx counties. Currently, 18 miles of the trail are complete in disconnected segments largely...
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...
In June 1986, the Morris County Park Commission dedicated this recreation trail that runs parallel to the New Jersey Transit Line railroad tracks. The path utilizes a little over three miles of...
The Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic Park follows the route of the Old Croton Aqueduct, which carried water to New York City from 1842 to 1955. Most of the structure lies beneath the trail and has...
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 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...
Although just a mile long, the Beach Channel Drive Greenway in Queens offers expansive views of Jamaica Bay and the beautiful Marine Parkway Bridge as it traces the border of Jacob Riis Park. On the...
Splayed over 1,146 acres in northwest Bronx, Van Cortlandt Park has a lot going on. The park is New York City's fourth largest and is home to the oldest municipal golf course in America. There are...
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 Bethpage Bikeway is one of Long Island's most popular trails. It connects Merrick Road in Massapequa with Bethpage State Park, and includes additional trail north to Trail View State Park in...
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...
The Edgar Felix Memorial Bikeway packs enough history, scenery and activity in its 5.2 miles for an all-day adventure. Manasquan cyclist Edgar Felix lobbied his town to acquire a portion of the...
New York City's East River Greenway offers views of the East River, Queens, Brooklyn, and the iconic bridges that connect these boroughs to Manhattan. The paved pathway traces the waterfront on one...
The Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway Trail stretches just over 3 miles along Long Island’s north shore. Construction was completed in two phases with the first trail section opening in 2009...
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...
Hudson River Greenway provides a continuous 11-mile route between Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan and the Little Red Lighthouse underneath the George Washington Bridge. The trail passes...
The Pequonnock River Trail—portions of which are also known as the Housatonic Railway Rails to Trails, Monroe Housatonic Railbed Trail and Pequonnock Valley Greenway—is a developing system stretching...
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...
The Kings Park Hike & Bike Trail runs for 1.5 miles between Old Dock Road at Church Street in Kings Park and Nissequogue River State Park. The trail is a town of Smithtown park and follows an...
The EPCAL Alternative Transportation Path loops around the 2,900-acre Enterprise Park at Calverton (hence its name: EPCAL) on New York’s Long Island and links to the Town of Riverhead’s 65-acre...
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...
Although just a mile long, the Beach Channel Drive Greenway in Queens offers expansive views of Jamaica Bay and the beautiful Marine Parkway Bridge as it traces the border of Jacob Riis Park. On the...
These three contiguous trails—the Raymond G. Esposito Memorial Trail, Old Erie Path and Joseph B. Clark Trail—occupy the former right-of-way of the Erie Railroad's Nyack and Piermont Branch. Each...
These three contiguous trails—the Raymond G. Esposito Memorial Trail, Old Erie Path and Joseph B. Clarke Trail—occupy the former right-of-way of the Erie Railroad's Nyack and Piermont Branch. Each...
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 North County Trailway is the longest of the four connected rail-trails breathing new life into the former New York Central Railroad's Putnam Division line. The "Old Put" provided passenger and...
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...
The High Line rail-trail is an urban marvel, stretching 1.5 miles and towering almost 30 feet above street level through several neighborhoods in the lower west side of Manhattan. The first section...
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...
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 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...
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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 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 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...
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...
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 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 multi-use pathway spanning the length of New Jersey's Sandy Hook peninsula offers beautiful views of the ocean, as well as shady sections through maritime forest. A bird observatory and wildlife...
The Ridgefield Rail-Trail meanders for nearly 2.5 miles through the forested exburbs of Ridgefield, Connecticut. The trail passes among suburban acreages, along a creek at one point, and past a couple...
<p>This trail is the legacy of the first elevated roadway in the United States, constructed by William K. Vanderbilt in 1904. Vanderbilt created the parkway to get to his family’s estate in Long...
NOTE: A section of trail from Popamora Point to the Atlantic Highlands Marina has been reopened after storm damage, but the trail is primitive in this section and there may be icy, wet, or muddy...
The Perth Amboy Harbor Walk offers scenic views of the Raritan Bay and Raritan River as it hugs the shoreline of the City of Perth Amboy, founded in 1683 and home to one of the nation's oldest ports....
The 3.5-mile Middlesex Greenway connects the towns of Edison, Metuchen, and Woodbridge in northeastern New Jersey. The paved pathway, which follows the route of the former Lehigh Valley Railroad...
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...
The EPCAL Alternative Transportation Path loops around the 2,900-acre Enterprise Park at Calverton (hence its name: EPCAL) on New York’s Long Island and links to the Town of Riverhead’s 65-acre...
The Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic Park follows the route of the Old Croton Aqueduct, which carried water to New York City from 1842 to 1955. Most of the structure lies beneath the trail and has...
The New Springville Greenway stretches just over 3 miles, primarily paralleling Richmond Avenue on New York's Staten Island. A highlight of the paved pathway is its proximity to Freshkills Park, a...
Yesterday, August 16 we decided to walk this trail. We found the trail completely closed for construction. The Popamora end by a sign only and the marina end by a full chain link fence gate. Needless to say, we were very disappointed. As an alternate, we drove the short distance to the HHT Activity Center to walk the northern end of the Henry Hudson Trail. We went as far as the bridge over Rt. 36 that leads to the Earle Pier. When we reached this point, my wife said I have had enough. Enough traffic noise from Rt. 36, enough bicyclists without the courtesy to announce their passing - "on your left", a few simple words to avoid injury for all, enough hard paved surface. We turned back and went to the marina to sit quietly by the water. My sincere hope is the area under construction is only being repaired and not paved over as is this section of the HHT. If it is paved, we will go back to the woods to find more natural trails for hiking.
8/13/2017 - I was disappointed to find this trail completely overgrown - totally impassable. You'll need to use Route 9W.
Rode it this past Sunday mid-morning with my 14 year old son. We started at the nothern most parking (which has space for 6 cars + 1 handicap spot). We rode to Sunrise Highway and back, about 20 miles round trip. As it got later in the morning, the path became more crowded mostly with pedestrians toward the southern end of the route. Similar to the Vanderbilt path, there were pedestrians and cyclists with ear plugs or headphones. Some cyclists were inexperienced on paths; stopping in the middle, pulling off to the left without looking behind...
All in all the path is nicely paved and is best for cycling in the morning on weekends, or possibly more times on weekdays.
Rode the southern section from Bulls Island state park south towards Washington Crossing. About 14 miles one direction. The path is tricky at times and mostly narrow the entire length. When it is crowded as it was when we rode, you have to be careful and take it slow. If it's a fast ride you want then this is not the path to take. However it is a pleasant and scenic Ride along the Delaware. The path is all packed hard dirt and crushed gravel. I had no problems with my narrow rode bike tires.
The North County Trail is suffering from serious neglect. It used to be a well maintained, smooth riding experience. It is now in danger of becoming a Civil War era corduroy road. There are many areas that are in desperate need of re-paving. There is also a section that was eroded during Super Storm Sandy and has not been repaired. It's a shame that what was once a terrific trail has been allowed to degrade so much.
This trail has a little bit of everything ..... asphalt, grass, hard packed dirt or gravel. We started on the North end at Pepper went south and was for the most part going on a slight downhill 80% of the way to The Trumbull trail end. It was for the most part lovely. Often very wide and smooth. I would go the opposite way as Linda and I always prefer to glide back to the car.
Relaxed, smooth path and easy to follow. Not much shade but the cool breeze from the ocean makes up for it. Praying for the day this gets further extended. It's a Long Island gem. Thank you to all who make these trails possible.
The last few years of construction was finally completed a few months ago and I was able to ride entire trail from Haverstraw to Nyack on my road bike (along with many other road bikers). It is just barely ok for experienced cyclists on the hilly northern section.
But I tried it again on July 10 and the Northern section is closed to everybody while they do some heavy construction work. There is also a short section of construction on the path that leads up to Rockland Lake but that is passible by walking.
My family used to ride this trail on our bikes every weekend. It was really great. We'd take a packed lunch and eat by the Little Falls, then ride all the way out to the train track. Now parts of the trail are so washed out, so rocky - particularly between Durrell and Keeney Street - that it's a pounding ride unless you have a true dirt bike.
I have ridden both the western feeder canal trail from Washington Crossing to Frenchtown and the Eastern canal trail from Lawrenceville to New Brunswick. Both trails are very different with one being far better than the other.
The Eastern trail is well maintained with varied scenery and multiple trail heads as well as the option to cross over to the PA side of the canal. There are multiple stops along the way to grab a bite to eat, go to a real restroom or fill up on water. I highly recommend this trail.
The Western trail was in pretty rough shape with sections that are strewn with substantial ruts and large mud puddles. There is really only one stop at Kingston that offers easily accessible places to eat or use a real restroom. With both trails being relatively close to each other there is really no reason to choose the western trail over the eastern trail.
It is a wonderful bike ride. If you do it close to sunset, you can enjoy some rich colors overlooking the Throgsneck bridge.
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