New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 7 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Chapter 5D - STATE TRAILS SYSTEM
Subchapter 8 - STATE TRAILS SYSTEM
Section 7:5D-8.1 - State Trails System

i. Location: Extending approximately 70 miles from the Delaware Water Gap to the New York New Jersey border in Abram S. Hewitt State Forest.

ii. Administering Agency: Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry; United States Department of Interior, National Park Service, for the part in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

iii. Permitted Trail Uses: Hiking; sections suitable for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing when snow covered.

iv. Trail Class: Scenic

v. Significance: The Appalachian Trail is a National Scenic Trail, following the ridges and valleys of the Appalachian Mountain System from Maine to Georgia. The New Jersey section passes through a variety of upland and lowland landscapes in Warren, Sussex and Passaic counties. Numerous side trails connect with the Appalachian Trail.

i. Location: Extending approximately 49 miles in Brendan T. Byrne State Forest, New Lisbon, to Bass River State Forest, New Gretna, Burlington County.

ii. Administering Agency: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry.

iii. Permitted Trail Uses: Hiking; sections suitable for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing when snow covered.

iv. Trail Class: Scenic

v. Significance: The Batona Trail passes through a variety of Pine Barrens upland and lowland landscapes, connecting Brendan T. Byrne, Wharton and Bass River State Forests.

i. Location: Extending approximately 70 miles from New Brunswick to Lawrence, and from Trenton to Frenchtown, passing through Mercer, Hunterdon, Somerset and Middlesex counties.

ii. Administering Agency: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry.

iii. Permitted Trail Uses: Hiking, bicycling, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing throughout the entire length; horseback riding on the Main Canal section. Canoeing and kayaking are permitted in the canal.

iv. Trail Class: Recreation.

v. Significance: Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park includes a canal and towpath of the Delaware and Raritan Canal, and the former right-of-way of the BelDel Railroad. The park is listed as a National Recreation Trail. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has numerous historic structures and buildings associated with it.

i. Location: Lands owned by the Department extending approximately 27 miles from Knowlton to Sparta Junction.

ii. Administering Agency: Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry.

iii. Permitted Trail Uses: Hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, bicycling, dog-sledding, horseback riding and carriage driving.

iv. Trail Class: Recreation.

v. Significance: The trail is designed to provide a variety of trail activities. It passes through a variety of rural and wooded landscapes in Sussex and Warren counties, and contains significant cultural features as an abandoned right-of-way of the former New York Susquehanna and Western Railroad. It intersects the Sussex Branch Trail and is managed by Kittatinny Valley State Park.

i. Location: Lands owned by the Department extending 20 miles from Netcong to Branchville, in Morris and Sussex counties.

ii. Administering Agency: Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry.

iii. Permitted Trail Uses: Hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and bicycling for its entire length; dog-sledding, horseback riding, and carriage driving from Andover to Branchville.

iv. Trail Class: Recreation.

v. Significance: The Sussex Branch Trail passes through a variety of landscapes in Sussex and Morris counties and contains significant natural features. It was an abandoned right-of-way of the former Erie Lackawanna Railroad and is now managed by Kittatinny Valley and Hopatcong State parks. The Sussex Branch Trail is designed to provide a variety of trail activities and access to several other outdoor recreational activities at Kittatinny Valley State Park and Allamuchy Mountain State Park.

i. Location: Upper and Dennis townships, Cape May County and Maurice River Township, Cumberland County.

ii. Administering Agency: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry.

iii. Permitted Trail Uses: Hiking, horseback riding, bicycling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and motorized use of registered vehicles on designated trails.

iv. Trail Class: Recreation.

v. Significance: Belleplain State Forest offers a variety of trail opportunities on over 15,600 acres of predominantly Pine Barrens forest, including a trail for the visually impaired.

i. Location: Ocean County, from Dover Forge in Double Trouble State Park to Route 9.

ii. Permitted Trail Uses: Canoeing and kayaking.

iii. Trail Class: Recreation.

iv. Significance: Cedar Creek provides an appreciation of ecosystems of the Pinelands, in a slow winding course. The river passes through Double Trouble State Park and the village of Double Trouble, a National Historic District.

i. Location: Ocean Township, Ocean County.

ii. Administering Agency: Ocean County Parks and Recreation Department.

iii. Permitted Trail Uses: Hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and bicycling on designated trails.

iv. Trail Class: Recreation.

v. Significance: The park includes Pine Barrens upland oak-pine forests and lowland habitats, including Atlantic white cedar swamps. The park also includes a trail for the visually impaired, nature center, picnic area, and canoe rental for fishing and canoeing on Wells Mills Lake.

i. Location: Burlington and Atlantic counties, within Wharton State Forest.

ii. Administering Agency: All portions of adjacent land to the rivers are within Wharton State Forest, administered by the Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry.

iii. Permitted Trail Uses: Canoeing and kayaking.

iv. Trail Class: Recreation.

v. Significance: Wharton Water Trails form a network of pristine Pine Barrens water trails all converging into the Mullica River. The Lower Atsion, Batsto, Oswego and Wading rivers total 52 miles of slow-moving waterways that are available for canoeing and kayaking. The Lower Atsion is New Jersey's only designated Wild and Scenic River.