Explore the best rated trails in Somerset, NJ. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Palmer Township Recreation Trail (Towpath Bike Trail) and Old Croton Aqueduct Trail. With more than 133 trails covering 869 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.
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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...
Bushkill Township Trail is a rail-trail occupying what was the right-of-way of the Slate Belt Electric Trolley. The official trailhead is on Moorestown Road; a gravel lot with a burgundy sign marks...
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...
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 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...
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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 Union Transportation Trail follows the path of the former Pemberton & Hightstown Railroad, which began operating in 1868. The original purpose of the railroad was to allow local farms and dairies...
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 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...
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 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 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...
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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 short Stockton Station Rail-Trail runs through a city park in Camden between Westfield Avenue and Pleasant Street. The path follows an old railroad corridor, and the park itself was once the site...
The two diverse sections of the Shore Parkway Greenway Trail blend urban and scenic, offering views of sights ranging from the Statue of Liberty to wildlife refuges. Following the Belt/Shore Parkway,...
The Merchantville Bike Path gently oscillates through Merchantville Borough, paralleling Chestnut Avenue. The paved 1-mile trail provides a pleasant route dotted with tall pines and leafy shade trees...
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 Hunters Crossing and Brayton Garden trails form a paved, multi-use greenway that extends 2.7 miles from the Country Square Shopping Center in Quakertown to Dovecote Drive immediately south of...
Tyler State Park, located in Newtown, Pennsylvania, covers over 1,700 acres on the grounds of an old farm in a charming woodland setting. The park features a network of interconnected trails,...
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...
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...
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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...
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...
Linking the communities of Palmyra, New Jersey and Tacony (a historic neighborhood within Philadelphia) is the over 3,600-foot-long Tacony-Palmyra Bridge. Built between 1928 and 1929 for about $4...
The Calhoun Street Bridge spans 1,274 feet across the Delaware River, connecting Trenton, New Jersey, on its east bank with Morrisville, Pennsylvania, on its west bank. Built in 1884, the intricate...
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 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...
The K&T Trail, also known as the Kensington & Tacony Trail for the former railroad line on which is runs, spans a mile along the Delaware River in Philadelphia. Beginning at the Frankford Arsenal Boat...
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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...
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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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...
Part of Milford Township's growing network of greenways, the Unami Creek Trail extends from a parking lot off Kumry Road, winding northeast behind developments, to Allentown Road. Another branch of...
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...
The Hunters Crossing and Brayton Garden trails form a paved, multi-use greenway that extends 2.7 miles from the Country Square Shopping Center in Quakertown to Dovecote Drive immediately south of...
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...
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...
Spanning more than 70 miles, the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail is the longest completed multiuse trail in the state and is described by many as the crown jewel of New Jersey trails. A...
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...
Bushkill Township Trail is a rail-trail occupying what was the right-of-way of the Slate Belt Electric Trolley. The official trailhead is on Moorestown Road; a gravel lot with a burgundy sign marks...
The village of Smithville, upon which the Historic Smithville Park (open 8 a.m.–30 minutes after sunset) sits, has a long and colorful past—and some important connections to the history of bicycles in...
This trail is much better suited to walking than to biking. It provides excellent access to the Pequest River which is stocked with trout. Not all of the bridges across the river have been decked and...
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 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.”...
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 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...
Spanning more than 70 miles, the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail is the longest completed multiuse trail in the state and is described by many as the crown jewel of New Jersey trails. A...
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...
The Joseph M. McDade Recreational Trail runs nearly the length of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River across from New Jersey. The protected...
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...
Like many other municipalities in the densely populated suburbs surrounding Philadelphia, the borough of Chalfont, located in Bucks County, has constructed its own network of multi-use trails to...
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 pleasant Monocacy Way takes walkers and cyclists on an adventure through the fascinating history of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The trail kicks off at Monocacy Creek Park, where you can see the a...
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 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 Upper Bucks Rail Trail opened in November of 2020, the culmination of more than a decade of work to turn the vision into a reality. The trail occupies the former Bethlehem branch of the...
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 Calhoun Street Bridge spans 1,274 feet across the Delaware River, connecting Trenton, New Jersey, on its east bank with Morrisville, Pennsylvania, on its west bank. Built in 1884, the intricate...
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous; please refer to the interactive maps on the websites in the Related Content section. The D&L Trail runs for more than 140 miles through...
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...
The Forks Township Recreation Trail follows the an old right-of-way of the former Lehigh & New England Railroad. Starting at the trail's midpoint behind the Riverview Country Club in Easton, you'll...
Completed this on Sunday 5/15, it was a great flat ride, simple woodsy scenery (saw a golden eagle, a blue bunting,a lizard and some Turtles) not a packed trail, saw about 12 or so others so you’re not completely all alone but also not dodging people every 10 feet, NO shade so wear and reapply lots of sunscreen, also- consider bug spray- I ended my down and back ride with two ticks and multiple mosquito bites. Would ride again but not in the height of summer.
I did this trail a few days ago from Freehold to Highlands and back on my hybrid. I don't recommend a road bike b/c of the countless crossing streets along the way which would necessitate clipping in and out every other minute. The scenery is varied and nice. However the signage is not adequate so you MUST bring phone with maps app. If you're planning to do most or all of this trail, give yourself plenty of time and be patient. It took me almost 5 hours to go 57 miles. Don't plan on setting any Strava pacing records lol...
