Explore the best rated trails in New Brunswick, NJ. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Palmer Township Recreation Trail (Towpath Bike Trail) and Bronx River Greenway. With more than 113 trails covering 827 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 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 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....
A little less than a mile long, the Barrel Run Trail is part of Milford Township's growing system of multi-use trails. The paved, asphalt trail begins at Woodview Drive, immediately west of...
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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...
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...
With the 32-acre Poquessing Valley Park and the 500 acres of parkland of the Benjamin Rush State Park, it’s easy to feel like far Northeast Philly is fortunate when it comes to green space. But the...
The Hunters Crossing and Brayton Garden trails form a paved, multi-use greenway that extends 2.7 miles from the Country Square Shopping Center in Quakertown to Dovecote Drive immediately south of...
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...
The 202 Parkway Trail, part of The Circuit (Greater Philadelphia's trail network) connects three towns—Montgomery, Warrington, and Doylestown—on its 8.4-mile route paralleling the scenic byway. The...
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...
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The paved Power Line Trail carries users between residential neighborhoods, parks, schools, and other destinations in Horsham Township. The 5.5-mile utility--easement trail also heads north to green...
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...
The South Bethlehem Greenway is a linear park that follows a former Norfolk Southern rail line through the southern neighborhoods of Bethlehem. The paved pathway begins just north of Lehigh University...
Saucon Rail Trail connects four communities: Hellertown, Lower Saucon Township, Upper Saucon Township, and Coopersburg. The trail has a slight 1% grade traveling from north to south and is easy for a...
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...
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....
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 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 Warrington Township Multi-Use Trail spans nearly 3 miles on the west end of town. The trail is part of an effort to make the community more pedestrian-friendly, connecting major points of...
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 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...
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 short Stockton Station Rail-Trail runs through a city park in Camden between Westfield Avenue and Pleasant Street. The path follows an old railroad corridor, and the park itself was once the site...
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...
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...
The paved Power Line Trail carries users between residential neighborhoods, parks, schools, and other destinations in Horsham Township. The 5.5-mile utility--easement trail also heads north to green...
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...
Part of Milford Township's growing network of greenways, the Unami Creek Trail extends from a parking lot off Kumry Road, winding northeast behind developments, to Allentown Road. Another branch of...
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 K&T Trail, also known as the Kensington & Tacony Trail for the former railroad line on which is runs, spans a mile along the Delaware River in Philadelphia. Beginning at the Frankford Arsenal Boat...
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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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
The pleasant Monocacy Way takes walkers and cyclists on an adventure through the fascinating history of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The trail kicks off at Monocacy Creek Park, where you can see the a...
The Sandy Hook Multi-Use Pathway travels 8.7 miles alongside the picturesque beaches and historical monuments of the Sandy Hook peninsula. The pathway begins in the Gateway National Recreation Area...
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...
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 Tacony Creek Trail is a winding paved path along its namesake creek in the Juniata Park and East Oak Lane neighborhoods of Northeast Philadelphia. Situated entirely within scenic Tacony Creek...
The corridor now home to the Sussex Branch Trail was originally the narrow-gauge, mule-drawn Sussex Mine Railroad, which opened in 1851 to haul iron ore from mines in Andover to the Morris Canal....
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 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...
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...
Currently just a half-mile long community trail in the borough of Hatfield, much greater plans are in store for the multi-use Liberty Bell Trail. Plans call for the trail to follow the route of the...
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 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 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 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...
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...
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 Warrington Township Multi-Use Trail spans nearly 3 miles on the west end of town. The trail is part of an effort to make the community more pedestrian-friendly, connecting major points of...
The Karamac Trail is a short walking trail that starts under the Interstate 80 bridge on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River. The trail follows an old railroad right-of-way; there is a railroad...
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...
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 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...
Visitors to northwestern Philadelphia can acquaint themselves with the parks that surround Wissahickon Creek on a nearly 9-mile system of multiuse trails. In the north, the Wissahickon Trail (also...
