Explore the best rated trails in New Providence, NJ. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Timp-Torne Trail and Palmer Township Recreation Trail (Towpath Bike Trail). With more than 110 trails covering 868 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 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...
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 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...
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...
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 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 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 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...
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 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...
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 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 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 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 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...
You’ve heard of the Steel Belt and the Sun Belt. The 6.7-mile Plainfield Township Recreation Trail passes through an area known as the Slate Belt. The quantity and quality of local slate made this...
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...
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 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...
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...
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A short rail trail with two covered bridges occupying a portion of the former Mount Hope Mineral Railroad right-of-way in Wharton, NJ. In the future this trail will be linked with the Rockaway...
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....
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 Great Valley Trail, built on the former Lehigh & New England Railroad, offers an unpaved, natural experience through quiet woodlands between the townships of Hampton and Frankford. Although...
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...
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 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...
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...
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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...
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 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 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 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 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...
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,...
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...
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 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.”...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 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 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 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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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 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 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 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 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...
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...
A short rail trail with two covered bridges occupying a portion of the former Mount Hope Mineral Railroad right-of-way in Wharton, NJ. In the future this trail will be linked with the Rockaway...
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 Great Valley Trail, built on the former Lehigh & New England Railroad, offers an unpaved, natural experience through quiet woodlands between the townships of Hampton and Frankford. Although...
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...
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.
Although the trail is noisy because of its proximity to Rt. 202, it is beautifully maintained, asphalt all the way and offers pleasant views. Very hilly headed south but fun downhills on the northward journey.
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.
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