Explore the best rated trails in New York, NY. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Norwalk River Valley Trail and Ridgefield Rail Trail. With more than 88 trails covering 615 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.
Running alongside a New Jersey Transit passenger line, the Traction Line Recreation Trail has been around since 1986, when Jersey Central Power & Light donated portions of the land to 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,...
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...
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Built on the former Erie Railroad main line, the 15-mile Heritage Trail runs through the small Orange County towns of Goshen, Chester, Monroe, and Harriman. The shaded trail runs through different...
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...
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 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 Johnson Trolley Line has two sections, north and south, which are split by Interstate 95; there is talk of building an overpass to link the two segments. The Trenton-Princeton Traction Company ran...
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 Saddle River County Park Bike Path is a beautiful suburban trail that winds alongside the Saddle River. Most of the trail runs through moderately dense suburban development, with residential 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 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 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 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 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...
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...
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 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 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 nicely paved Bethpage Bikeway runs alongside suburban roads for long segments of the route, but it’s much more than a suburban trail. Each on-road suburban stretch is broken up by one of three...
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 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...
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...
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...
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 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...
In the mid 1800s Chester, New Jersey, was the home of the iron ore industry; railroads shipped the ore all over the county. With the end of the industry, however, the rail lines were abandoned, turned...
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 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...
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 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 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...
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...
Running alongside a New Jersey Transit passenger line, the Traction Line Recreation Trail has been around since 1986, when Jersey Central Power & Light donated portions of the land to the Morris...
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...
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 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 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 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...
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...
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...
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 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....
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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...
Running alongside a New Jersey Transit passenger line, the Traction Line Recreation Trail has been around since 1986, when Jersey Central Power & Light donated portions of the land to the Morris...
The Raymond G. Esposito Memorial Trail travels from one end of the village of South Nyack to the other in 1 mile but greatly expands its reach by connecting with the Old Erie Path and a new shared-use...
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 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...
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 Johnson Trolley Line has two sections, north and south, which are split by Interstate 95; there is talk of building an overpass to link the two segments. The Trenton-Princeton Traction Company ran...
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 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 old New York Central rail line that ran from the Bronx to northern bedroom communities in Westchester and Putnam Counties carried commuters during the workweek, but on the weekends tourists...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
I tried this trail for the first time the other day and was walking my dog when all of a sudden a professional cyclist (all dressed up for a race) went flying by, going at a n extremely high speed, almost hitting my dog and not an excuse me sorry nothing. Just kept charging forward. Someone needs to get security on these trails. Other than that a pleasant experience.
We did the upper trail - from its start across from Oakshades Park (has about 30 parking spaces) in Aberdeen through to its end in Atlantic Highlands. We then continued through Atlantic Highlands a few miles over the bridge and onto Sandy Hook bike trail, which was also fantastic. The Henry Hudson Trail is very nicely paved and has bridges over some areas that a few years ago were flooded out. It goes through towns/backyards, marshes, sea grass (saw an egret!) and along the water below beautiful homes. Highly recommend this trail!
Contrary to the description, this trail is not good for skating. The surface is rough and uneven, you are likely to take a nasty spill. Otherwise, it’s good for walking, biking, or running. There’s a playground, tennis courts, and basketball courts. There’s a home with multiple bird feeders which enhances an already good bird-watching trail.
I love walking my 2 Mini Daschunds on this trail. The views are amazing. This is a comfortable hike with lovely views of the river and grounds.
The signs are clear but be prepared to go w traffic in certain areas of trail. There are also markings where the trail is to be repaired but hasn’t begun yet. Overall GREAT trail!
Never too crowded and super mellow. The main trail runs from Blauvelt to Sparkill. It intertwined with the Erie Path which runs from Piermont to Nyack. The rail trail has a couple of cool MTB pump tracks and things of that soart running off of the side. Great views (except the sewage plant). I would recommend both the rail trail and Erie path to riders, walkers, and cross country skiers alike.
This is a trail for mountain bikes or road bikes with fatter tires. The trail comes in short sections, and in some parts the continuation isn’t clearly marked so I did some wrong turns and had to double back. Scenic in some areas. Just beware - there’s plenty of bigger rocks, tree roots jutting out, branches on the ground!
This trail is difficult to rate because it's so different in many places and we only rode about a quarter of it. It is not a true rail trail. Parking on Cedar Knolls Rd. in Whippany, we rode west into Lewis Morris County Park. What makes it confusing are the many, poorly-marked offshoot trails. Also, it's confusing because it's many different types of riding in one trail. It goes from road riding, to light trail riding, to mountain biking. There are spots where the trail ends with no direction as to where to go. Once you get into Lewis Morris County Park, it becomes mountain biking, roots and all. I would not attempt this part of the trail with a road bike. I had my hybrid with no suspension and ended up walking quite a bit. In some spots, you ride on rocks. The surface is slightly icy in some spots. The area around Speedwell Lake is nice and has some ruins of old buildings in the parking lot. If I ride this trail again, I would start further west. Morristown National Historic Park is located along the trail, which is a destination for next time. To optimize this ride, research the different sections and pick the one that's right for you.
The LHT is many trails in one. We rode from the parking area (98 Carson Rd. in Princeton) to Bristol Meyers Squibb in Hopewell. To create a loop, we took Elm Ridge Rd. to Carter Rd. and back to the trail at the Educational Testing Service, then back to the car. If you map to this parking area, your GPS takes you to the right location. (I've mapped many trail parking areas that aren't where they say they are. ) It's obvious that the community has put a lot into the development of this trail. I would give it a B+ for signage. There were only 2 or 3 spots where it wasn't quite clear. One major one is if you ride through Maidenhead Meadows Park, there's a point in the woods where you come to a T-intersection. There's no marking to indicate you go to the right. When you reach the road (Princeton Pike), take a left to ride along the road. There is a decent shoulder, which makes for safe road riding. Within about a half-mile, you'll see the Brearley House sign at Meadow Rd. This is a short, worthwhile side trip to see the 1761 home of a Constitution signer. This is where the D&R Canal trail is located. It's also a nice area for a short rest and snack. This trail has a mixture of settings - historical, woods, roads, neighborhoods (beautiful homes), and parks. Any type of bike can be ridden on most of this trail. The wooded areas had a lot of downed branches and leaves that might make them a little tricky with a road bike. Princeton is a great town for its architecture, shops, and restaurants.
The trail itself is pretty and mostly quiet. Great turns, gradual hills, not a lot of stops. For runners or wider tire cyclists, not bad. As a road cyclists, with a very stiff bike, it can be a bit jarring. Parts (about 3 miles up from Redmond Park) are basically corrugated roads. Extremely uncomfortable. You also have to be very alert to the changing conditions like sudden water and mud, and large unmarked dips and potholes. Really hard to maintain any speed over 17 or 18. Hoping this gets better maintained! Would be a treat to ride.
This is a nice trail, which passes through the Massapequa Preserve on the southern end. The northern end of the trail is located near the Syosset Long Island Railroad station, which makes it an easy destination for riders from the City. There are some street crossings, easy to navigate. There is one part of the trail that is confusing, where it crosses Sunrise Highway. There is a dental office across the street. When you cross the Highway, continue to the right and the trail picks up in about an eighth of a mile. The Bethpage State Park is huge. There are numerous mountain biking trails in the area. There are bathrooms at the Bethpage State Park parking/picnic area.
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