Follow a shady rail-trail along the Paulins Kill river from Cedar Ridge Road to the Paulinskill Viaduct.
26 miles or less, total round trip. Surface is gravel and dirt, ranging from 4-6’ wide to a narrow strip. A few rutted areas that can be deeply muddy. Generally level with minor elevation change.
| 26 miles | This biking guide: Detailed instructions and photos follow below. |
| Shorter | Simply turn around at any point. |
| Longer | Guide for the other section: Paulinskill Valley Trail – Warbasse Junction to Cedar Ridge |
| Nearby | Great Valley Trail Loop; White Lake; White Lake Kayak; Kittatinny Valley State Park; Lake Aeroflex Kayak Swartswood State Park; Swartswood Grist Mill Trail; Jenny Jump – Ghost Lake; Jenny Jump Trail. |
Our two cents:
Shady rail-trail with a variety of scenery – forest, large bridges, a small airport… and a huge viaduct!
Can be muddy – avoid after heavy rain. Combine with Sussex Branch and Great Valley Rail Trail for even more options. Trail is shared with horses.
For biking, the Paulinskill Valley is rougher and can be more rugged than compared to other New Jersey rail-trails like the Columbia Trail or the D&R Canal Towpath. Recommend hybrid or mountain bikes – road bikes are probably not a good idea.
For hiking/trail running, this is an easy surface, mostly level, and its straight out-and-back so no navigation required.
The entire Paulinskill Valley Trail is 27 miles one-way, though each end might be a bit unkempt and unridable, reducing mileage. Neither of our guides go all the way to the very end.
Related: NJ Bike Trails overview page.
Parking: N41.02518° W74.86324°
Paulinskill Valley Trail, 928 Cedar Ridge Rd, Newton, NJ 07860. Small dirt lot along Cedar Ridge Road across from a red barn. Note that this street address is for the parking area but also a house and buildings in the area.
Multiple other access points, see maps. Note that parking at the other end of this route along Station Road is permit only (near the viaduct, not used in this guide).
Restrooms:
Nothing at the trailhead or much approaching it. Portable toilet at Footbridge Park (as of 8/2021).
Biking Info:
Trail Maps/Books:
Trail maps linked above. Follow along on your smartphone with our Interactive Map link above. Our map shows the entire Paulinskill Valley Trail.
This is managed by Kittatinny Valley State Park but doesn’t appear on their trail maps.
Appears in Rail-Trails New Jersey & New York which contains a map and description of the whole trail, with parking lots noted.
Refreshments:
Passed on the route: Blairstown has a diner, market, etc. which can be accessed via Footbridge Park, and a cafe at the Blairstown Airport.
The Details:
0.0 – Start following the Paulinskill Valley Trail through the break in a fence and immediately runs next to water. [The Paulinskill Valley also continues in the other direction, across the road and next to the barn].
A section of deeper water with trees growing out of it. Continue following the Paulinskill Valley Trail as it passes an open area with a house off on the right.
The surface of the Paulinskill Valley Trail ranges from wide to narrow single track with grass on either side. There is an occasional gate to ride around.
The trail can also have deep ruts that get muddy with a lot of rain. The sections are usually short but can be annoying. And we have encountered some serious mud on this section of the trail.
2.8 – Continue over a large bridge, the first of several along this section of the Paulinskill Valley Trail.
The trails runs along the Paulins Kill, seen from the bridge.
Fun Facts: Find out how Len Frank lead a grassroots conservation effort to the turn the former railway into a recreation trail.
3.5 – Cross Spring Valley Road, which should have room for a couple cars.
4.7 – Cross another bridge with views of the Paulins Kill.
Cross another bridge which had short metal sides I couldn’t see over, if I recall correctly. Then there’s another one soon after.
6.5 – Go under the Rt. 94 overpass and through a parking area.
6.7 – Arrive at Footbridge Park. There’s a large parking lot, covered picnic tables, grassy area and playground, and portable toilet.
The little building has historic photographs and the long bridge leads into Blairstown where there is a diner and market etc.
Fun Fact: Scenes from Friday the 13th were filmed on Blairstown’s Main Street and at the diner. [Source: Blairstown, New Jersey on Wikipedia].
8.6 – Arrive at Lambert Road, facing the open field of the Blairstown Airport. This is a break in the Paulinskill Valley Trail. Don’t recall that there was a sign for what to do here.
Turn LEFT and ride down Lambert Road. There is a strip of grass but not much, if any, road shoulder. Make the first RIGHT onto the airport driveway, Airport Road. Don’t recall a sign.
8.9 – Continue to the airport where you can watch planes land and take off, plus there is a cafe.
9.2 – Continue past the airport along the driveway. The trail turns LEFT at a fence, after the main part of the airport.
Continue following the Paulinskill Valley Trail, crossing a few streets. The trail narrows in places.
Cross open grassy areas and a power line with views of the Kittatinny Ridge in the distance.
Tons of great hikes run across that ridge in the distance such as Sunfish Pond and Raccoon Ridge.
12.6 – Arrive at Station Road where there is a small pullout room for a few cars (which should be a permit parking area, but don’t recall seeing it posted).
Turn LEFT and follow the trail along Station Road until it arrives at the massive Paulinskill Viaduct, looming far overhead. There is a small pullout on the right (parking permit needed).
Fun Facts: The Paulinskill Viaduct, also known as the Hainesburg Trestle, was built in 1910 by the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad and was in use until 1978. The tracks were removed soon after.
The seven arches span 1,100 feet and are 115 feet above the Paulins Kill river. At one time it was the largest reinforced concrete structure in the world. [Source: TrailLink]
Walk towards the other base of the viaduct to check out river. Fun Fact: A viaduct is a specific type of bridge consisting of a series of arches and columns that supports a long elevated railway or road [Source: Wikipedia].
People used to bungee jump off of the viaduct over the river! Hopefully the water was deeper than in our photo. It’s considered trespassing to climb up into/on the viaduct (even though you can find videos and such online).
Check out “This N.J. rail bridge is beloved by many, but nobody knows what to do with it” for more info, plus historic and aerial photos of this impressive structure.
There’s graffiti everywhere. Most is the generic scribbles we normally encounter on trails but at least some have a little more effort put into it. This was behind the base of the viaduct near the water (as of 8/2021).
The viaduct makes for an obvious turnaround point, but the Paulinskill Valley Trail continues for about another mile until ending at Brugler Road (we haven’t done that section).
// Longer: Once back at the parking lot, you can continue further in the other direction – head past the barn and follow our guide in reverse: Paulinskill Valley Trail – Warbasse Junction to Cedar Road.
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Biked 8/15/21.