Find the top rated walking trails in Middlesex, whether you're looking for an easy short walking trail or a long walking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a walking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
TRAIL ALERT: As of May 2018, The Wissahickon/ Green Ribbon Trail has been closed until further notice due to flooding, mud and debris. Once the water subsides staff will clean up the trail and...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 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 Sussex Branch Trail got its start in the late 1840s as the narrow-gauge, mule-drawn Sussex Mine Railroad, whose primary purpose was hauling iron ore from the mines in Andover to Waterloo Village...
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 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...
Saucon Rail Trail connects four communities: Hellertown, Lower Saucon Township, Upper Saucon Township, and Coopersburg. The trail has a slight 1% grade traveling from north to south and is easy for a...
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...
With the 32-acre Poquessing Valley Park and the 500 acres of parkland of the Benjamin Rush State Park, it’s easy to feel like far Northeast Philly is fortunate when it comes to green space. But the...
A little less than a mile long, the Barrel Run Trail is part of Milford Township's growing system of multi-use trails. The paved, asphalt trail begins at Woodview Drive, immediately west of...
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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 tree-lined, 22.5-mile Henry Hudson Trail is the definition of scenic variety. Traversing both urban and natural environments, the trail passes wetlands, streams, fields, and the Garden State...
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...
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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...
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...
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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 Barnegat Branch Trail will eventually travel nearly 16 miles from Barnegat Township to Toms River on the abandoned Barnegat Branch Division of the Central Railroad of New Jersey. Currently, 3...
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...
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 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 Manasquan Reservoir Trail is located in the Howell Township and provides a great natural destination in the heart of the town. The trail forms a perimeter loop around the 770 acre reservoir...
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 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 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 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...
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...
A little less than a mile long, the Barrel Run Trail is part of Milford Township's growing system of multi-use trails. The paved, asphalt trail begins at Woodview Drive, immediately west of...
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...
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 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 trail is located in the Mahlon Dickerson Reservation which is a unit of the Morris County Park Commission. The trail follows an abandoned railroad bed through hardwood forests, past ponds, swamps...
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...
In June 1986, the Morris County Park Commission dedicated this recreation trail that runs parallel to the New Jersey Transit Line railroad tracks. The trail was developed with the cooperation of the...
Historic Smithville is listed on the National and New Jersey Registers of Historic Places. From its beginnings as a small mill town on the Rancocas Creek, Smithville became one of New Jersey's major...
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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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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...
The Pennypack Trail begins in Huntingdon Valley in Montgomery County and continues south through wooded Lorimer Park and on into Philadelphia County. A portion follows the former Fox Chase-Newton...
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,...
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...
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...
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 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 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...
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...
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 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...
The Barnegat Branch Trail will eventually travel nearly 16 miles from Barnegat Township to Toms River on the abandoned Barnegat Branch Division of the Central Railroad of New Jersey. Currently, 3...
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...
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The 1.5-mile Thomas F. Hampton Trail was named for a past executive director of the New Jersey Natural Lands Trust. Now an interpretive nature hike, the trail occupies the former rail bed of part of...
The Shore Parkway Greenway Trail is comprised of two disconnected segments along the New York Harbor that together offer 13 miles of paved pathway on Brooklyn's southern border. Between the two...
The Sussex Branch Trail got its start in the late 1840s as the narrow-gauge, mule-drawn Sussex Mine Railroad, whose primary purpose was hauling iron ore from the mines in Andover to Waterloo Village...
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 only section I have not ridden on this trail is the 10 mile section from Mtn. Top south to White Haven but I'm told it's rough and single track - best for a mountain bike. There's a little strip mall at the trail head in White Haven, pizza, ice cream, drinks, bike rentals and restrooms all available. The 26 miles section from White Haven to Jim Thorpe is smooth, compact gravel with sections of shade, making it an enjoyable ride for any style bike. Quite scenic with numerous water falls. Restroom and water is available in Rockport, about the half-way point of this section. 1 star deduction for the following: tourist crowds on the weekends that don't know bike etiquette, it's a little rough for about the 1st mile south of White Haven and there's a soft spot or two as you approach Glen Onoko right after your cross over the railroad tracks. Follow the trail into Jim Thorpe, you have plenty of places to get something to eat and drink. The newly constructed bridge at the end of the parking lot will eventually connect the gap between JT and Lehighton. Once completed (2019, 2020?) you'll be able to bike about 3 1/2 miles of the eastern section of the trail, cross over the vehicle bridge in Weissport
and re-connect to the trail in Lehighton. Be careful of traffic on the bridge.
