New Jersey Cross Country Skiing Trails and Maps

1199 Reviews

Looking for the best Cross Country Skiing trails around New Jersey?

Find the top rated cross country skiing trails in New Jersey, whether you're looking for an easy short cross country skiing trail or a long cross country skiing trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a cross country skiing trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.

City Trails and Maps in New Jersey

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Activities
Length
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Type
40 Results
Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type

Berkshire Valley Management Area Trail

2.1 mi
State: NJ
Ballast, Cinder

Cold Spring Bike Path

2.7 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt

Columbia Trail

15 mi
State: NJ
Crushed Stone

Cooper River Park

4.2 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt

Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail

72.8 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt

Edgar Felix Memorial Bikeway

3.4 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt

Elephant Swamp Trail

5 mi
State: NJ
Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel, Woodchips

Great Valley Trail

3.5 mi
State: NJ
Dirt, Grass

Historic Smithville Park Trails

3.9 mi
State: NJ
Boardwalk, Dirt, Gravel, Sand, Woodchips

Lake Iliff Trail

1.1 mi
State: NJ
Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone

Lawrence Hopewell Trail

19.2 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Manasquan Reservoir Trail

4.8 mi
State: NJ
Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt

Middlesex Greenway

3.6 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt

Paulinskill Valley Trail

27.1 mi
State: NJ
Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass

Pemberton Rail-Trail

1.6 mi
State: NJ
Crushed Stone

Trolley Line Trail (NJ)

2 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt

Union Transportation Trail

9.3 mi
State: NJ
Crushed Stone

West Essex Trail

2.84 mi
State: NJ
Cinder, Gravel

Wildwood Crest Bike Path

1 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt, Concrete
Accordion

Bedminster Hike and Bikeway

2.6 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt

Capoolong Creek Wildlife Management Area

3.7 mi
State: NJ
Cinder, Dirt, Grass, Gravel

Landsdown Trail

1.8 mi
State: NJ
Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

Loantaka Brook Reservation Trail

7 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt

Morris Canal Greenway

4.1 mi
State: NJ
Dirt, Grass

Ogden Mine Railroad Path

2.7 mi
State: NJ
Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt

Randolph Trails

16 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Sussex Branch Trail

18 mi
State: NJ
Cinder, Dirt, Grass

Taylor SteelWorkers Historical Greenway

7 mi
State: NJ
Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

Wood Duck Nature Trail (Wallkill River NWR)

1.5 mi
State: NJ
Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass

Hamburg Mountain Wildlife Management Area

3 mi
State: NJ
Ballast, Cinder, Dirt

Johnson Trolley Line Trail

3.3 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt, Dirt, Grass, Gravel

Patriots' Path (NJ)

35 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt, Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel

Pequest Wildlife Management Area Trail

4.2 mi
State: NJ
Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Gravel

Ramsey Bike Path

1 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt

Karamac Trail

1.5 mi
State: NJ
Cinder, Dirt

Black River County Park Trail

2.3 mi
State: NJ
Dirt

Thompson Park Trails

5.4 mi
State: NJ
Asphalt, Boardwalk
Trail Image Trail Name States Length Surface Rating
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...
NJ 2.1 mi Ballast, Cinder
The Jersey shore was a major vacation destination for residents of the Delaware Valley region throughout the early 20th century. From the 1890s to 1930s, two parallel railroad lines—the Atlantic City...
NJ 2.7 mi Asphalt
The Columbia Trail has the distinction of being named for a natural gas pipeline that runs beneath it for 15 miles in rural northern New Jersey. The crushed-stone trail rolls along the South Branch of...
NJ 15 mi Crushed Stone
Camden's Cooper River Park is found on both the north and south shores of Cooper River Lake. The urban park is open daily from dawn to dusk and offers a paved loop path for bikers and pedestrians, as...
NJ 4.2 mi Asphalt
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...
NJ 72.8 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt
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...
NJ 3.4 mi Asphalt
TRAIL CLOSED: As a precaution to help limit the spread of COVID-19, the local managing authority has temporarily closed this trail to non-residents. As you walk along the Elephant Swamp Trail, it’s...
NJ 5 mi Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel, Woodchips
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...
NJ 3.5 mi Dirt, Grass
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...
NJ 3.9 mi Boardwalk, Dirt, Gravel, Sand, Woodchips
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...
NJ 1.1 mi Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone
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...
NJ 19.2 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
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...
NJ 4.8 mi Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt
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...
NJ 3.6 mi Asphalt
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.”...
NJ 27.1 mi Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass
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...
NJ 1.6 mi Crushed Stone
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...
NJ 2 mi Asphalt
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...
NJ 9.3 mi Crushed Stone
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 Essex–Passiac county...
NJ 2.84 mi Cinder, Gravel
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...
NJ 0.5 mi Asphalt
The Wildwood Crest Bike Path is a one-mile bike path that runs along the beach from East Cresse Avenue to East Rambler Road.
NJ 1 mi Asphalt, Concrete
Accordion
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...
NJ 2.6 mi Asphalt
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...
NJ 4 mi Ballast
This pleasant, flat rail-trail parallels Capoolong Creek through the Capoolong Creek Wildlife Management Area for nearly 4 miles. The surface is varied, so the trail is best suited for hiking or...
NJ 3.7 mi Cinder, Dirt, Grass, Gravel
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...
NJ 1.8 mi Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel
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...
NJ 7 mi Asphalt
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...
NJ 4.1 mi Dirt, Grass
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...
NJ 2.7 mi Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt
The Pleasantville to Somers Point Bike Path connects four cities along 8.2 miles of trail: Pleasantville, Northfield, Linwood, and Somers Point. The path travels through city centers, neighborhoods,...
NJ 8.2 mi Asphalt
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...
NJ 16 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
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....
NJ 18 mi Cinder, Dirt, Grass
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...
NJ 7 mi Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel
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...
NJ 1.5 mi Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass
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...
NJ 3 mi Ballast, Cinder, Dirt
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...
NJ 3.3 mi Asphalt, Dirt, Grass, Gravel
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...
NJ 35 mi Asphalt, Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel
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...
NJ 4.2 mi Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Gravel
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....
NJ 1 mi Asphalt
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...
NJ 1.5 mi Cinder, Dirt
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...
NJ 2.3 mi Dirt
With fields, woodlands, trails, a playground, an arts center, and a lake, Thompson Park offers a multitude of outdoor activities. Established in 1968 with Geraldine Thompson's donation of the horse...
NJ 5.4 mi Asphalt, Boardwalk

