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 State Parks, Forests, and Historic Sites; 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 State Parks, Forests, and Historic Sites.

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 State Parks, Forests, and Historic Sites.

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: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of State Parks, Forests, and Historic Sites.

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: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of State Parks, Forests, and Historic Sites.

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 State Parks, Forests, and Historic Sites.

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 State Parks, Forests, and Historic Sites.

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.