Find the top rated walking trails in New Jersey, 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 Image | Trail Name | States | Length | Surface | Rating |
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If you’re looking for a change of luck on your gambling getaway to Atlantic City, try visiting the 7.6-mile Atlantic County Bikeway. The paved trail runs straight and flat as it offers a relaxing...
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NJ | 7.6 mi | Asphalt |
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Eventually, the Barnegat Branch Trail will travel nearly 16 miles from Barnegat Township north to Toms River along a branch of the former Central Railroad of New Jersey. As of 2019, three disconnected...
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NJ | 11.7 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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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...
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NJ | 2.6 mi | Asphalt |
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The historical Ben Franklin Bridge, opened in 1926, offers expansive city skyline views and is itself a stunning structure. The iconic suspension bridge once included two streetcar tracks in addition...
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NJ, PA | 1.3 mi | Concrete |
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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...
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NJ | 2.1 mi | Ballast, Cinder |
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The Berlin Road Sidepath provides a pleasant, shaded paved trail for biking and walking in the community of Lindenwold. Stretching between Linden Avenue and Gibbsboro Road, the trail runs along the...
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NJ | 0.6 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 2.3 mi | Dirt |
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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...
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NJ | 4 mi | Ballast |
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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...
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NJ | 2.5 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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This bike path begins along Southwest Boulevard at Harding Highway (US 40). It continues alongside the boulevard, then crosses Central Avenue and slipping into Bruno Melini Memorial Park, Buena’s...
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NJ | 1.9 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ, PA | 0.3 mi | Concrete |
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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...
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NJ | 3.7 mi | Cinder, Dirt, Grass, Gravel |
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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...
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NJ | 2.7 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 15 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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...
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NJ | 4.2 mi | Asphalt |
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Corson's Inlet Rail-Trail begins at the parking lot off County 619 (by the bridge) in Corson's Inlet State Park and runs for a short distance across the upper dunes above the beach. There are plans to...
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NJ | 0.33 mi | Gravel |
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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...
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NJ | 72.8 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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The Dennis Township Bike Path can be found in Cape May County in South Jersey. The trail begins on Woodbine Boulevard, behind the South Seaville Fire Station and extends southward for 2.4 miles within...
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NJ | 2.4 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 3.4 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 5 mi | Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel, Woodchips |
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The idea of a greenway along the Elizabeth River was actually put forward in 1912 by the famous Olmsted Architectural Firm. However, continous flooding made building a trail on the riverbank all but...
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NJ | 2.3 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 2.6 mi | Asphalt, Dirt |
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The Gloucester Township Health and Fitness Trail, formerly known as the Blackwood Railroad Trail, is a paved bicycle/pedestrian path in Blackwood, Gloucester Township. The bikeway is constructed on an...
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NJ | 2.7 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 3.5 mi | Dirt, Grass |
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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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NJ | 0.25 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 3 mi | Ballast, Cinder, Dirt |
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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...
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NJ | 22.5 mi | Asphalt, Gravel, Sand |
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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...
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NJ | 3.9 mi | Boardwalk, Dirt, Gravel, Sand, Woodchips |
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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...
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NJ | 1.5 mi | Concrete |
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The John N. Balis Bikeway is a half-mile paved trail along a former rail corridor that now serves as an electrical transmission right of way in the suburban community of Runnemede.
The southern end...
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NJ | 0.5 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 3.3 mi | Asphalt, Dirt, Grass, Gravel |
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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...
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NJ | 1.5 mi | Cinder, Dirt |
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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...
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NJ | 1.75 mi | Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel |
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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...
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NJ | 2.15 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 1.1 mi | Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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NJ | 1.8 mi | Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel |
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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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NJ | 19.2 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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The Lenape Trail is an paved multiuse pathway stretching two miles end-to-end. The winding trail sits on the tree-covered bank of Plainsboro pond, home to geese, swans and other waterfowl. Residents...
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NJ | 2.1 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 7 mi | Asphalt, Dirt, Grass |
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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...
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NJ | 4.8 mi | Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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The Maurice River Bikeway Trail provides access to shops, recreational parks, and riverside riding all in one. Starting behind the city hall, travelers will be just off the river on Ware Avenue in...
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NJ | 1.4 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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NJ | 1.05 mi | Asphalt |
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Cape May’s 8.9-mile Middle Township Bike Path and 2.7-mile Cold Spring Bike Path were fully connected in summer 2017. Riders can begin their journey at US 9/Sandman Boulevard in Lower Township across...
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NJ | 8.9 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 3.6 mi | Asphalt |
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The Monroe Township Bike Path carries visitors through the tranquil woodlands of the Glassboro Wildlife Management Area as it connects the southern New Jersey suburban towns of Glassboro and...
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NJ | 6.3 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 4.1 mi | Dirt, Grass |
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Along New Jersey's coast, a pathway atop a concrete sea wall provides a popular place for North Wildwood residents and visitors to enjoy ocean views. Beginning near 2nd Avenue and John F. Kennedy...
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NJ | 0.8 mi | Concrete |
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Ocean City Bike Path offers a short, paved route through the center of Ocean City and allows visitors a glimpse into the history of this interesting seaside town.