I first rode the north section of this trail in Lawrenceville, which is disappointingly short and I noticed it could also use some improvement. I can report that the town is working on that; an architect friend of mine is involved in a project to improve the trail through various additions like benches, planters, and signage that points out the history, and I believe also cutting back some of the trees and vegetation and straightening the path where needed. I’m not sure of the exact details but knowing my friend it will be a substantive upgrade...as an architect he specializes in historic restorations. I hope they eventually restore the right-of-way north as far as possible. The trolley originally went to Witherspoon Street in Princeton, although much of the right-of-way north of the current trail head in Lawrence (near the Starbucks parking lot) has been bought up and developed in the ensuing decades. Perhaps there are some sections that can be restored between there and Princeton. But today I finally took a drive down to the South section. It is awesome - it continues a lot farther south, as I had hoped. I could see in Google Maps that it seemed to continue south of Shabakunk Creek (farther than the Trail Link app indicates) and it does by a lot. (I turned on my Strava app during my ride and it’s 2.4 miles one-way.) Although the farther south you go the more unimproved it gets. There’s a baseball field park just to the east on Eggert’s Crossing Road where you can park to access the trail. This point puts you about 2/3 of the way down from the current North trail head behind Rider University. This north section has a more medium-sized coarser gravel overall and a sandy consistency that gave my thinner hybrid tires a little trouble, so I had to ride on the wide grass medians. For that reason, along with the unimproved south end where you will also encounter some large mud holes (with frogs in them!) I will be using my hybrid-mountain bike on this trail from now on. In fact, this trail has the most diverse range of surface textures I’ve encountered in one rail-trail—sandy gravel, hard-packed fine crushed gravel, dirt, and paved blacktop. It makes for a diverse rail-trail riding experience. I know some riders like more consistency, as do I, but I thought it was a fun diversion from the usual. The only part that made me huff and puff a little was getting back up the slight uphill grade on the paved section just south of Eggert’s Crossing Road. You can get just over 6 miles out of the Johnson Trolley Line-South if you want. You start at the Eggert’s Crossing Road access point, head north to the end (3/4 mile), then turn around and go all the way to the south end (2.4 miles); then you can go all the way north again (2.4 miles) and then back down to the access at Eggert’s Crossing Road (3/4 mile). That’s exactly 6.3 miles and a very nice ride. I only had to dismount once and push around the edge of a large mud hole near the south end. Hopefully Ewing Township will continue to make needed improvements in this area, which ends at 5th street. The trail could even be continued south towards its original Trenton terminus via a bike lane along 5th street (which now occupies the old route) and then through a long wooded section just south of that, then along various parking lots and industrial yards eventually ending at W Ingham Avenue in Trenton. Wouldn’t it be nice… But this is a great trail! It’s only a half hour from my home in Hillsborough (most of my favorite rail-trails require an hour drive to get to) and it’s long enough to get a decent ride. My sincere hope is that a bridge can be built to cross I-95/295 and connect the north and south sections. I can’t wait to ride the Johnson Trolley Line-South trail again, especially this Fall - the colors will be spectacular.
I first rode the north section of this trail in Lawrenceville, which is disappointingly short. I hope they eventually continue it North as far as possible. The trolley originally went to Witherspoon Street in Princeton...would be nice to get as close to that as possible! But today I finally took a drive down to the South section. It is awesome. I turned on my Strava app and it’s 2.4 miles. I could see in Google Maps that it seemed to continue South of Shabakunk Creek and it does! Although the farther you get the more unimproved it gets. It gets a bit muddy and rough. Still, no problem...next time I know to bring my hybrid/mountain bike, but the hybrid had no problem. Hopefully Ewing Township will make improvements and even continue the trail South towards its original Trenton destination. Great trail! I can’t wait to ride it this Fall!
Beautiful views and diversified trail, from flat and wide to narrow and curvy. Loose gravel and dirty add to the fun. Helps if you have a hybrid bike with front suspension. Five stars!
The trail offers the opportunity to ride in the green and without cars for most stretches, but its views are limited.
The first part through Yonkers is very uninspiring, it looks more like a landfill than a nice trail, so I would definitely skip that part next time. Coming through those Hudson villages is nice, but it also creates the necessity to cross a lot of streets. That wouldn't have been much of a problem if the trail was designed for it, but the way it is now you need to dismount your bike because the curbs are just too high to bike over, so that definitely takes the flow out of the ride.
