Bike Trails New Jersey

Bike Trails New Jersey

Cape May Shoreline Ride

This 46-mile loop is a classic New Jersey ride. It begins at the Lighthouse located at the southern tip of Cape May where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Delaware Bay. The ride passes multiple highlights and attractions including the zoo, wetlands and Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary.

https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/commuter/bike/application3/pdf/TheCapeMayShorelineRide.pdf

Cooper River Park

This urban park has nearly 350 acres of land filled with an impressive array of activities including golf, a stadium and a splash of culture with a sculpture garden. There are two small bike paths within the park. One is a quick one- mile paved path while the other is a nearly 4mile loop traveling from Cuthbert to Route 130. Although the bike paths are short, there is much to do in and around this family- friendly River Park.

http://www.camdencounty.com/service/parks/cooper-river-park/

Delaware & Raritan Canal Trail

This trail, also known as the D&R Trail follows the canal path built in the 1830s to facilitate transport between Philadelphia and New York. The 70- mile trail has end points in Frenchtown and New Brunswick with both gravel and crushed stone trails. Trails are wheelchair accessible and are used for multi-sports including cross country skiing and mountain biking.

https://www.traillink.com/trail/delaware-and-raritan-canal-state-park-trail/

Hartshore Woods Park

Hartshore Woods Park is home to nearly 800 acres of land within Monmouth County, New Jersey. Three main entry points are Buttermilk Valley, Rocky Point and Claypit Creek. The park is rich in history and contains an active archeology site in Claypit Creek as well as historic bunkers remnants of a time when the Park was part of the country’s coastal defense. 14 miles of challenging trails are out there for the enjoyment of cyclists, hikers and walkers. Fishing enthusiasts have the Navensink River while winter months bring cross country skiing to this park.

https://www.monmouthcountyparks.com/page.aspx?Id=2524

Hudson River Waterfront Walkway

This very short (1.5 mile) trail follows along the Hudson River in Jersey City. End points are Essex Street and Newport parkway. This concrete trail allows cyclists to see stunning views of Manhattan.

https://www.traillink.com/trail/hudson-river-waterfront-walkway/

Island Beach State Park

Island Beach is an area of 3,000 acres with 10 miles of coastal dunes. The park lies between Barnegat Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. This State Park touts itself as one of the few remaining undeveloped barrier beaches in the North Atlantic Coast. The park is home to falcons, osprey colonies and other birds of interest. A wide range of vegetation and plants exist here with tidal marshes and wetlands. The paved bike path on this Island Beach is 9 miles long with easy, flat riding.

https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/island.html

McDade Recreational Trail

The McDade Recreational Trail can be found within the Delaware Water Gap which spans between New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The gravel trail is 32 miles and runs parallel to the Delaware River. Scenic views range from wooded sections, rolling farms, rivers and streams. To give you a sense of the environmental importance within this region, the site notes that trailheads at Pittman Orchard and Conashaugh are closed Dec 15 – July 15 for eagle nesting!

https://www.nps.gov/dewa/planyourvisit/mcdade-recreational-trail.htm

Great Resources:

Rails to Trails in New Jersey

This excellent website gives you the ability to search and explore 75 rails to trails in the state of New Jersey. The list starts with Atlantic County Bikeway and rolls all the way down to Woodbine RR Trail. Visitors to this site can filter search requests by the types of trail surface to the activities (bike, birding, fishing, etc).

https://www.traillink.com/trailsearch/?mmloc=new+jersey

Cross Camden Country Trail

Camden County is embarking on an extensive endeavor to create a trail which spans across the entire county from the Camden waterfront to Atlantic City. The anticipate 33- mile trail is envisioned to be multi-use (bike, walk, etc). Planning is being coordinated with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) to ensure trail network compatibility across the region.

http://www.camdencounty.com/service/environmental-affairs/cross-county-trails/

LOCAL (Training) RIDES/MEET-ups

as compiled by local bike clubs:

Below are two cycling clubs with links to their local rides. If you are interested in searching for other cycling teams and their local rides, check out the link below with a full directory of New Jersey Cycling Clubs.https://highaltitude2u.com/new-jersey-cycling-club-directory-ezp-167.html

Bicycle Touring Club of New Jersey

https://btcnj.com/pages/rideSchedule.php

Princeton Free Wheelers

http://www.princetonfreewheelers.com/content.aspx?page_id=2&club_id=15353