The trail parallels Haven Avenue...
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NJ | 0.9 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 2.7 mi | Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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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...
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NJ | 0.9 mi | Asphalt |
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The Parkside Trail is one segment of the larger Camden Greenways network, a proposed system of trails currently under construction. When complete, the greenway will follow portions of the Delaware...
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NJ | 0.25 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 35 mi | Asphalt, Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel |
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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.”...
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NJ | 27.1 mi | Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass |
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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...
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NJ | 1.6 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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...
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NJ | 4.2 mi | Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Gravel |
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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....
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NJ | 0.7 mi | Concrete |
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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,...
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NJ | 8.2 mi | Asphalt |
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This community trail begins at the intersection of Main and Pearl streets in the town of Port Norris, near the mouth of the Maurice River. It connects Port Norris with Bivalve. At one time the area...
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NJ | 1 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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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NJ | 1 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 16 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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NJ | 0.5 mi | Asphalt |
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Traveling north-south through Wall Township is the Route 18 Bike Path. The northern terminus is the Municipal Compex, which houses the County Library, the Municipal Court and the Police HQ, as well as...
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NJ | 1.9 mi | Asphalt |
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The Route 52 Bridge Trail is an important connector between Cape May County and Atlantic County in New Jersey's growing trail network.
On its southern end, the paved pathway begins in Ocean City,...
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NJ | 2.4 mi | Concrete |
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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...
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NJ | 7.6 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 8.7 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 0.36 mi | Asphalt |
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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....
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NJ | 18 mi | Cinder, Dirt, Grass |
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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...
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NJ, PA | 1 mi | Concrete |
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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...
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NJ | 7 mi | Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel |
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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...
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NJ | 1.5 mi | Sand |
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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...
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NJ | 2.7 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 2 mi | Asphalt |
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Named after Dr. Ulysses Simpson Wiggins, a prominent doctor in Camden in the early 1900s, the Ulysses Wiggins Waterfront Park Promenade extends for 1.2 miles from the Ben Franklin Bridge to the...
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NJ | 1.2 mi | Brick |
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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...
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NJ | 9.3 mi | Crushed Stone |
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United States Avenue Trail, which is also know locally as the "Green Trail" travels through a primarily wooded landscape between Foster Avenue and Egg Harbor Road in Gibbsboro, New Jersey. At the...
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NJ | 2 mi | Asphalt |
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For birders and other wildlife watchers, the short West Deptford Scenic Trail offers an opportunity for a remote and tranquil stroll through a beautiful natural area. Located within a 90-acre area of...
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NJ | 1.7 mi | Dirt, Grass |
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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...
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NJ | 2.84 mi | Cinder, Gravel |
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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...
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NJ | 2.2 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NJ | 0.5 mi | Asphalt |
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The Wildwood Crest Bike Path is a one-mile bike path that runs along the beach from East Cresse Avenue to East Rambler Road.
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NJ | 1 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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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...
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NJ | 1.5 mi | Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass |
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The Woodbine Railroad Trail occupies the right-of-way of a former Pennsylvania and Reading Railroad line. The paved pathway traverses Woodbine as it parallels Dehirsch Avenue; a wide grassy median...
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NJ | 3 mi | Asphalt |
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Great biking trail only complaint is people are all over the trail and don’t watch around them also walking straight in the middle so they really need to continue the trail through Metuchen into South Plainfield maybe even the other way down to Perth amboy that would be great kinda full on weekends to bike
For background, my wife and I are older, recreational riders. We're reasonably fit and enjoy riding around NYC, along the Hudson from Weehawken to Liberty State Park and, of course, the Saddle River County Path, near our home.
We understood from the description of the Sussex Branch Trail, and from the reviews here, that it is not paved and is certainly not a typical rail trail. We started from the Waterloo Rd. parking area in Stanhope and only made it as far as Cranberry Lake before deciding to turn around. While the scenery in the woods was very pretty, the trail, as noted, is not well maintained. In addition to gravel, the surface was small stone/larger rocks in places, and it was just not comfortable riding for us. There were some very muddy spots, with several areas of standing water on the trail that we had to pick our way around. Finally, as we got near Cranberry Lake, we followed a Sussex Trail marker which led us to a dead end.
I understand how some people will find this trail enjoyable, and I'm sorry we didn't get to see more of it, but, given that it was a 45-minute drive from home, we were disappointed.
We started at the Brugler entrance. It was rough going at first. Very muddy in places. We almost turned around but I am glad we continued. Turned into a really nice ride! Didn’t see another person. Beautiful!
No shade and could be very hot on a sunny day. TodY it was high 70’s and lots of wind which made it pleasant. Stopped at Hawk Haven winery along the path but opposite side of the road-dry to semi dry wine choices. Railroad park has a water/bike station a log with port a pits. We linked with the cold spring trail which was a star less than this one and wend to Cold Springs brewery. Total mileage for the two 23+
No shade so on a sunny day probably really would be really hot. Stopped at Hawk Haven winery. Railroad park has water/bike station and port a pots.