Top Spots for Great Hiking in New Jersey

Chances are you have a New Year’s resolution to exercise more in 2025. Perhaps you haven’t yet determined whether you’ll do more walking, running, or hiking, but if you’re considering the latter, New Jersey has many options.

Hiking in New Jersey is something that consistently helps to rebuild the human connection with nature, and also aids in maintaining a healthy heart, mind, and body.

Hiking is a great way to get out into the wild and get a taste of what it means to, for at least a short time, get away from it all and clear your head. You’ll enjoy beautiful views, bump up your heart rate, and get your steps in.

Fortunately for us, New Jersey has some of the most desirable and enjoyable hiking trails. Plus you don’t need to travel far because many of them are right in our backyard.

The hiking experts at NJHiking.com have explored over two hundred trails throughout North Jersey, Central Jersey, and South Jersey to find the best places to trek. If there's an awesome place to walk in the Garden State, they've been there.

They’ve compiled the top ten most popular hikes in New Jersey. However, we don’t have to take their word for it, it’s their website visitors and avid hikers who have hiked and ranked them, and the list is updated annually.

Number seven is the Central Jersey spot Sourland Mountain Preserve in Somerset. They share, "Easy to moderate hiking over boardwalks and through the boulders of Devil’s Half Acre and Roaring Rocks."

Listed at number eight on the list is the Green Trail at Cheesequake State Park in Middlesex County which boasts, a "Pleasant hike over rolling hills and through beautiful marshlands with the assistance of numerous boardwalks." It’s considered an “easy and also a great intro to hiking, with a nice variety of trees, [and] plenty of boardwalks.

If you’re looking to get out, get in shape, breathe in some fresh New Jersey air, and connect with nature there are multiple options to choose from.

Check out their full list here, and get more information on easy hikes, challenging hikes, waterfall hikes, the best hikes, and more.

The Department of Environmental Protection has announced that residents have the opportunity to kick off the New Year with a guided "First Day Hike" in one of New Jersey's many state parks, forests, and historic sites on January 1.

The New Jersey State Park Service is offering a record number of at least 40 hikes throughout the state, ranging in difficulty levels from beginner to advanced. You can visit nj.gov for the most recent updates on each of the scheduled free First Day Hikes being offered this Sunday.

“First Day Hikes are the perfect opportunity to get outside, recharge and connect with nature in one of New Jersey’s state parks, forests or historic sites,” said John Cecil, Assistant Commissioner for State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites. “Not only will you get fresh air and exercise, but you will make memories exploring New Jersey’s incredible natural and historic resources.”

New Jersey offered 28 hikes in 2022 where more than 248 hikers traveled 952 miles on First Day Hikes throughout New Jersey’s vast network of trails.

Sixth Annual High Point "First Day Challenge" Hike

38th Annual New Year’s Day Hike

Registration is required by emailing pbk123@aol.com or through Paulinskill Valley Rail Trail Committee Meetup page.

https://www.traillink.com/trail/paulinskill-valley-trail/

First Day Hike

Registration is not required.

https://njbg.org/

15-mile full-day hike along the Warren Highlands Trail!

Registration is required. Email your name, phone number, email address, and number of people in your group to sprucerun@dep.nj.gov.

https://warrenparks.com/warren-highlands-trail/

Red Dot Trail - First Day Hike

Registration helpful but not required. You may call Wawayanda park office at (973)-853-4462.

https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/wawayandastatepark.html

First Day Nature Hike

Registration is not required. For more information you can call Allaire State Park Office at 732-938-2371.

https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/allairestatepark.html

Historic Allaire Village Walk

Registration is required. Please e-mail wma12.njwap@gmail.com with your name and number of people in your party.

https://allairevillage.org/

Explore 300+ yeas of history in Elizabeth, NJ—oldest English settlement in the State and still developing!

Registration is required. Call: 908-282-7617 or e-mail boxwood73@aol.com.

https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/historic/boxwoodhall.html

2023 First Day Hike At Cheesequake State Park

Registration is NOT required. For more information, call 732-566-3208.

https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/cheesequakestatepark.html

Downtown Trenton Battle Monument Loop

Registration is required. Please email Mackenzie.Piggott@dep.nj.gov and provide your name, the number of people you are registering, and the best way to reach you the day of if the hike needs to be canceled due to weather.

https://www.dandrcanal.com/

Princeton Nursery Lands First Day Hike

No registration needed and visit the ww.fpnl.org website and/or call 609-683-0483 for cancellation information.

https://fpnl.org/

New Years Day Hike At White Oak Trail

Registration is required, please email wma11.njwap@gmail.com. 

https://www.dandrcanal.com/

Starting 2023 On The Right Foot

Register at FirstDayHike.Eventbrite. Please email wma20.njwap@gmail.com for further questions.

https://www.dandrcanal.com/trails

https://www.friendsofibsp.org/latest-news/first-day-hike-2023/

Perrine Hill And Sutfin Farm Hiking Tour

Registration is not required. For more information, please call the park office at 732-462-9616.

https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/monmouthbattlefieldstatepark.html

https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/firstdayhikes/

https://www.njhiking.com/top-10-hikes-nj/