Home › New Jersey › River Vale › Poplar Road Wildlife Sanctuary
Poplar Road Wildlife Sanctuary
4.2 ★★★★☆ 64 Google reviews · Running trail in River Vale, New Jersey · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Crushed gravel
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from Poplar Road Wildlife Sanctuary's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Hiking area with tall pine trees and wildlife.
What runners say about Poplar Road Wildlife Sanctuary
“it's very beautiful especially in the winter with the many pine trees.”
Great little park for a walk with the kids. This park is tiny so it takes very little time to walk through but the paths is clear and is a small loop. The trees are interesting to look at and we saw quite a few deer, baby deer too.
Nice little area to explore. Not many trails but a lot of open forest. The secret is the fence is down in the back so you can go wander towards the river. Definitely worth wandering around.
Beautiful little spot to go walk through...lovely tall pines and lots of wildlife...
Ran here in May of 2019. Trails have not been groomed and it’s tough to run without stumbling on fallen logs and branches. Definitely has potential if someone gives this place some TLC
Trail conditions & character
“it's very beautiful especially in the winter with the many pine trees.”
“There is a very small parking lot, so be aware.”
“When hit gravel road the trails are small and hard to see on return.”
“This park is tiny so it takes very little time to walk through but the paths is clear and is a small loop.”
Plan your run at Poplar Road Wildlife Sanctuary
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- SurfaceCrushed gravel — the rail-trail classic: softer than asphalt, still smooth enough for tempo work
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Running trails near River Vale
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Bonnabel Nature Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 58 reviews
Kid- and dog-friendly nature preserve with hiking trails and picnic tables.
Sapienza Gardens
4.6 ★★★★★ 23 reviews
Beechwood Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 122 reviews
Relaxed green space with swings, slides, picnic tables and a playground.
Woodcliff Lake Reservoir Nature Trail
3.4 ★★★☆☆ 5 reviews