Beautiful flat paved trail that continues for 5 miles
The map here shows the Little Falls section and that does not match the description. Trail head is in Little Falls NJ near the intersection of Reiners Rd & Cedar Grove Rd and ends near the corner of Lynn Pl. and Stewart Ave from there it converts to a painted Bike path on a very busy Browertown Rd. tto a bumpy
Recently I rode on the canal path from canal Park in Allentown to Freemansburg PA. Numerous homeless encampments along the trail. Four young ladies running and people with families riding bikes on the trail it is super scary something should be done . The homeless encampments have tripled within one year
We biked from Easton to Bristol and this part of the trail is terrible with washouts, rough spots and places where bridges are out. We biked it because was awarded trail of year in PA. We've been on many other trails in PA that far exceed this trail.
Very nice trail. It is better now that they completed the trail around the lake. You no longer have to hop on Creek Rd to complete loop. Northwest corner of trail has steep 8% grade, if you go counter clockwise around the trail. Great hike, bike trail with paving all round with plenty of parking. East side of lake is much quieter with less pavilions. Views are tremendous!
Driving west on I-80, we chose this trail as our midday recreation stop, and were looking forward to discovering the gorge. So we were very disappointed to find it closed in both directions at White Haven. Reconstruction? No information seemed available, and the local bike shop was also closed. Guess we should have read the trail reviews more carefully; I don't remember seeing anything about this closure in the Trail Details.
Love the this long greatly paved trial, if your a new gen rider like me it’s hard to find good roadies to ride on this is definitely the one!! Also looking for an electric riders out there let’s all meet ride out and have some fun
Despite its relative short length, at 3.2 miles, the Upper Bucks Rail Trail forms a crucial link in ongoing efforts to create a long-distance greenway that will eventually connect the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton conurbation to Philadelphia and its suburbs.
The stone aggregate trail begins at E. Landis Street in Coopersburg, immediately across from the southern terminus of the Saucon Rail Trail. It passes a couple of concrete plants and quarries as it gently slopes upward through rock cuts hewn for the RR. Check out the interpretive signage to learn about the region's geological history.
Trail users may be surprised to find a small wetland beneath the Springfield Street overpass at the south end of Coopersburg. The trail passes over this wetland on a wooden boardwalk before reverting to stone aggregate as it crosses into the countryside of northern Bucks County.
The trail passes primarily through forests south of Coopersburg. Despite noise of traffic on nearby Route 309, which it parallels, this segment is scenic and teeming with nature. Even the powerline corridors that disrupt the forest are notable for their meadow-like landscapes, with colorful wildflowers blooming during the spring and summer months. The only residential communities of any size along this segment are the quaint hamlet of Shelly and the Melody Lakes Manufactured Home Park.
The southernmost segment of the trail is in Veteran's Park, north of Quakertown. The stone aggregate surface gives way to asphalt and the trail slopes through a woodland before ending at a circular trail that links to the park's playground, athletic fields, parking lot and veterans' memorial.
Current plans call for the trail to be extended further south, into Quakertown. In the meantime, trail users can take the Walnut Bank Farm Trail, a mix of offroad, asphalt trail and sidewalks along Heller and Walnut Bank Farm roads, into the borough. Further south, the Liberty Bell Trail, which currently exists in disjointed segments in Hatfield and Lansdale, will eventually form the southern segment of the greenway, linking Quakertown to Norristown when completed.
If your only exposure to New Jersey has been a stressful and decidedly UN-scenic drive along the Turnpike, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by this picturesque waterside trail.
We decided to “put in” just outside of Princeton; we parked at a Homewood Suites a super-short ride from the Canal at the southern tip of Carnegie Lake. The lake actually seemed more like a wide river that bordered the trail on the left as we headed north, while the canal flowed on our right. So, there were several stretches where we had water views on both sides.
Like a lot of canal trails (maybe all of them on the East Coast?), the D&R was unpaved with varying degrees of gray cinder or yellow pea gravel surfaces. In some places, however, both had been worn away and it appeared to have rained recently, so there were occasional puddles and deep muddy ruts left by bikers before us.
We initially headed about ten miles north passing canal locks, stone tender houses, cobblestone spillways (that required us to walk out bikes over), a tunnel, and several wooden bridges. At many of the locks, the water rushed through, but on the long stretches in between, the water was placid and only the sound of wildlife could be heard. Heading south, where the trail was slightly more rustic and grass grew between the two crushed gravel lanes, we came across a number of families canoeing on the canal.
When we erroneously thought we’d reached the end of the trail, a delightful pair of bikers corrected us, one of whom was a Brit who serves as a trustee on the West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance. (Cheers to this org for advocating for trail access and safety on behalf of users!)
We rode and chatted with them for a few miles, learning interesting facts about the area (e.g., in 1938, Orson Welles based the landing of space aliens in a nearby farm during his infamous radio broadcast of H.G. Wells’ “War of the Worlds,” and New Jersey was once the telecom capital of the country as home to Thomas Edison, Bell Atlantic and shortwave radio farms during the World Wars). Who knew?
We headed into Princeton after our ride to visit NJ’s first brewery.
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