Running trails in New Jersey

Cities in New Jersey

Every city and town in New Jersey with a running trail in the directory, most trails first.

• Princeton (20)
• Cherry Hill Township (16)
• Jersey City (14)
• Newark (14)
• Mahwah (12)
• Millville (11)
• Morristown (11)
• North Brunswick Township (10)
• Randolph (10)
• Hackensack (9)
• Piscataway (9)
• Sewell (9)
• Toms River (9)
• Vineland (9)
• Wayne (9)
• Bayonne (8)
• Brick Township (8)
• East Brunswick (8)
• Hackettstown (8)
• Hammonton (8)
• Hillsborough Township (8)
• Hoboken (8)
• Hopewell (8)
• Nutley (8)
• Ocean City (8)
• Parsippany (8)
• Secaucus (8)
• Sparta (8)
• Trenton (8)
• Woodland Park (8)
• Branchburg (7)
• Clifton (7)
• Cranford (7)
• Moorestown (7)
• Paterson (7)
• Sicklerville (7)
• Somerset (7)
• Teaneck (7)
• West Orange (7)
• Bordentown (6)
• Freehold (6)
• Lawrence Township (6)
• Maplewood (6)
• Medford (6)
• Mt Laurel Township (6)
• Pequannock Township (6)
• Phillipsburg (6)
• Plainsboro Township (6)
• Pompton Plains (6)
• Ridgewood (6)
• Sussex (6)
• Wanaque (6)
• Warren (6)
• Basking Ridge (5)
• Bridgewater (5)
• Eastampton Township (5)
• Elizabeth (5)
• Evesham (5)
• Haddonfield (5)
• Lebanon (5)
• Mays Landing (5)
• Oakland (5)
• Paramus (5)
• Rockaway (5)
• Asbury Park (4)
• Boonton (4)
• Camden (4)
• Cedar Grove (4)
• Clinton (4)
• Delanco (4)
• Denville (4)
• East Windsor (4)
• Eatontown (4)
• Edison (4)
• Englewood Cliffs (4)
• Flemington (4)
• Fort Lee (4)
• Franklin Lakes (4)
• Garfield (4)
• Glen Rock (4)
• Hamilton Township (4)
• Highland Park (4)
• Holmdel (4)
• Howell Township (4)
• Jackson Township (4)
• Lake Hopatcong (4)
• Lanoka Harbor (4)
• Linden (4)
• Long Valley (4)
• Lyndhurst (4)
• Metuchen (4)
• Millstone Township (4)
• Monmouth Junction (4)
• Monroe Township (4)
• Montclair (4)
• Mountainside (4)
• North Bergen (4)
• Pennington (4)
• Perth Amboy (4)
• Rahway (4)
• Ringwood (4)
• Saddle Brook (4)
• Stafford Township (4)
• Summit (4)
• Tenafly (4)
• Vernon Township (4)
• Verona (4)
• Voorhees Township (4)
• Wall Township (4)
• West New York (4)
• Westfield (4)
• Atlantic City (3)
• Atlantic Highlands (3)
• Bedminster (3)
• Berkeley Heights (3)
• Carteret (3)
• Chester (3)
• Closter (3)
• Columbus (3)
• Delran (3)
• Edgewater (3)
• Egg Harbor Township (3)
• Englewood (3)
• Ewing Township (3)
• Forked River (3)
• Galloway (3)
• Gibbsboro (3)
• Glassboro (3)
• Hazlet (3)
• Hillsdale (3)
• Landing (3)
• Leonia (3)
• Little Falls Township (3)
• Livingston (3)
• Lodi (3)
• Madison (3)
• Matawan (3)
• Middletown Township (3)
• Morris Plains (3)
• New Providence (3)
• Pennsauken (3)
• Plainfield (3)
• Robbinsville Twp (3)
• Sayreville (3)
• Scotch Plains (3)
• South Bound Brook (3)
• South Orange Village (3)
• South Plainfield (3)
• Succasunna (3)
• Tinton Falls (3)
• Wenonah (3)
• West Milford (3)
• West Windsor Township (3)
• Woodbury (3)
• Wyckoff (3)
• Aberdeen Township (2)
• Barnegat (2)
• Bayville (2)
• Belle Mead (2)
• Bellmawr (2)
• Berlin (2)
• Blackwood (2)
• Branchville (2)
• Bridgeton (2)
• Budd Lake (2)
• Burlington (2)
• Cape May (2)
• Cape May Point (2)
• Chatham (2)
• Cinnaminson (2)
• Clayton (2)
• Columbia (2)
• Cranbury (2)
• Cream Ridge (2)
• Dover (2)
• East Orange (2)
• Egg Harbor City (2)
• Fairfield (2)
• Florence (2)
• Franklin (2)
• Franklin Park (2)
• Glenwood (2)
