Find the top rated bike trails in Metuchen, whether you're looking for an easy short bike trail or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a bike trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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From 1880 until well into the 20th century, Bangor and Portland Railway steam locomotives plied this corridor and others in the region, providing essential transportation services for the nearby...
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 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...
The trail winds along the Bushkill Creek connects the old Simon Silk Mill on 13th Street to Third Street at the base of the stone stairs leading up to Lafayette College. The trail is paved and though...
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 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...
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...
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...
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 Warrington Township Multi-Use Trail spans nearly 3 miles on the west end of town. The trail is part of an effort to make the community more pedestrian-friendly, connecting major points of...
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 South County Trailway is a zippy paved trail heading north from Yonkers through the Hudson River Valley communities of Hastings-on-Hudson, Dobbs Ferry, Ardsley, Irvington, Greenburgh, and...
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 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 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...
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...
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 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...
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,...
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 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 202 Parkway Trail, part of The Circuit (Greater Philadelphia's trail network) connects three towns—Montgomery, Warrington, and Doylestown—on its 8.4-mile route paralleling the scenic byway. The...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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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 Bronx River Greenway will one day stretch 23 miles along the river through New York's Westchester and Bronx counties. Currently, 18 miles of the trail are complete in disconnected segments largely...
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 3.5-mile Middlesex Greenway connects the towns of Edison, Metuchen, and Woodbridge in northeastern New Jersey. The paved pathway, which follows the route of the former Lehigh Valley Railroad...
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,...
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...
Although the Neshaminy Creek Greenway is only about a half mile long, big things are in its future. One day, the greenway could span as much as 33 miles, reaching the Delaware River. Currently, the...
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 Doylestown Bike and Hike Trails system provides a convenient car-free network of paved pathways to get around this eastern Pennsylvania community, about 30 miles north of Philadelphia. With more...
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 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...
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 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...
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 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...
Located about 25 miles east of Philadelphia, the Pemberton Rail-Trail is an excellent example of grassroots activism resulting in the creation of a community-based rail-trail. The Pemberton Rotary...
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 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...
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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...
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 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...
Eastern Pennsylvania’s D&L Trail spans just over 140 miles through the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor from Bristol, in the Greater Philadelphia region, to Mountain Top, nestled in the...
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...
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The Powerline Trail in Horsham Township connects schools, parks, business centers and neighborhoods along an easement managed by PECO/Exelon. Parts of the trail have road crossings, so use caution....
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 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 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 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 3.5-mile Middlesex Greenway connects the towns of Edison, Metuchen, and Woodbridge in northeastern New Jersey. The paved pathway, which follows the route of the former Lehigh Valley Railroad...
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...
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...
Its a good trail for slight inclines. 17 miles round trip. The constant stopping at lights is annoying. I enjoy other trails in our area more for the continuity and scenery, but this is a nice biking trail. Wish we had something....anything in Northampton Township!
It is difficult to find a good parking area. It is also a very lonely area.
Most of this trail from Aberdeen to Atlantic Highlands has been repaved. No more tree roots protruding on the path. Well kept!
My husband and I recently explored this trail on our road bikes with a 2-year old in a bike trailer.
Pros:
1) Plenty of shade and tree cover. Perfect for those scorching summer days!
2) Most (not all) people know how to stay to one side of the road, but if you give a friendly "On your left!" or "On your right!" they'll quickly move over for you.
3) Easy entry. We parked at Briarcliff Manor Public Library and felt completely safe leaving our car there. The entrance to the trail is in the parking lot, next to the library (big red building). Plus, there is a public bathroom in the tented area, as well as plenty of picnic tables.
4) Trail is well marked.
5) Most (not all) cyclists are respectful and know how to conduct themselves on two wheels.
Now, the cons:
1) Considerable amount of bumps from tree roots, cracks, potholes, dips, and corroded asphalt, which honestly seems like the norm when it comes to bike trails. I think it's just impossible to have a completely smooth surface when nature is so unpredictable. My butt was a bit sore and my kid said "ouch" a few times, but we had no problems getting through it on our road bikes. In fact, you'll see plenty of cyclists training on road bikes with no problems whatsoever.
2) Getting to the North County Trail seems impossible, at least from the Public Library. We discovered it would require riding ON the shoulder of the Saw Mill River Parkway. No way!
3) Bathrooms do not exist, so make sure to pee before you head out.
Tip: From the Library, we rode about 12 miles to Rivertowns Square Shopping Plaza in Dobbs Ferry to grab lunch at Chipotle. It's a quick 5 minute detour from the trail and you'll need to cross Saw Mill River Parkway, but there are traffic lights and crosswalks in this section. We also stopped at Menchie's Fro Yo which is in the same shopping plaza. There's also a Starbucks and Chop't if you're in need of a salad and caffeine.
Enjoy your ride!
The never-ending road project actually had an end! The underpass is now open and the trail is rideable end-to-end!
The trail is wide and is made of well packed gravel and dirt. It is well maintained and dry even after heavy rainfall in the past 2 - 3 days. Almost the entire trail is covered by canopy from surrounding trees and it is beautiful. Then entire trail is pretty much flat and easy. The entire trail from beginning to the end is 15 miles and it provide a mile markers. Highly recommended.
We rode the northern most section of the trail on Friday (May 25), just a few notes. First there are no rest rooms or portable toilets at either end or along the way, no water except streams. Next there were several trees down across the trail needing a chain saw to clear them from the trail. While the first few miles the trail condition is good (not great) the trail turns to two single tracks with tall grass in the middle and on both sides. Would not be fun on a trike. After crossing the RR tracks and road the trail gets really rough, some deep sandy spots, some rocky sections, some drainage problems and in need of mowing. On the bright side the scenery is terrific if you love forest. A picturesque lake, beaver ponds, wild flowers and wildlife.
We also rode the section from White Haven to Jim Thorpe,except for the first mile or so after White Haven the rest of the trail to Jim Thorpe is in very good condition. We've ridden this section several times and there is almost always a head wind as you ride down stream. Looking forward to the sojourn ride.
This is a really nice short hike for new hikers and children. Try to catch sunset if you can. It’s incredible.
Coming from our home area of the SRT from KOP to Philly, this trail is pretty much running with the traffic. If your looking for a bit more solitude and having to avoid start/stops at major traffic intersections (numerous) avoid this one. Overall not bad, but expect a generally downward grade toward Doylestown, and the exact opposite heading back. Probably not good for small kids for the long uphill gradients.
Short trail with nice views. Nice diversion from the 202 trail.
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.
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