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Recent Trail Reviews

Middle Township Bike Path

Nice trail, great for a morning ride

May, 2023 by ebwoltz

Rode from Sun retreats cape may wildwood. Rode to the Cape May zoo (free to get in, nice break and has food), nice flat ride, not crowded, not a lot of scenery about 20 miles round trip. However a lack of trees for some shade, so I recommend an early morning ride or early evening ride, mid day is very hot. Also, would be nice for some benches along the way. Ride it every time I am down here. Overall I would recommend.

Manasquan Reservoir Trail

Peaceful

April, 2023 by emfref_tl

I hiked this on 4/22/23 ! It is a really nice!

Pequest Wildlife Management Area Trail

Not Enjoyable on a Bike

April, 2023 by 5m5qvjs64m

Might be a bit easier hiking, but the trail itself is rather bumpy riding a bike. Starting from the Hatchery / finish parking lot, heading southwest towards Buttzville it’s a slight decline as it parallels US-46. Only one road crossing before the end of the trail. The trail officially ends at an old rail bridge crossing, though the right of way looks to continue further. Heading northeast from the Hatchery parking lot it’s pretty flat and not nearly as bumpy, but the trail becomes increasingly narrow and overgrown. I wasn’t able to make it to the end due to all the thorn bushes in the way. Would be a nice short round trip if the trail was better maintained / a smoother ride, but I probably won’t go out of my way to ride it again until then.

Accordion

Pequest Wildlife Management Area Trail

Nice Area, But Not Good for Biking

April, 2023 by 5m5qvjs64m

Not too surprising that this trail hasn’t seen a review since 2018. I parked at the parking lot just off US-46 near the Pequest Trout Hatchery. Heading southwest from this parking lot towards Buttzville, it’s just over 2.5 miles one way. The majority of the trail is rather rocky, so if you’re on a bike you’ll be rattling quite a bit. There are stretches of just grass and less bumpy dirt / gravel, so it’s not all bad. The last tenth of a mile as you near the end of the trail on the map it gets a bit narrower / bumpy / poorly maintained, but then you stumble upon an old rail bridge and crossing. Heading northeast from the Hatchery parking lot, at first isn’t that bad. You cross a bridge quickly, but about a quarter mile past that the trail becomes narrow and overgrown. Thorn bush branches stick out and it’s pretty much impossible to not hit them. I turned back before making it to the northeastern terminus. You’ll be on a slow decline heading west, and a slow incline heading east. Overall, I likely wouldn’t go out of my way again to ride on this trail.

Pequest Wildlife Management Area Trail

Nice Area, But Poor Trail for Biking

April, 2023 by 5m5qvjs64m

Not too surprising that this trail hasn’t seen a review since 2018. I parked at the parking lot just off US-46 near the Pequest Trout Hatchery. Heading southwest from this parking lot towards Buttzville, it’s just over 2.5 miles one way. The majority of the trail is rather rocky, so if you’re on a bike you’ll be rattling quite a bit. There are stretches of just grass and less bumpy dirt / gravel, so it’s not all bad. The last tenth of a mile as you near the end of the trail on the map it gets a bit narrower / bumpy / poorly maintained, but then you stumble upon an old rail bridge and crossing. Heading northeast from the Hatchery parking lot, at first isn’t that bad. You cross a bridge quickly, but about a quarter mile past that the trail becomes narrow and overgrown. Thorn bush branches stick out and it’s pretty much impossible to not hit them. I turned back before making it to the northeastern terminus. You’ll be on a slow decline heading west, and a slow incline heading east. Overall, I likely wouldn’t go out of my way again to ride on this trail.