• Gloucester City (2)
• Haddon Township (2)
• Hainesport (2)
• Hawthorne (2)
• Hewitt (2)
• Highlands (2)
• Hillside (2)
• Jamesburg (2)
• Kearny (2)
• Lakewood (2)
• Lindenwold (2)
• Long Branch (2)
• Manahawkin (2)
• Manalapan Township (2)
• Marlboro Township (2)
• Martinsville (2)
• Millburn (2)
• Mine Hill Township (2)
• Monroeville (2)
• Montville (2)
• Mt Arlington (2)
• Mt Holly (2)
• New Brunswick (2)
• North Arlington (2)
• Oakhurst (2)
• Old Bridge (2)
• Parlin (2)
• Passaic (2)
• Pennsville (2)
• Pitman (2)
• Pittstown (2)
• Pleasantville (2)
• Point Pleasant (2)
• Raritan (2)
• Red Bank (2)
• Ridgefield Park (2)
• Rochelle Park (2)
• Rutherford (2)
• Sewaren (2)
• Short Hills (2)
• Somerdale (2)
• Somers Point (2)
• Somerville (2)
• South Amboy (2)
• Springfield (2)
• Stanhope (2)
• Swedesboro (2)
• Tuckerton (2)
• Union (2)
• Union City (2)
• Vincentown (2)
• Wantage (2)
• Watchung (2)
• Weehawken Township (2)
• West Deptford (2)
• Westampton Township (2)
• Westville (2)
• Westwood (2)
• Wharton (2)
• Whippany (2)
• Williamstown (2)
• Willingboro (2)
• Woodbine (2)
• Woodbridge (2)
• Woolwich Township (2)
• Absecon (1)
• Allendale (1)
• Allentown (1)
• Alpine (1)
• Annandale (1)
• Asbury (1)
• Avenel (1)
• Barrington (1)
• Beachwood (1)
• Belleville (1)
• Belmar (1)
• Bergenfield (1)
• Bernardsville (1)
• Bloomfield (1)
• Brigantine (1)
• Burlington Township (1)
• Butler (1)
• Byram Township (1)
• Califon (1)
• Cape May Court House (1)
• Cedar Knolls (1)
• Chatham Township (1)
• Chatsworth (1)
• City of Orange (1)
• Clark (1)
• Colonia (1)
• Cresskill (1)
• Deptford (1)
• East Hanover (1)
• Elmwood Park (1)
• Emerson (1)
• Essex Fells (1)
• Fair Haven (1)
• Fair Lawn (1)
• Farmingdale (1)
• Fieldsboro (1)
• Florham Park (1)
• Fords (1)
• Garwood (1)
• Greenwich (1)
• GREYSTONE PARK (1)
• Haddon Heights (1)
• Hamburg (1)
• Hardwick Township (1)
• Harrison (1)
• Hasbrouck Heights (1)
• Haskell (1)
• Haworth (1)
• High Bridge (1)
• Ho-Ho-Kus (1)
• Hopatcong (1)
• Hopewell Township (1)
• Irvington (1)
• Kendall Park (1)
• Kenilworth (1)
• Kenvil (1)
• Keyport (1)
• Kingston (1)
• Kinnelon (1)
• Lafayette Township (1)
• Lake Hiawatha (1)
• Laurel Springs (1)
• Laurence Harbor (1)
• Lawrenceville (1)
• Ledgewood (1)
• Leonardo (1)
• Lincroft (1)
• Linwood (1)
• Little Egg Harbor Township (1)
• Little Ferry (1)
• Little Silver (1)
• Locust (1)
• Lumberton Township (1)
• Malaga (1)
• Manasquan (1)
• Manville (1)
• Marmora (1)
• Maywood (1)
• Mickleton (1)
• Middlesex (1)
• Millington (1)
• Montague (1)
• Morganville (1)
• Mt Ephraim (1)
• Mullica Hill (1)
• Neptune Township (1)
• New Egypt (1)
• New Milford (1)
• Newfield (1)
• Newton (1)
• Northfield (1)
• Ocean Grove (1)
• Old Tappan (1)
• Oxford (1)
• Palmyra (1)
• Park Ridge (1)
• Pemberton (1)
• Perrineville (1)
• Pompton Lakes (1)
• Port Republic (1)
• Prospect Park (1)
• Ramsey (1)
• Richland (1)
• Ridgefield (1)
• River Vale (1)
• Riverside (1)
• Rockleigh (1)
• Rocky Hill (1)
• Roosevelt (1)
• Roseland (1)
• Roselle (1)
• Runnemede (1)
• Saddle River (1)
• Skillman (1)
• South River (1)
• Southampton Township (1)
• Spring Lake (1)
• Stirling (1)
• Titusville (1)
• Upper Montclair (1)
• Villas (1)
• Waldwick (1)
• Wallington (1)
• Washington (1)
• West Creek (1)
• West Long Branch (1)
• White House Station (1)
• Wood-Ridge (1)

