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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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...
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 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...
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 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...
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 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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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 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 Edgar Felix Memorial Bikeway packs enough history, scenery and activity in its 5.6 miles for an all-day adventure. Manasquan cyclist Edgar Felix lobbied his town to acquire a portion of the...
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 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 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...
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...
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 Kennedy Trail begins at the northwest corner of the 68-acre campus of John F. Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers. The town, which sits 30 miles from White Plains and 55 miles from New York...
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...
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 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...
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...
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,...
The Jones Beach Shared Use Path offers a paved bicycle and pedestrian route on the southwestern end of Long Island, paralleling Wantagh Parkway from Seaford to Jones Beach State Park. The trail was...
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 Ocean Parkway Trail closely follows its eponymous thoroughfare nearly 5 miles through several Brooklyn neighborhoods, ending only a block from the popular Coney Island boardwalk. Those traveling...
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....
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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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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...
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 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 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 Jones Beach Shared Use Path offers a paved bicycle and pedestrian route on the southwestern end of Long Island, paralleling Wantagh Parkway from Seaford to Jones Beach State Park. The trail was...
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 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...
Note: Periodically parts of the trail become impassable from floods and other damage. For updates on trail conditions, visit the Canal State Park website. The Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park...
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 John Kieran Nature Trail is a short loop that borders Van Cortlandt Lake and its associated wetlands. It is a wonderful site for bird-watching. The trail also passes several sites of significance...
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...
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 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 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...
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 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...
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...
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...
Bergen County's Saddle River County Park Bike Path traverses a 577-acre linear park system that hugs the banks of the Saddle River and its tributaries. Five park areas are linked by the multi-use...
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...
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 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 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...
This bike path needs to be Swept with a sanitation truck. Sweeper at least once a month I have gotten so many bike tire flats I usually ride from howard beach to the verrazano and back or I do the 20 mile loop to Rockaway and back home it needs a good cleaning and May be more lighting Thank YOU
WALKED Princeton to S Bound Brook; S Bound Brook to New Bruns. Lambertville to Trenton. Lambertville to Frenchtown (except 2 mile "appendix" north of FT.) Still to do soon: Trenton to Princeton. Future: explore S of Trenton/Bordentown. Love it.
Summer 2018: They finished paving over 8 miles. It’s a wonderful way to get fresh air and exercise with your kids without worrying about traffic. Pick up trail at eastern driveway at Veterans Memorial Park/Isaac Dog Park in Calverton. Bring water—or cut across Route 25 at Stony Brook incubator site (near intersection of 25 & 25A) and ride up to Bean & Bagel Cafe for refreshments.
Sunday, August 26, 2018, temperature 88F, mixed sun & clouds, moderate humidity.
This one review for 3 connected trails: Old Erie, Raymond Esposito, and Joseph B. Clark, where I started at the north end in Blauvelt.
This is a wonderful asphalt community trail that is a very gentle slope down from the northern village of Blauvelt. Nice scenery with a mix of open skies and shade. Near the southern end there is a public park with a side connection to the contiguous Raymond Esposito and Old Erie trails, that are unpaved and slope gently down to end at a park in Nyack. The trail looks down over streets and homes in Piermont and Nyack with occasional summer views of the Hudson River. You ride through a shady forest on a gravel road that becomes a dirt path for a short distance before getting bigger and gravelly again. It's fun.
On a warm Sunday afternoon at the end of the trail I decided to take the streets back through Nyack to Piermont and was not disappointed. Nyack along the Hudson River is lined with Victorian and old sea captain-like homes. It's a bike route so there other bikers not doing the trails and really not too much traffic, so I felt safe. The street leads to Piermont, a beautiful little tree-lined village right on the Hudson river offering piers, marinas, restaurants, coffee shops and specialty stores. It really is spectacular. Then the streets lead from a small park over a creek back to the other little park where you meet the trail again. Without signs or knowledge I just followed my instincts and and found my way. Worth a return visit. 16+ miles round trip.
Sunday, August 26, 2018, temperature 88F, mixed sun & clouds, moderate humidity.
This is a wonderful asphalt community trail that is a very gentle slope down from the northern village of Blauvelt. Nice scenery with a mix of open skies and shade. Near the southern end there is a public park with a side connection to the contiguous Raymond Esposito and Old Erie trails, that are unpaved and slope gently down to end at a park in Nyack. The trail looks down over streets and homes in Piermont and Nyack with occasional summer views of the Hudson River. You ride through a shady forest on a gravel road that becomes a dirt path for a short distance before getting bigger and gravelly again. It's fun.
On a warm Sunday afternoon at the end of the trail I decided to take the streets back through Nyack to Piermont and was not disappointed. Nyack along the Hudson River is lined with Victorian and old sea captain-like homes. It's a bike route so there other bikers not doing the trails and really not too much traffic, so I felt safe. The street leads to Piermont, a beautiful little tree-lined village right on the Hudson river offering piers, marinas, restaurants, coffee shops and specialty stores. It really is spectacular. Then the streets lead from a small park over a creek back to the other little park where you meet the trail again. Without signs or knowledge I just followed my instincts and and found my way. Worth a return visit.
I biked from VCP to Woodlands Lake (round trip) which is about 21 miles and highly recommend this trail. Overall the trail is well maintained with the exception of occasional bumps on the paved portions. The dirt trail in VCP has a few bumpy sections from tree roots and rail ties. I’m a casual biker and would say anyone with basic biking abilities can do this portion of the rail trail. Bring two bottles of water and throw some snacks in a backpack. I’m going to try going from VCP to Elmsford on my next.
Unfortunately, a small bridge over the Amtrak tracks north of the GWB will disrupt access to the Greenway to the north of that point.
So far, there don't appear to be any good other options, short of riding in the streets, to safely access the Greenway. I hope that the City will realize this is a busy bike commuting route, and come up with some decent and safe detour routes!
Details are here:
https://patch.com/new-york/washington-heights-inwood/fort-washington-pedestrian-bridge-shut-down-inspections
https://www.nycgovparks.org/planning-and-building/capital-project-tracker/project/2794
We parked by Carmel Ave. It's a workout for the first few miles featuring hills like the Tatamy trail in Easton, PA where that crosses route 22. We were looking for a nice trail to just take it easy.
Terrible mud and dirt year round. Ecological arguments will never stop people from using this trail and attempting to get to the Putnam trailway with all kinds of wheeled vehicles. It will continue its descent into a gross, barely navigable path until this is paved. The wetlands are hundreds of yards away. Holy smokes Bronx. Do you really want to waste your one opportunity to be kind of cool?
We rode this trail late afternoon to twilight and found it delightful. The trail hugs the canal and is mostly on crushed stone but very smooth and firm. we saw a ton of wildlife and the scenery was beautiful. Lots of shade mixed with open areas for sun. We will return to this area and ride the entire trail from trailhead to trailhead. We joined the trail just outside of Robbinsville N.J.. Gorgeous ride at a great time of the day with great weather.
Thursday, August 09, 2018, 90'F and humid
Yeah, a good ride, which connects via tunnels under the highway to Jones Beach and a more direct connection to the 5-mile bike path that goes north to the mainland. Get sweaty then enjoy the salty ocean beach waters. A go
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