columbia trail

anrothar

entirely thrilled
has anyone ridden the full length of the columbia trail? from flanders all the way to high bridge? i'm going to attempt to onclude it in an overnight trip to philly friday/saturday.
 

Mike679

Active Member
I live about a mile from Columbia Trail where it crosses West Valley Brook Rd in Long Valley and ride it periodically down to High Bridge. You can start up in Flanders - it starts on Bartley Rd and go from there somewhere in the 16 mile neighborhood. You'll notice that it's more well-groomed once you get into Hunterdon County. Nice bridge crossing over Ken Lockwood Gorge and less frightening since they took down the old rail bridge and replaced it w/ a nice concrete one.

Good rail trail - nice scenery.
 

anrothar

entirely thrilled
i know it does. unfortunately i have a goal, and don't have all day. i'm leaving around 1pm, and need to make it to tinicum park in erwinna, pa(about 50 miles). yes i said tinicum. yes it's really called that. no i don't know what they were thinking.

now that i know about this trail though, and that it looks like it cuts out those hills going into/out of longvalley, i'll probably be hitting the place up a little bit more often.

it was surprisingly difficult to find info on the flanders trailhead. i had to look it up on a patriots path trail map.
 

bonefishjake

Strong like bull, smart like tractor
Team MTBNJ Halter's
i'm not exactly sure where it is (the flanders trail head) and i'm about two miles from it.
 

anrothar

entirely thrilled
where the train tracks go over 206, at the shopping center. that's bartley rd. if you took a right at morris-sussex pet supply, while heading east on 10. left on park, before the train tracks. left on main, right on flanders/bartley rd. when i get back well have to ride it down to have a beer or three.
 

THATmanMANNY

Well-Known Member
3 questions

We want to ride here this weekend. I live in Hillsborough. Where can we park and ride north. The most southern point of Columbia Trail or anything up a little farther. We want to bike about two hrs and lunch break somewhere.

Is there some singletrack we can dip into along the way if it's right next to the trail or a couple miles away from Columbia trail?

Where should we grab lunch? Maybe some outside seating/deli would be niiiice.
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
there is a small park at the high bridge end of the trail with a decent amount of parking. the streets in high bridge are easy to cross - there are a couple nasty ones with stop signs on the trail - be sure to heed their warning (hoffmans is really bad. blind turn for cars coming downhill)

think it was 7 miles to califon (??) - should be somewhere to eat near there - we packed some food to bring along. there are tables

the ride along/over ken lockwood gorge makes the trip!

great family trip -
 

jpn

Active Member
we have done this trail as a family a number of times. if you start from high bridge when you get to Califon (there is an old train station there) turn left and go on the road. go over the bridge and just up from the bridge there is a place that sells ice cream and sandwiches and has a nice lunch menu. I think it is called the general store. that is a nice place to stop and eat.

if you ride about half a mile up from the trail past that place you hit the main road and there is a Pizza place next to the A&P.

there is Pizza and other restuarants in Long Valley on main road as well.

as far as singletrack, i thought this is where the Nassau trail network was being worked on, but I may be wrong.

Columbia trail and Paulinskill trail are very nice family rides!
 

icolquhoun

Active Member
^^^^^as mentioned, Califon would be a nice place to stop for lunch.
If you get to the train station and cross academy street and come right to the left side of the large firehouse you can make a right there on the next street and about 200' up on the left will be Rambo's country store. No uphill to ride up with kids with this option, and much closer to the trail.
Rambo's has a deli and $0.25 ice creams for the kids. Thats no typo.

High Bridge parking to Long Valley center is roughly 11 miles each way.
The columbia trail from the center of long valley from middle valley rd on a nice weekend will have about three hundred thousand people on it.
LV center has four pizzerias, Dunkin Donuts, Baskin Robins, delis, Chinese, Thai, Brew Pub, etc.
CycleCraft is right in the middle of Long Valley to tune or fix pesky bikes/pick up a spare tube, etc.

As far as singletrack to dip off, Nassau trails in high bridge, one short section on the south side of the CT right by the large bridge in the gorge that parallels the CT for about 200', and after you pass thru LV on the right before Frasier steel theres some if you know where to look.
bunch around the Gillette trail intersection and SchooleysMtn Park if you dont mind some climbing. Thats it. of those, Nassau trails are by far your best bet.

Have fun!
 

THATmanMANNY

Well-Known Member
clutch

As far as singletrack to dip off, Nassau trails in high bridge, one short section on the south side of the CT right by the large bridge in the gorge that parallels the CT for about 200'

do I have to ride the road to Nassau Trails network or is there a connector trail/double track/dirt rd?
 

icolquhoun

Active Member
clutch



do I have to ride the road to Nassau Trails network or is there a connector trail/double track/dirt rd?

it's tricky.....
short answer: with kids/family it's tough to get there off-road/trail-wise due to steep downhill section.

it's possible to hit it via some crazy connectors: hang a right about 1/4 mile coming out of high bridge over a hump. there's a gate looking fence and a large state park looking sign saying lake solitude area and the trail will go around this on the left-hand side. hang a right right after the fence passing and head down a fun steep singletrack section. search for a bridge and cross it towards the back of custom alloy's property, which you will notice by the huge forged steel pipes all over. as soon as you cross the bridge try and hang left and get up towards the road. I forget the color of the blazes but that connector pops you right across the street from nassau rd. head up nassau and bang a right at the first lot on right......

I'm headed out to ride this now that you have me typing it all out...will report back tonite with better desc.
 

THATmanMANNY

Well-Known Member
thank you all

Awesome, rather stay on dirt! Please report back.

Just my newbie wife and I./ As long as the "connector" isn't rocky and walkable in parts if it's not beginner friendly then we should be okay.
 

icolquhoun

Active Member
alright, fresh Beta:
from high bridge parking area about 1/4 mile after starting you'll see a large steel fence on the right and a sign saying Taylor steelworks entrance. enter that trailhead blazed with yellow blazes to the left of the gaurdrail fence thingy. bear right and you'll go down a fun fast singletrack trail (not nearly as tech as I remembered, just did it on a 38c tire equiped vaya with drop bars) and pop out in field looking towards some older industrial revolution buildings bear left and cross a cool steel bridge. go straight ahead and you'll pop out on a road. directly ahead is wilson rd/nassau rd. climb nassau road for about 3-400' and enter fun swoopy smooth singletrack on right.

also, i said above that lunch at rambo's was right at the fire house. it's actually LEFT and less than 100" from the trail.

If you make it to LV there are a few cool new eats right at the trailhead that will be mobbed....
good luck and have fun!
 

THATmanMANNY

Well-Known Member
Who are you ? :)

Thank you. Very informative

We are going to try to do nassau trails or some of it and CT to Califon. But based on time we will have to see. I don't want to push her too hard.
 
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