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Running trails in Closter, NJ
Closter has 3 trails in the directory — 2 on crushed gravel or dirt, 2 loops that return to the trailhead, 2 with a stated distance, and 1 open 24 hours. 2 of them post opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 1,814 Google reviews. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to get to the run you're actually planning — no made-up difficulty score, just the facts you'd check before driving out.
Giant Stairs Palisades
4.8 ★★★★★ 364 reviews
Popular hiking locale featuring trails with cliff views, lizards, and snakes.
Palisades Interstate Park Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 355 reviews
Scenic outdoor experience destination offering hiking trails, picnic areas and lookout points.
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Closter
- Match the surface to your legs. Most of what's here is natural surface (2 of 3). Asphalt and concrete are fast, predictable and runnable year-round but the least forgiving; crushed limestone and dirt take the sting out of high mileage; boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick in the wet. If your shins or knees are complaining, the fix that actually works is varying the surface you run on rather than chasing one "best" one. More natural surface trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? 2 trails here are loops, so you finish back at the car with no backtracking — the easiest way to run a set distance without thinking about it. On an out-and-back you turn round at half your target distance, which makes any trail fit any run. The longest stated distance in Closter is Palisades Interstate Park Trail at 30 mi. 1 trail is long enough for a 5-mile-plus run without repeating yourself.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 1 trail in Closter is open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 2 of the 3 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 3 have trailhead parking and 2 have restrooms in Closter. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 1 with mile markers, 2 that runners describe as quiet, and 1 dog-friendly. Busy or quiet isn't a good-or-bad thing here: a busy path is the safer choice for a solo run at dawn, a quiet one is better for intervals.
More on all of this in the trail-running guides.
Browse Closter trails by type
Running trails near Closter
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.