Signage is poor at some places as well, I would recommend a GPS unit to ride the whole trail. There are also a couple of unbikeably steep sections that also require you to dismount. The final destination, Croton dam, is impressive to see and the highlight of the route.
All in all a very mediocre biking trail, but options are very limited anyway, departing from NYC. I think I won't be riding it again.
Biked from North to South, White Haven to Jim Thorpe, July 2019. Trail is gradually downhill. But you still have to pedal. You will see some old locks along the trail. There really isn't much else to see. The Lehigh River would be on your left and it's over the hillside and through the trees so if you are looking for a riverview the entire trip, it's not going to happen over the Summer. Buttermilk Falls is near the Rockport access. You pass through Glen Onoko just before Jim Thorpe. In Jim Thorpe there are various places to eat and interesting history to see. Spend time in Jim Thorpe if you get a chance.
I have ridden this trail about a dozen times over 6 years using 4 different bikes from road bike to hard tail mountain bike. I find a hard tail mountain bike with 2.5" wide tires the best match for the crushed stone.
I like how the steep hills and sharp turns break up the monotony characteristic of many rail-trails I have ridden (especially in Florida).
My latest ride was during the severe heat advisory weekend of July 21. It was very tolerable given the ample shade and cooler temperatures of the forest it mostly traverses. In the afternoon, the tree line along the fields provides good shade. Even 209 heading south is mostly shaded after 2:00 PM. I was able to bike leisurely from Bushkill to Milford and back in 8 hours with many water breaks. However, I like it best in the spring and fall when it is easier to view the river without all the undercover.
Water is available at trail-heads spaced no more than 10 miles apart, so that was no problem. Many good eateries are found in Milford but I recommend the Rooster deli at Bushkill for great hoagies and snacks. I park at the Bushkill Meeting Center next to Bushkill creek; plenty of parking with no fees.
I would rate this trail five stars except for the no bike sections between Milford and Dingman's Ferry. I really don't like biking 209 since the shoulder is very narrow with large RVs wizzing by. Also, I don't recommend biking at dusk as the trail gets difficult to navigate in the forest at low light.
Started at the Milford Beach parking on Sunday July 21st. Didn't see anyone on the trail. Enjoyed the scenery. This is definitely a trail for a mountain bike. I should have done my homework - there's a section of the trail between Pittman Orchard and Conashaugh and another section between Conashaugh and White Pines that are for hiking only and closed to bike riding. You will need to ride on US 209. I will come back to the trail at another time to ride other trail sections. JC Capote
I road this trail for the first time this past week. It's nice but way too short! I did take a detour into Piermont which extended it nicely and stopped at the bike friendly Bunbury's.
As of July 2019 the paved surfaces ranged from fair to excellent but were mostly good. Intersecting loops and dead ends provide approximately 12 miles of trails but these were non-continuous secondary to construction blockages. This trailway is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2020. The trails pass mostly baseball fields, soccer fields, picnic areas and municipal storage lots which give parts of the park an industrial feel. There are several good quality bathrooms attached to snack bars along the trail. The views of east Manhattan and the standing waves in the Hell's gate section of the East River are excellent. On the island you may also pass Icahn Stadium, The New York Police Department Harbor Unit, John McEnroe Tennis Academy, a native plant garden and the Manhattan Psychiatric Center Hospital (formerly known as Blackwell's Island Lunatic Asylum).
Before we began we talked to some people at the trail head, and decided to use it to explore the town of Piermont NY which has a nice little downtown and a beautiful pier. About 1/4 mile into the trail there is a dirt path going to the right...went on that until we found a tiny hut labeled 'Piermont' (it is a small museum). Getting advice from a jogger, we went down the steep hills there into town..had coffee at a neat little shop then and eventually found the pier. We had to walk up the steep hills on our return. This was an unexpected adventure, Next time we will do the entire trail.
Best maintained trail I ever rode on. Great places to eat as the trail passes through towns every few miles. Many of the old railroad stations have been turned into eateries. Almost completely flat from end to end. Just a slight grade that’s hardly noticeable. New Jersey does a great job with this trail.
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