Find the top rated walking trails in West Paterson, 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.
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...
The Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) offers more than 19 miles of pathway on a developing loop through public and private land in Lawrence and Hopewell Townships, about 5 miles north of Trenton. The...
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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...
Closure Notice: As of 2021, the city is undertaking a series of construction projects in East River Park, which will result in ongoing closures to sections of the southern segment of the greenway...
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...
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...
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...
The Bashakill Wildlife Management Area is located on the Orange County-Sullivan County border just south of Wurtsboro, New York. It consists of over 3,000 acres of wetlands and uplands which were...
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 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 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 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...
This bike-ped path in Roselle Park, Union County. The bike path is nestled at the bottom of the railroad embankment carrying New Jersey Transit's Raritan Valley Line. Stretching between Galloping Hill...
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 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,...
Note: As of December 2021, the trail is fully complete except for a bridge on its southern end in Brewster; stairways on either side of the bridge are available for the detour. Construction on the...
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 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....
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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 corridor now home to the Sussex Branch Trail was originally the narrow-gauge, mule-drawn Sussex Mine Railroad, which opened in 1851 to haul iron ore from mines in Andover to the Morris Canal....
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...
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 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 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...
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...
<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 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...
The Mohansic Trailway is a rail-trail providing an important link between the North County Trailway and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt State Park. The trailway occupies a short-lived spur of the New...
The Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) offers more than 19 miles of pathway on a developing loop through public and private land in Lawrence and Hopewell Townships, about 5 miles north of Trenton. The...
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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...
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...
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...
Note: As of December 2021, the trail is fully complete except for a bridge on its southern end in Brewster; stairways on either side of the bridge are available for the detour. Construction on the...
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...
Closure Notice: As of 2021, the city is undertaking a series of construction projects in East River Park, which will result in ongoing closures to sections of the southern segment of the greenway...
The Jones Point Path occupies an abandoned motor vehicle route (old US Route 9W). The path provides bicyclists with a relatively safe bypass to a dangerous section of busy US Route 9W near Bear...
The Saddle River County Park Bike Path is a beautiful suburban trail that winds alongside the Saddle River. Most of the trail runs through moderately dense suburban development, with residential and...
The Bashakill Wildlife Management Area is located on the Orange County-Sullivan County border just south of Wurtsboro, New York. It consists of over 3,000 acres of wetlands and uplands which were...
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 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...
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 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 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 Sandy Hook Multi-Use Pathway travels 8.7 miles alongside the picturesque beaches and historical monuments of the Sandy Hook peninsula. The pathway begins in the Gateway National Recreation Area...
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...
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...
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 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 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 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 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 nicely paved Bethpage Bikeway runs alongside suburban roads for long segments of the route, but it’s much more than a suburban trail. Each on-road suburban stretch is broken up by one of three...
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...
The Bashakill Wildlife Management Area is located on the Orange County-Sullivan County border just south of Wurtsboro, New York. It consists of over 3,000 acres of wetlands and uplands which were...
The Walden-Wallkill Rail Trail is built on a former Conrail right-of-way. Conrail and its predecessors, Penn Central, New York Central, and The Wallkill Valley Railway, provided service to farmers...
The Jones Point Path occupies an abandoned motor vehicle route (old US Route 9W). The path provides bicyclists with a relatively safe bypass to a dangerous section of busy US Route 9W near Bear...
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 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 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...
As of 12/31/2021: The South Trail from the Tarrytown Lakes down to Ardsley is paved and a pleasant ride for bikers. At Ardsley it turns to crushed earth and unless you have a mountain bike probably not a good idea. I hope they extend the paving. The trail from the Tarrytown Lakes to Lake Carmel is smooth and beautiful. Highly recommend.
The entire trail is now reopened, with resurfacing from Springfield Blvd. to Winchester.
While the views are awesome, be advised that the 2nd half of the trail from Califon to Long Valley is better suited to mountain bikes. We found most of this section to be uncomfortable for our hybrids with concern for our tires. From High Bridge to the mid point (the first 7.5 miles) was good riding and a smoother trail. This section also has the best views of river and woods. Recently made the round trip (30 miles) on November 11, 2021 and would rate only 3 stars due to the mentioned rough 2nd half ride of the trail. Best breakfast/lunch options were in High Bridge. Nice coffee shop on the northern end of trail (the Coffee Potter), but not much else close to the trail.
This is a short yet beautiful bikeway that connects the Hudson River bikeway to the East River bikeway. You bike past large garden areas and have the option to take a quick detour off of the trail and into the park in order to take in views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Staten Island and Governor’s Island.
If you like wide open and flat trails then this is for you. Was nice to bring my dog with me; Appalachian trail is too narrow and rocky for my dog on a leash. Overall it was pretty dry, very quiet, and walking next to the Paulinskill was relaxing.
We were looking for a ride that provided a good workout, beautiful foliage and a break from the city. The path was straight, flat and paved - so great for all level riders and all age people. The town of Goshen is great. The trail ends (or sort of starts there) depends which side of it you want to start on. There is a portion beyond Goshen in Middletown. To get to that piece - you need to go through the town of Goshen using W. Main Street. You must stop at Sweet Tymes for a treat. Continue to proceed down W Main Street for about 1/4 of mile and on the right you will see the start of the bike path again. You know you have gone too far if you get to the cemetery on the left side of W Main Street. I would also stop in Chester ( you will see the old converted train station) and grab a bite at the Rustic Wheelhouse. Promise it will be a perfect day!
Updating my July 2020 review, the road down to the Nyack Beach State Park has reopened.
And at the top of the newly reconstructed road to the right of the entrance fee kiosk is a newly constructed foot trail that will take you to the Long Path with access to the Hook Mountain summit with great river views.
Perfect surface. Lovely surrounding. Safe. Thoroughly enjoyable. Watch headwind, plan to have tail wind for return leg…
We started the trail in Middleport parking on Palmer Ave. Highly recommend this direction as it’s mainly uphill to Harriman. We clocked 19 miles exactly to Harriman. The uphill is not super intense but is uphill so the way back was super fun and easy! We stopped in Monroe on the way back to Middleport. 38 miles in total ALL PAVED and 99.5 % trail. Excellent. Little weird spot right before Goshen as the trail ends abruptly with no signs. Head into the main town of Goshen and turn right at the wine store and you’ll be back on track!
I only did 40 miles of the trail staring in New Brunswick; did enjoy it. I was impressed by the difference in temperature provided by the tree canopy during a good portion of the trail. My only concern, especially when riding with children, is that little attention has been given to traffic intersections. Too many drivers are careless and could prove hazardous. An enjoyable trail otherwise.
I was really pumped to go for a long run on this trail, heard nothing but amazing things. But it seems TS Henry and Ida took its toll on this path. LOTS of washouts, bridges closed and areas completely washed away. I’m sure it will get fixed in time but just be cautious for the time being
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