Notable running trails in New Jersey

The New Jersey trails runners review most, ranked by rating weighted by review volume. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to narrow to the run you're actually planning. See the full best-of-New Jersey ranking →

Liberty State Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 36,921 reviews

Jersey City, NJ

MixedLitScenic

Waterfront views of Manhattan, Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, plus miles of tree-lined walkways.

Branch Brook Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 12,456 reviews

Newark, NJ

Scenic

Scenic, 360-acre park featuring cherry trees, lakes & bridges plus bicycling & other activities.

Open 24h

Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 11,212 reviews

Paterson, NJ

Scenic

National historical park known for a 77-ft. waterfall that sparked water-power development in 1792.

Open 24h

Atlantic City Boardwalk

4.4 ★★★★☆ 11,164 reviews

Atlantic City, NJ

BoardwalkScenic

Iconic oceanfront boardwalk featuring views & a variety of shops & restaurants since 1870.

Hamilton Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 8,619 reviews

Weehawken Township, NJ

Scenic

Grassy areas, floral gardens, benches, summer concerts & NYC skyline views from waterside cliffs.

Warinanco Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 7,371 reviews

Roselle, NJ

Scenic

Expansive park offering an ice-skating rink & lake activities plus multiple playing fields & trails.

Mercer County Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 6,043 reviews

West Windsor Township, NJ

ShadedScenic

Diverse activities available in a large preserve including play fields, trails, a lake & a dog park.

James J. Braddock North Hudson County Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 5,867 reviews

North Bergen, NJ

Scenic

This 167-acre lakefront, clifftop park with NYC views has 45 sports facilities, trails & a dog run.

Garret Mountain Reservation

4.7 ★★★★★ 5,859 reviews

Woodland Park, NJ

LoopShadedScenic

Hilltop 568-acre park around Lambert Castle, featuring rich bird life & trails with city views.

Overpeck County Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 5,893 reviews

Leonia, NJ

PavedScenicDog-friendly

805 acres includes 5 miles of hiking trails plus sports fields, playgrounds & an Equestrian Center.

Lincoln Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 5,855 reviews

Jersey City, NJ

ScenicDog-friendly

Largest park in Hudson County offers athletic facilities, statuary, trails & wildlife habitats.

Palisades Interstate Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 5,817 reviews

Alpine, NJ

30 miShadedScenic

2,500-acre riverfront park offers 30 miles of hiking & ski trails, playgrounds & a nature sanctuary.

Cape May Point State Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 4,819 reviews

Cape May Point, NJ

LoopBoardwalkLitScenic

State park featuring a lighthouse & environmental center, plus birding, fishing & hiking.

Eagle Rock Reservation

4.8 ★★★★★ 4,222 reviews

West Orange, NJ

Scenic

Popular county park featuring recreation areas & hiking trails with views of the Manhattan skyline.

Roosevelt Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 4,157 reviews

Edison, NJ

PavedShadedScenicDog-friendly

Park offering multiple sports areas, trails, lake fishing, an ice skating rink & an outdoor theater.

Saddle River County Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 4,154 reviews

Saddle Brook, NJ

PavedScenicDog-friendly

Multi-use pathways connect 5 different parks featuring ponds, playgrounds & athletic fields.

Weequahic Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 4,114 reviews

Newark, NJ

Scenic

Green space with a large lake, golf course, running track, trails & athletic fields.

Cheesequake State Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 3,880 reviews

Matawan, NJ

Scenic

1,610-acre park with a nature center & camping area offering biking/hiking trails & a fishing lake.

