My Favorite Mountain Biking Spots in New Jersey

I’ve been mountain biking for about two years now and it’s made its way into my life as one of my favorite things to do . Rarely does something come into my life that I like so much. As far as what I’ve read and heard too, mountain biking is hailed as a great way to stay active by some while others swear pedaling through the woods is like a religious experience. I’d consider myself in between these views as I definitely value my time spent on my bike.

Whatever way you slice it, mountain biking is a great way to experience nature and New Jersey is a great place to do it. Here are some of my favorite places to get out into the woods and ride hard or as the bikers put it “send it.”

Nassau Trail- High Bridge

Located near High Bridge, just north of Clinton the Nassau trail is part of a town on the up and up. In the last half century, it’s gone from “where the hill people live” as an old stereotype went, to a trendy little town with tons of stuff to ride if you’re on a bike. While the Columbia trail has drawn attention as a multi-use trail for years, the Nassau Trail shines for people who want to ride some serious single-track.

The Nassau trail started back in 2012 when the county gave permission to a group of passionate riders to build trails on a nature preserve which is surrounded by Nassau road, hence the name. There’s even an informative Facebook community page and treated wood signs. Some of my favorite trails are Rich Woods, Springside loop, and Flatlands. There are a lot of nice features for all skill levels: rock gardens, jumps, rough and smooth descents. The team behind Nassau even adds new trails every year. This year included a fantastic downhill trail and a connector to another entrance at a local park.

I’m a little biased since the Nassau trial is only about a 15-minute drive from my house so I have ridden it the most. Despite this, I really think it’s a well thought out system with something for everyone. Not to mention High Bridge is a great venue for post-ride hangouts, from High Rail brewing company, to Casa Maya and Scout’s Coffee bar, it’s got something for everyone. I could sing the praises of the Nassatu trail and High Bridge all day (I haven’t even mentioned the pumptrack and gravity jump lines at the High Bridge commons) but bottom line, the Nassau is a lovingly maintained trail system with an active community and a premium location.

Lewis Morris Park- Morristown

Unsurprisingly, my second favorite trail system is the one I’ve rode the second most. Lewis Morris, or LewMo as some call it, is the closest trail to my school in Madison to ride real single-track. I originally found it from a recommendation from Hilltop bike shop in Madison. Either way let's get into why Lewis Morris is a good way to slam some single-track.

First off, the size — Lewis Morris has 12 miles of trail to ride and tons of elevation compared to more Southern trail systems. This is probably due to its geographic positioning sitting in between right near the border of the Piedmont and Highlands geographical regions of NJ. Long story short, this makes the climbs longer and slower but the descents are also longer. Furthermore, there are some absolutely gnarly trails there with tons of rocks and roots. It’s a fantastic place to work on your technical descents as there are quite a few rocks with steep inclines to go with them. There is a lot to ride and master at Lewis Morris. It doesn't have the purpose-built features of the Nassau trail, but it almost doesn’t need it because of the higher elevation. Furthermore, the scenery at Lewis Morris is really nice, the high, rocky hills make for a great ride aesthetic.

Location-wise, one could make an argument that Lewis Morris has an even better location than Nassau. It’s close to more high population centers and a wonderful city in Morristown. Personally, I think some of the best restaurants in close proximity exist here like Millie’s Old World Pizza and Meatballs, the Committed Pig, and The Famished Frog, all great places with lots of variety.

My only real criticism of Lewis Morris is that it isn’t very well-marked and it can be easy to get lost there if you’re not used to it. I’ve also heard some complain that it’s trails are a little washed out. This is true in some places but has never taken away from my experience due to the amount of trails. Nonetheless, between its great size and location, Lewis Morris proves to be a fantastic place to ride, especially if you’re looking to ride more technical stuff.

Six Mile Run- Franklin Township

Six Mile Run is hailed by many as the best trails to ride in NJ. While others say its riding season is too short since it feels like it never dries. No matter what side you're on, if you can get there when the weather is nice, you won’t be disappointed. The team that’s behind Six Mile run is extremely dedicated and these are well-maintained trails with lots of features.

This trail system is definitely the most flowy on this list as it's missing the many rocks that you’ll run into on other New Jersey trail systems. I’ve heard Allaire state park is also very flowy, but I haven’t gotten there yet unfortunately. So for me, Six-Mile is the de facto flow. Anyway, there are lots of fast, well-maintained trails at Six-Mile run. One of the coolest parts is a long wood bridge that takes you over a swampy area. There’s even some harder stuff on the red trail, like small river valleys that you ride into and then promptly out of. I’m not one to hit a lot of jumps, but there are definitely some things that you could boost off of if you were trying. I really wish I was closer to Six-Mile, but every time I go it’s either rained recently or it is super crowded so sadly, I’ve only ridden it a handful of times.

So there you are, three great places to ride your bike in central/north Jersey. All of these have their merits and problems but all provide a lot of fun for an after work ride. Nassau, Lewis Morris, and Six Mile will always be my first choices if I’m near my house or school due to their convenience and variety.