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West Essex Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 27 Google reviews · Running trail in Cedar Grove, New Jersey · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from West Essex Trail'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.
What runners say about West Essex Trail
There’s basically 2 directions you could go if u start on Bowden rd. One way the most you see is people’s yards & the train tracks. The other way you see the river & small waterfall. Pretty nice. Not too far of a walk either.
Well used trail for walking and biking in residential and industrial areas, but a welcome diversion.
I come here very often. It's a good walk along an old railroad line, still a few traces of that. The one end takes you out by an active rail line so be careful there. A nice walk through the woods overall. Gets a little crowded at times.
Good local trail. Used to be a lot better when people didn't know about it, and before they added signs and fence on the tressel. That was many years ago when I was a kid!
Plan your run at West Essex Trail
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both 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.
- Websiteessexcountyparks.org
- Social Instagram
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 Cedar Grove
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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