Watchung Reservation

4.7 ★★★★★ 3,679 reviews

Mountainside, NJ

6 miLoopNatural surfaceScenic

Vast park offering cross-country skiing, fishing, outdoor ice skating, hiking, camping & more.

Allaire State Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 3,586 reviews

Wall Township, NJ

LitScenic

Expansive park featuring antique steam trains, the Manasquan River & trails for hiking & biking.

High Point State Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 3,182 reviews

Sussex, NJ

ScenicDog-friendly

Panoramic hilltop views, a lake for swimming, boating & fishing, plus hiking trails & a ski center.

Rahway River Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 3,058 reviews

Rahway, NJ

ScenicDog-friendly

Park with a wide range of athletic & recreational facilities, including an outdoor swimming pool.

Duke Farms

4.8 ★★★★★ 2,896 reviews

Hillsborough Township, NJ

PavedScenic

Historic estate offering undeveloped natural habitats, gardens, outdoor activities & workshops.

Sinatra Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 2,793 reviews

Hoboken, NJ

ScenicDog-friendly

This waterfront park offers a kayak launch, soccer field, an amphitheater & views of Manhattan.

Raritan Bay Waterfront Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 2,695 reviews

South Amboy, NJ

MixedScenicDog-friendly

136-acre park along the water with sports fields plus a playground, nature study area & gazebo.

Laurel Acres Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 2,592 reviews

Mt Laurel Township, NJ

PavedScenicDog-friendly

Community park with a small fishing lake & a nature trail, plus baseball, volleyball & a dog run.

Washington Rock State Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 2,548 reviews

Watchung, NJ

Scenic

This former lookout point during the American Revolution offers dramatic views & picnic areas.

Open 24h

Mt Tammany Red Dot Trail

4.8 ★★★★★ 2,431 reviews

Hardwick Township, NJ

LoopNatural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

Challenging but doable hike with a rock-climbing trail up to a summit view of the Delaware River.

Pier C Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 2,420 reviews

Hoboken, NJ

Scenic

This park with scenic views of NYC features a fishing pier, playground, water play area & promenade.

Stephen R. Gregg Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 2,454 reviews

Bayonne, NJ

MixedShadedScenicDog-friendly

This bayfront park has many recreational amenities, including sports facilities & a playground.

New Jersey trails by surface

Surface is the biggest split in trail running — asphalt is fast and predictable, crushed limestone is softer but still smooth, dirt is easiest on the joints and the most fun, boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick when wet.

More ways to find a trail in New Jersey

• Best running trails in New Jersey — the state-wide ranking from runner reviews
• Loop trails — 117 in New Jersey come back to the trailhead without backtracking
• Long-run trails (5+ miles) — 44 in New Jersey are long enough for a proper long run
• Shaded trails — 95 in New Jersey keep tree cover over the path for summer miles
• Lit trails — 84 in New Jersey have lighting for pre-dawn and post-work runs
• Trails with restrooms — 458 in New Jersey, and 103 with water fountains
• Trailhead parking — 509 in New Jersey have parking at the trailhead
• Dog-friendly trails — 357 in New Jersey you can run with a dog
• Stroller & wheelchair-accessible — 159 in New Jersey are smooth and wide enough
• Scenic trails — 558 in New Jersey runners single out for the views
• Browse by surface — paved, crushed limestone, natural dirt or boardwalk
• All trail features — loops, shade, lighting, restrooms, mile markers and more
• Running trails by state — the rest of the country
• Trail-running guides — surfaces and your knees, loop vs out-and-back, trail etiquette, running before dawn

Trail features in New Jersey

• Scenic Running Trails (558 in New Jersey)
• Trails with Trailhead Parking (509 in New Jersey)
• Trails with Restrooms (458 in New Jersey)
• Dog-Friendly Running Trails (357 in New Jersey)
• Quiet, Uncrowded Trails (353 in New Jersey)
• Stroller & Wheelchair-Accessible Trails (159 in New Jersey)
• Loop Trails (No Backtracking) (117 in New Jersey)
• Hilly Trails & Hill Workouts (104 in New Jersey)
• Trails with Water Fountains (103 in New Jersey)
• Shaded Running Trails (95 in New Jersey)
• Flat & Fast Running Trails (95 in New Jersey)
• Lit Trails for Early & Night Runs (84 in New Jersey)
• Trails with Mile Markers (78 in New Jersey)
• Long-Run Trails (5+ Miles) (44 in New Jersey)