Explore the best rated trails in Oakland, NJ. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the D & H Canal Linear Park and Norwalk River Valley Trail. With more than 95 trails covering 688 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 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 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 O&W Rail Trail provides a glimpse into the area’s history from the perspectives of both a historical canal and a railroad. The Delaware & Hudson (D&H) Canal carried coal from Honesdale,...
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 City of Port Jervis is the latest community to save a portion of the former D&H Canal and turn it into a greenway for use by residents and visitors. A section of the canal, which is approximately...
The William R. Steinhaus Dutchess Rail Trail—named for the county executive who championed it—is a local treasure in the Hudson Valley region of New York. The 13.1-mile trail runs through what seems...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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,...
Like Wantagh State Parkway, Ocean Parkway was built in the postwar 1930s to provide access to the crown jewel of the state park system, Jones Beach State Park. Unlike the former road, however, this...
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...
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...
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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...
The Cross Island Parkway Trail closely follows its namesake thoroughfare through northeastern Queens. From its northern end, you will soon enter Little Bay Park, which offers lovely views 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...
Freedom Trail Bikeway will eventually be a 10-mile route linking parks and open spaces throughout South Brunswick Township in northern New Jersey. The trail follows a former rail line through...
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 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...
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 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...
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 William R. Steinhaus Dutchess Rail Trail—named for the county executive who championed it—is a local treasure in the Hudson Valley region of New York. The 13.1-mile trail runs through what seems...
The Oxford Bikeway is a .9 mile long pave trail constructed on an abandoned railroad right-of-way. The trail can be accessed at three points. To the north the trail ends at Pequest Road, however there...
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...
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...
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...
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 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 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...
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...
The D & H Canal towpath is nestled within the 300-acre D & H Canal Park in the New York hamlet of Cuddebackville. The crushed-stone trail, stretching just over a half mile, is one section of a larger...
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...
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 Laurelton Greenway is a short but well-maintained multiuse path connecting the neighborhoods of Jamaica and Rosedale in southern Queens, NY. The two-lane paved trail starts in Jamaica, and travels...
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 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...
<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...
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...
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...
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...
<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...
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...
The William R. Steinhaus Dutchess Rail Trail—named for the county executive who championed it—is a local treasure in the Hudson Valley region of New York. The 13.1-mile trail runs through what seems...
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...
Although the D & H Canal Towpath is a short pathway (about 1 mile roundtrip), it offers scenic views of the Delaware and Hudson Canal and the Delaware River in Minisink Ford, New York. You’ll see the...
The Delaware & Hudson Canal Linear Park is 45 acres with a trail situated along the historic D&H Canal. Remains of the original locks, dry dock and waste weirs are visible from the towpath trail....
At first glance, there’s no evidence that an aqueduct ever existed along the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail. The trail is often a singletrack dirt pathway that winds through communities and trees and...
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 Ashokan Rail Trail is an 11.5-mile multi-use trail that traces the northern edge of the Ashokan Reservoir, which provides a large proportion of New York City's drinking water. The trail sits on...
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 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...
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 City of Port Jervis is the latest community to save a portion of the former D&H Canal and turn it into a greenway for use by residents and visitors. A section of the canal, which is approximately...
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...
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...
Like Wantagh State Parkway, Ocean Parkway was built in the postwar 1930s to provide access to the crown jewel of the state park system, Jones Beach State Park. Unlike the former road, however, this...
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 trail along the boardwalk has been extended west by an asphalt path to the west end and to the nature preserve.
What a nice ride. If your not use to gravel trails your going to be bounced around a bit but overall it is a great ride. Had a nice snack and glass of wine when we got back to where we started.
Ive been riding this trail since the 90s. The trail is scenic in certain sections, However, Its pretty rustic & you're gonna need at least a 1.7 tire or higher.
For those of you who have the 700c tire, A 42mm or higher will get you going. After rain fall, You will encounter lots of pockets of puddles & some mud.
Lots of wildlife & on weekends you'll bump into equestrians. If you like fishing, You'll pass a few small lakes & creeks to hang out & wet your line & have lunch.
I parked at the westernmost parking area and rode west. Nothing much to see (other than the Orange County prison) and fairly populated on a Monday.
I then rode East towards Goshen. Just before the town, a resident has put up several "No Trespassing; Private Property" signs and the trail is no more although the map shows it jagging left and coming back into town.