Dennis Township Bike Path

Parking in Dennis Township is very limited. There is an alternate parking lot off Hagan Rd and a good sized parking lot off Rt. 83.

April, 2023 by rcmicki

Parking in Dennis Township is very limited. There is an alternate parking lot off Hagan Rd and a good sized parking lot off Rt. 83.

Loantaka Brook Reservation Trail

Nice bike trail but not well marked

March, 2023 by louis.garcia22

This was my first time riding the Loantaka Brook trail. It is late March 2023. I found the trail to be asphalt and smooth with beautiful creeks & dense wooded & nature scenery. On weekdays the trail is not very crowded but because the trail is somewhat narrow I can see it would be challenging to share the trail with walkers & hikers. I actually got lost trying to find my way back to the parking lot. The trail is not very well marked. If you are new to this trail I suggest you go online & review the trail map.

Cooper River Park

not really a trail

February, 2023 by kktv2cyh27

I have done this numerous times. It has been my go to for years to get a good walk in..It’s best for walking. It gets very crowded. There’s not enough room for two people to walk and I’d like to go by. Someone is always moving over.

Columbia Trail

Scenic, shady, and well-maintained

January, 2023 by mick22

This is my favorite of the New Jersey trails I've been on. Starting out from the High Bridge end, the first few miles are on a slight upward climb that you barely notice, but you're glad to have on the return trip. The scenery is nicely varied ...every section has its own personality and there are many photo ops along the way. The trail is well maintained and away from traffic noises.

Paulinskill Valley Trail

Nice trail if it hasn't rained

January, 2023 by mick22

The trail is a bit more rugged and not as well maintained as the other NJ trails, though a hybrid bike will do the job. West of Blairstown Airport there are a few short sections where you have to get off the bike and deal with steep embankments. There are also a few weird places that seem like dead ends...you come to a road crossing and need to follow it a bit before the trail resumes on the other side. They could use a little signage in these areas...having Google Maps on my phone came in handy on a few occasions.

A good starting point for the Western section is the park at 5 Foot Bridge Lane in Blairstown, and for the Eastern area there's a small lot at 106 County Rd 519 in Newton.

Don't even think of going if it's been raining in the last few days. The last time I went there I parked at the Foot Bridge Lane lot in Blairstown and headed East...I slogged through and around mud flats for a few miles before I came to an impassable one and had to turn around. You also learn pretty quickly to be on the lookout for horse calling cards.

Other than these drawbacks it can be a nice ride...people you meet are friendly and for the most part you're away from traffic noises and off the beaten path.

Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail

A trail with a fascinating history

January, 2023 by mick22

The trail was originally a tow path...in its early days mules would walk along it towing barges through the canal, usually carrying coal from Pennsylvania to the New York area. The canal is seventy-five feet wide and eight feet deep. It was dug in the 1830s by hand - mostly by laborers brought in from Ireland. They worked under brutal conditions from sunup til sundown; some of them had stonemason skills and their cobblestone spillways still survive.

So how long did it take 3,000 Irish laborers to dig the canal? Only three freaking years! Next time you ride this trail, mentally drink a toast of fine Irish whiskey to the good folks who labored so we can ride!

Hamburg Mountain Wildlife Management Area

Non Maintained Trail, Great for Hiking and Usable for Mountain Biking

January, 2023 by philbishop225

I mountain biked this short but beautiful trail before the 2012 Sandy washout. I took it from Ogdensburg to Beaver Lake Road (walk the tracks the last 300 feet) and then headed down RT 23 and left on 517 to Ogdensburg for a easy loop ride. I hiked the trail 1/13/2023 and I am happy to say that the collapsed section now has a narrow berm on the south side that can be biked (technical) or just walked. There are some trees down along the trail (hop some and carry over some) and some muddy areas by the rock cuts and some passable streams, but the views are worth a try. If you scramble up the rock mound you have great views of Ogdensburg and Sparta, and when you travel under the power lines you have a great view of RT 23 and Franklin. I think the rock cuts are deeper than the ones on the Paullinskill Trail and the elevated rail bed section are amazing. If you want to continue further into the Hamburg Mountain Wildlife Area, you can hop off this trail when it gets close to RT 23, and you will be across the street from their parking area. There is a also great little convenience store at the start of the trail in Ogdensburg as well a a new local bar across the street.

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