Rail-Trails New Jersey & New York

The definitive guide to the region's top multiuse trails

Wilderness Press
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
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Explore 58 of the best rail-trails and multiuse pathways across two states

All across the country, unused railroad corridors have been converted into public multiuse trails. Here, the experts from Rails-to-Trails Conservancy present the best of these rail-trails, as well as other multiuse pathways, in New Jersey and New York. Explore four Hall of Fame Rail-Trails: the High Line, New York City’s famed aerial greenway, and a trio of connected rail-trails—the Hudson Valley Rail Trail, Walkway Over the Hudson, and William R. Steinhaus Dutchess Rail Trail—that form a seamless 20-mile pathway through New York’s scenic Hudson Valley.

Learn about ambitious trail projects, like New York’s state-spanning Empire State Trail and the 800-mile Circuit Trails network in Camden and Greater Philadelphia. And discover paths that offer views of some of America’s most iconic natural treasures, such as Niagara Falls, the Great Lakes, the Atlantic Ocean coastline, the Finger Lakes, and the Catskill and Adirondack Mountains.

In this book, you’ll find:

  • Detailed maps for every rail-trail, plus driving directions to trailheads
  • Icons indicating the activities each trail can accommodate
  • Succinct descriptions written by rail-trail experts

“You can now throw away all your self-help books on fighting depression, losing weight, toning muscles, finding something to do with your kids, and learning American history. Just use this guide, find a great trail—and enjoy!”
—Peter Harnik, Director, Center for City Park Excellence, Trust for Public Land

Contributor Bio

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is a nationwide nonprofit dedicated to converting former railroad corridors to public, multiuse recreational trails that offer easy access to runners, hikers, bicyclists, skaters, wheelchair users, and equestrians. It serves as the national voice for more than 160,000 members and supporters, more than 23,000 miles of open rail-trails across the country, and more than 8,000 miles of potential trails waiting to be built—with a goal of ensuring a better future for America made possible by trails and the connections they inspire. To find out more about Rail-Trails, check out the Conservancy's official website at railstotrails.org.