What you have to do is ignore the signs for about 10 yards and make a u-turn onto a road that leads up to West Main Street. Take that through town to North Church and then to St. James. You'll find the rest of the trail headed to Harriman.
The trail is excellent and well-maintained. I only went as far as Chester. That will be my starting point next time. From Goshen to Chester there were a lot of walkers and dog-walkers -- all extremely polite and practicing trail etiquette. It's a little too tame and populated for my taste, but I am guessing as you go further east, it is less so.
I will be returning.
I started in Hurleyville. Heading East, once the asphalt ended, I clearly had the wrong bike with me. It's a fat-tire trail. It was so bad that I pulled Google Maps to do a parallel side road just to see if it got any better further up. It didn't.
I went back through Hurleyville to the other end. It stops at Denman road. However, there is a gravel path that continues. Oops..after a couple of miles it just dead-ends in an industrial parking lot. I rode up to Liberty (that was pretty pointless since it was Monday and no place to eat was open). I took 52 back to Cross Farm and then down Denman back to the trail and back to Hurleyville.
I wouldn't recommend this stretch.
My wife, dog and I ride the trail nearly every day. The Hartley road entrance is a bit tricky but once you figure out how to get to in its a piece of cake. Hint...when you get into Goshen and get to the end of the first part of the trail follow the dirt path to the fence, there is a gate, be courteous and shut it behind you and ride thru the development and you will be in connect with railroad ave and see the connection for the rest of the trail. Enjoy!!!
Beautiful in fall, but a workout going from Brewster. A few major hills.
Having not ridden this trail before we made the mistake of trying to start at the very bottom end of the trail (0.0 mi), and later in the day than normal. Even though the TrailLink map indicates that parking was 2.5mi further north, we figured we'd give it shot. Mistake. Don't do that. There truly isn't any place to park, unless you want to leave your car randomly on the side of the rode on somebody's private property. 😂
We parked up in the Gardiner lot (Main & 2nd, 2.5mi mark on the trail). We rode north from there. What a great ride. Trail is mostly shaded, covered by the tress. The leaves where changing colors. It made for a very tranquil, fall covered tunnel feeling. The was flat and well maintained. We encountered other riders, joggers, and walkers along the way. We passed through farmland, apple orchards, and small communities. The trail takes you over roads and streams.
We stopped in New Paltz for lunch. We found a bike rack near the edge of the trail and locked our bikes there. We sat outside and enjoyed a nice meal at The Parish (New Orleans fare).
We continued our ride north for another 3mi or so before we had to turn back as it was getting late and didn't want to be on the trail when the sun set. (Note - we got a very late start at the beginning of the day). The trail north of New Paltz seemed to grow less traveled, a bit more narrow. As much as we enjoyed the souther portion of our ride, it seemed to me that the norther portion was shaping up to be even prettier.
We definitely plan to ride this trail again. (I've tagged it in my Google Maps) We will plan for a longer day so that we can explore further north of New Paltz. I think I will pack lunch in a backpack so that we can stop somewhere along the trail, stream side as there where some nice pull off areas.
Been on this trail many times! Will return!
Some sections are worse than others with tree roots under the pavement, signs are not located thru Matawan, (train station, etc.) need clean bathrooms along the route.
Recommend!
Beautiful scenery. (some points you can see NY!)
Only acceptable for the large wheels bikes. Can not enjoy rollerblading or a ride on a smaller bikes.
This is a great, scenic route that weaves its way through at least 3 different parks in the area, and under quite a few bridges. Mainly flat and most of the trail is covered by nice tree canopy to keep you shaded. We had a great time traveling the entire length of the trail (and back) today. However, that said, I do have to agree with some of the other posts on this site...the path can get a bit congested in areas (like the trail head by the duck pond, and as you ride through the parks). This is the only reason i didnt give a 5 star review. A lot of the walkers didnt honor the keep right except to pass rule, others walked 2 sometimes 3 abreast taking up the majority of the pathway, and still others stopped in groups in the middle of the trail. My advice would be to hit this on off peak days/hours, but if you do go on a weekend or holiday, and your on a bike, just make sure you announce yourself and advise those in front of you that you are passing on the left. The majority of trail users were considerate and moved over to the right when needed. All in all, it was a great ride, and i would recommend it to beginner to intermediate cyclists.
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