The 20 mile section from Lehighton to Northampton is similar to the White Haven to JT section, compact gravel, smooth, mostly shaded and perfect for any style bike. It's just about 10 miles to Slatington, which has a trailhead with restrooms and places to get drinks and eats. I recommend the hot dogs from the trailer in the parking lot. (The Slate Heritage Trail connects to the D&L in Slatington and offers an additional 6 mile round trip ride if so desired.) Continuing south the trail reaches Northampton. Take the left and ride across the bridge, then an immediate right and it's about 1 1/2 mile to a park and the end of this section.
NOTE: From Northampton and Allentown there's about a 7 mile gap that can be ridden on roads and streets also open to vehicle traffic. Use caution when riding on roads.
The trail starts again at Canal Park in Allentown and is now a towpath vs. a rail trail. The 18-20 mile section from Allentown to Easton can be bumpy, single track or tire tracks and there's one or two sections that can be very narrow. That said, I've had no issues riding this section with my hybrid bike. Predominantly shaded with a few places to stop and rest, but water and food may not be readily available without wandering off the path and into one of the towns along the way.
Once reaching Easton, the trail continues south along the Delaware for about 51-52 miles to Morrisville. Much of this section is a towpath, can be single track or tire tracks for much of the ride, but it's smoother than the towpath from Allentown to Easton. There's a couple of places along the way for refreshments and rest areas between Easton and Upper Black Eddy and be sure to make time to visit New Hope and Washington Crossing Park before finishing the ride in Morrisville.
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.
A favorite group of trails located in the Tyler State Park new Newtown, PA. The rebuilt covered bridge is a must see. The terrain is hilly.
The Liberty Bell Trail located in Hatfield Borough, PA is a flat gravel lined trail. It is approximately .5 miles long and follows the train track front East Main to West Vine. It links up to the Chestnut Street Trail.
The Barnegat Branch Trails are fantastic jogging and running trails.
My family has been enjoying them for years.
I recently received a fit bit with a GPS as a gift for running.
However, the GPS and the mile markers on the trail are not jiving.
The GPS seems to be indicating the trail is longer than the mile markers are stating. Not sure if the GPS is inaccurate or the mile markers are somehow not exact? Anyone else with a similar experience? Otherwise, the trails are just perfect for walking, jogging or running.
I rode the northern section of the trail last week. I started at the Oakshades Park trail head, rode to the end at Popamora Point park, and then continued on a (mostly) marked on-street bike path to the Highlands Sea-Bright Bridge over to Sandy Hook. The trail was in very good shape with a few sections of root bumps. Fine for a road bike.
Once over the bridge I easily accessed the Gateway National Recreation Area multi-use path which allowed for fine cycling throughout the peninsula.
On the way back I took a detour to the Mt. Mitchill Scenic Overlook which, according to the signage, is the highest point on the eastern seaboard south of Maine.
Including some exploring of the historic sites included in the Recreation Area and the detour, about a 45 mile out and back.
This trail is a must, but be carful about the crowds.
Cool breeze being next to the river, very few people on the trail, a little short. Hoping the expansions happen eventually.
This trail is well-separated from the cars, so they're not a hazard, but there are a handful of crossings (with lights and pedestrian signals), which are annoying but easy and safe to do. This trail isn't in the woods (although the offshoots to Neshaminy Creek Trail are), so it's not somewhere to explore the beauty of nature, but it has two key virtues: (1) it is well-maintained asphalt with gentle turns and (2) the southern half is at a higher average elevation (200-250 feet) than the northern half.
Thus, heading south is a good workout with a lot of long-but-not-impossible climbs, while those same hills become long descents when heading north, a great place for people to develop confidence at higher speeds, using drop-bars, or practicing their lean for a high-speed turn. If you're just starting out cycling, or you're preparing for a 10- or 20-mile event, this is an excellent trail to develop your skills and improve your fitness.
Newly paved trail is now open from the marina to Northern Blvd. This is a great ride especially during the week when it is not so crowded. As another reviewer stated one can extend their ride into nearby Fort Totten.
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