Hartshorne Woods Park
Arguably one of the best places to mountain bike in all of New Jersey, Hartshorne is located just north of the Jersey shore, near Sandy Hook Bay. The park offers an organized system of fast, technical, up-and-down trails that are categorized like a ski resort: green circle, blue square and black diamond, based upon difficulty. Part of the Monmouth County park system, Hartshorne offers more than 19 miles of trails on its 787 acres, though not all trails are open to bikes. Novice riders can enjoy options like Laurel Ridge, while more experienced mountain bikers can opt for advanced trails like Rocky Point. The park is easy to access from Route 36 and the Garden State Parkway.
Hartshorne Woods Park
1402 Portland Road, Highlands, NJ (Rocky Point Entrance) 07732
(732) 872-0336
monmouthcountyparks.com
Allaire State Park
Allaire State Park is located in Farmingdale, New Jersey, which is easy to access from the Garden State Parkway or Interstate 195. The 3,199-acre park provides more than 20 miles of trails. The 16.5-mile Orange Trail is the park's multiuse trail that is open to mountain biking. The trail is not overly technical, but the sandy ground can make traction an issue. Allaire offers an enjoyable mountain biking experience for beginners and novice riders, while some climbs, winding singletrack and downhills provide fun for more advanced riders.
Allaire State Park
4265 Atlantic Avenue
Farmingdale, NJ 07727
(732) 938-2371
state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/allaire.html
Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Towpath
For those riders looking for a more flat, relaxed off-road biking experience, you can't go wrong with the Delaware and Raritan Towpath. The wide, flat Feeder Canal Trail stretches for 31.5 miles and consists of a surface of compacted quarry grit. The trail runs alongside the Delaware River and connects Milford with Ewing Township, running past a number of historic towns, parks and sites including Washington Crossing State Park. There are plenty of access points along the way to tailor the ride to the distance that you'd like to do. A second spur of the Towpath, the Main Canal Trail, connects New Brunswick in the north with Trenton in the south. The path runs through Princeton and provides a total of 34 miles.
D&R Canal State Park
145 Mapleton Road
Princeton, NJ 08540
(609) 924-5705
state.nj.us/transportation/commuter/bike/pdf/drcanal.pdf
