Find the top rated trails in Paterson, 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.
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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 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...
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...
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 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...
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 Saddle River Area Bike Path in Bergen County stretches for nearly 6 miles along a 577-acre linear park system that hugs the banks of the Saddle River and its tributaries. There are actually five...
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 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...
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 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...
Owned by the Metro-North Railroad, the Maybrook Trailway starts at the Connecticut state line in Farringtons Park, and spans 5 miles into the town of Brewster. The trail follows what was once part of...
Lawrence Hopewell Trail currently runs for 17 miles on public and private lands in Lawrence and Hopewell townships, about five miles north of Trenton. Trail planners hope to complete the trail, which...
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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...
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...
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...
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...
NOTE: A section of trail from Popamora Point to the Atlantic Highlands Marina has been reopened after storm damage, but the trail is primitive in this section and there may be icy, wet, or muddy...
The final passenger cars of the Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad ran in 1958, but the rail line that so influenced development of this area still sparks nostalgia. The "Old Put"...
The Joseph M. McDade Recreational Trail is named after a former member of Congress from the area known for his dedication to public lands. The trail, located within the Delaware Water Gap National...
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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...
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...
These three contiguous trailsthe Raymond G. Esposito Memorial Trail, Old Erie Path and Joseph B. Clark Trailoccupy the former right-of-way of the Erie Railroad's Nyack and Piermont Branch. Each...
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 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...
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...
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 High Line rail-trail is an urban marvel, stretching 1.5 miles and towering almost 30 feet above street level through several neighborhoods in the lower west side of Manhattan. The first section...
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...
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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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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Much of the 15-mile Heritage Trail, a.k.a. the Orange Heritage Trail, sails past wide fields of corn and wheat. The trail starts in Harriman at the Mary Harriman Park. From there, it heads northwest...
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,...
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...
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 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...
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...
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 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...
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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 Great Valley Rail Trail, built on the former Lehigh & New England Railroad, offers an unpaved, natural experience through quiet woodlands between the townships of Hampton and...
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...
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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 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...
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...
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...
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...
Owned by the Metro-North Railroad, the Maybrook Trailway starts at the Connecticut state line in Farringtons Park, and spans 5 miles into the town of Brewster. The trail follows what was once part of...
The Ridgefield Rail-Trail meanders for nearly 2.5 miles through the forested exburbs of Ridgefield, Connecticut. The trail passes among suburban acreages, along a creek at one point, and past a couple...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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 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 OCA trail offers a rich variety of surfaces and surroundings. I rode a commuter bike with 38mm slicks and did just fine, even through the muddy sections. I picked the trail up in Yonkers off the South County with a bit of street riding. This initial section runs through some rough spots in Yonkers and includes some on-street sections. After reaching the northern neighborhoods of Yonkers, it all starts to feel European with back-to-back posh villages, mansions, and views of the Hudson. There are even some interesting stone ruins, not to mention the Lyndhurst Mansion grounds.
The trail comes and goes a bit further north and you'll find yourself on the road more than you may like, but there are some deeply wooded sections and a fun climb to a bridge over Phelps Way. There is an aqueduct museum along the way and many clear signs of former aqueduct works.
I highly recommend this trail and shall return to it many times.
Oh boy fellow trail lovers now the trail is closed for super secret toxic waste cleanup! On joy! Walking mostly westerly on paved trail (opposite side from freedom trail parking by current train tracks) to past stouts lane where paved ended and dirt began: There is a new trail addition it stops most but not all foot travellers. Bicycle or vehicle is impossible now. There are no signs or such as anyone in the United States would suspect the government would require as to what in the world is now there. But based on the trailer I saw with a toxic waste cleanup company name on it (Terra-Therm) the way they now have the area sealed off and machinery to drill down and receive samples its obviously related to possible or definite toxic waste. Don't you think in order to shut down public property in fact this trail they would have to post what they're doing ? Nope not in this state. Don't bother asking the workers any questions it's all hush-hush don't tell the locals about this toxic waste. With this secret toxic waste cover up how can you rate it more than one star at the moment?
I rode my bicycle from the parking lot in Goshen NY to the end of the paved trail 12 miles long. There is a dead stop at 12 miles with a fence preventing you from advancing over an old bridge.
The trail is in great or perfect condition and some new repaving was noted along the way. Walk, run, bike, rollerblade or whatever your non motorized pleasure is. I noticed a few cameras along the trail and a police officer in a golf cart.
People were all nice and offered greetings as you pass. One thing to remember is a lot of people wear earphones/buds while using the trail and may not hear your warning when you are passing.
I find railroad trails feel like they are uphill both ways, the 24 mile ride was a bit much for my first ride this year.
Great trail, my congratulations to the caretakers of this wonderful trail.
A quiet walk along the water, we enjoyed very much. A little tricky to determine a place to park in Pittstown
Access to the southern portion through van cortlandant park goes thru an unpaved wooded area. Basically, mud, tree roots and stones--not ideal for road cycling. Once on the south county trail, things get better but not by much. For most of the trail, you will be greeted by uneven pavement, cracked asphalt and dips (smooth pot holes).
You would think from the name that this is a canal towpath trail, and you'd be right. While at times the NYO&W railroad ran close by this trail, they are separate rights-of-way.
This trail will, in time, be incorporated into the Empire State Trail.
So peaceful;everyone saying good morning;we walked the trails 4 miles
I started at Watch Hill Rd near the shooting range, over the Croton Gorge, and up the road. The trail continues across the street but it’s hard to find and doesn’t look like a trail. It heads through Tea Town and is very nice for a few miles. Once you get near Rte 134 it’s a mess. Apparently it continues for another mile or two but I turned around at 134. Very nice in spots, especially when all the trees are in, say May-June.
The path is very poorly maintained, with lot of potholes and tree roots coming out. Safer to ride with that cars to be honest.
This is a great trail to get from one side of the Bronx to another. The ride starts from Van Cortlandt Park in Riverdale to Pelham Bay Park. Recent improvements to this trail have made it even better. Enjoy the almost 10-mile ride through the Bronx, mostly off-road, with some parkway crossings.
Visit City Island, Orchard Beach, and Pelham Bay Park, all within a short distance. The Bartow-Pell Mansion is across from the trail on Shore Road. The mansion grounds are free and make for a nice place to stop for photos or just a break.
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