Find the top rated trails in New York, 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.
_80235_st.jpg)
The Shore Parkway Greenway Trail is comprised of two disconnected segments along the New York Harbor that together offer more than 12 miles of paved pathway on Brooklyn's southern border. Between 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...
_80235_sc.jpg)
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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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 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 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....
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 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 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...
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...
_0_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...
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 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...
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 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 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 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...
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 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 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...
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 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...
Fahnestock State Park is a relatively undiscovered gems in the New York State Park System. Located a few miles east of Cold Spring Village on Rt. 301 (Main Street), the park jurisdiction was recently...
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 Columbia Trail strings together forests, farms and parklands as it stretches 15 miles among the small towns of High Bridge, Califon, Long Valley and Washington. Most of the corridor parallels the...
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...
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 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...
_141907_sc.jpg)
Jones Beach Bikeway is a paved bicycle and pedestrian path on the southwestern end of Long Island that parallels Wantagh Parkway from Seaford to Jones Beach State Park. The trail is also known by two...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
For a dose of rural scenery, head to the northwest corner of New Jersey, where this 27-mile rail-trail cuts a nearly uninterrupted path along the banks of the Paulins Kill, a Delaware River tributary...
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 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 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...
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 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 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 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 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...
<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...
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....
_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 Sussex Branch Trail got its start in the late 1840s as the narrow-gauge, mule-drawn Sussex Mine Railroad, whose primary purpose was hauling iron ore from the mines in Andover to Waterloo Village...
Jones Beach Bikeway is a paved bicycle and pedestrian path on the southwestern end of Long Island that parallels Wantagh Parkway from Seaford to Jones Beach State Park. The trail is also known by two...
The paved pathway running through West Hudson Park offers a scenic, tree-lined escape in Harrison, a suburb of Newark. The trail provides access to the park’s stocked lake, water park, athletic...
_0_sc.jpg)
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...
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 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 Briarcliff-Peekskill Trailway is a 12-mile linear park that runs from the town of Ossining north to Westchester County's Blue Mountain Reservation in Peekskill. The trail is built on land...
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 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 stretch between Verrazano Bridge and Ceasar's Bay Shopping Center along Gravesend Bay is riddled with thousands of cracks and holes causing flat tires. This Bike trail has gotten worst ever since Hurricane Sandy hit the shores in October of 2012. Bike, Walk, Jog at your own risk. A disgrace for New York City.
I rode the Trenton to New Brunswick section. Most of it is in great condition with a few rough places near the New Brunswick end.
This ride can be done as a one way ride.
Park at the New Jersey Transit Hamilton Station. There is a sidewalk that connects to the westbound platform to access local streets for about a mile ride to the trail. The north end of the trail ends about 1 1/2 miles via city streets to the NJT New Brunswick Station. Take the train towards Trenton and get off at Hamilton. NOTE: Be sure to check NJT schedules as not all trains permit bikes.
This is a great trail that I will ride some day. I went to a friend's ordination at Riverside Church, and walked from Penn Station to the church. Great views, good trail, restrooms along the way--an urban treasure for New Yorkers. My only complaint is that many of the cyclists were racing, when signs said to go slow. The path is not terribly wide and in many areas must accommodate walkers and the speed of many cyclists was dangerous. That's a fault of the bikers, not the trail. Just be mindful of this if you are a slower rider, riding with children, or walking. I plan to return, and bike on an off peak time for a better experience.
Love walking this trail - it's an easy walk from one end to the other and back but combine it with Lene Lenapi trail at either end to add distance and difficulty. It's in a populated area but set back enough that you don't feel like you're "in the city"
Warning as of 6/13/17: There's a large tree down across the trail just after the Pompton Ave bridge on the western side. It's possible to climb over the trunk but bikers might have a little trouble. Use caution until it's cleared.
My wife and I did our first ride on the PA side from Morrisville to Washington Crossing State park. Round trip ride was about 18 miles. There is parking I the Morrisville section, and the trail is easy to pick up just across the street. The path is all crushed red gravel and dirt, very flat and easy to ride with any type off bike. I have a road bike and my wife a hybrid and we had no problems at all. Never had to change gears once. There are lots of wild life along the way,especially ducks, so be on the alert. Parts also get a little narrow in spots, but really not a big deal. We drove into the visitor center at Washington Crossing and had a light lunch we packed before heading back. Can't wait to try some other sections of this trail!
I run trail on a regular basis from Horseshoe Lake Park. It's about 1.5 miles from Horseshoe Lake Park to the trail beginning. The trail is always fun and sometimes muddy in spots. I've encountered a bear on the link between Horseshoe Lake Park and the trail beginning. The bear is not aggressive and will leave if you make some loud noises. I've encountered hunters several times when running in the fall and winter. The was no problems with them. Please wear bright clothes during the hunting season just to be extra safe. See you on the trails!
Just finished 17.8 miles on this trail. Started at the Millstone Rd parking lot, rode just past the 8.5 mile marker and turned back around. Rode the trail with my husband and 2 children (12,9) who both did a fantastic job. Will being going again. This time might park closer to the Sharon Station lot to take advantage and see where the trail goes as it enters into the Assunpink Wildlife Area.
Only slight inclines nothing difficult. Crushed stone the entire path. Great scenery and the wonderful aroma of honeysuckle the entire ride.
I enjoy a good ride, but also am looking for a good place to train. I rode from the RT 117 junction north for about 10 miles. The trail was much bumpier than I was used to. There is a clear knowledge of the state of the trail, the larger bumps and potholes are sprayed and there are signs warning of 'uneven pavement' but it was not super enjoyable to ride on at higher speeds. My biggest concern is the RT 100 section. There is about a 1 or 1.5 mile stretch where you are on the shoulder of RT 100. If you ride out and back you end up having to cross 4 times, once at an intersection, with all others being at crosswalks with no lights or markings. Although the shoulders are wide they are filled with gravel and pot-holes forcing you to ride closer to the shoulder line than preferable or risk a flat. Additionally, you have to cross an on-ramp/off-ramp to stay on the shoulder. All told its a bit to dangerous for my taste. The section starting at Millwood and going north seemed nicer. Ill probably try again parking up there and going all the way onto the Putnam Trail, but I don't know if its worth it to ride the RT 117 to Millwood section again.
Great ride for any type of bike. The extension mentioned in the previous comment is basically completed except that there is a break due to seemingly never-ending construction on the Orangeburg Road overpass.
You can ride the new section from the Blauvelt Library to the overpass and detour on streets to meet the older part of the trail.
I've ridden and walked this trail many times as I live near here. Great trail with nice river views. In my opinion not really suitable for road bikes. The old Piermont train station is open on weekends and is worth a stop.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
_136866_st.jpg)
_141907_st.jpg)
_0_st.jpg)
_0_st.jpg)
_0_st.jpg)
_0_st.jpg)
_138996_st.jpg)
