Newbie here! (Belleville NJ Essex County Rider)

Weeping Bear

Weeping Bear

Member
Hi there MTB'r from jersey! I'm so stoked to see that there's a forum for NJ mountain bikers, I'm a dad of 3, and my family--includes my wife--started mountain biking just this spring. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's insight who are active here. Anyone from Essex County around here? I've been on a hunt for trails. Thanks!
 
Gene

Gene

The Dancing Machine
Welcome to Essex County @Weeping Bear ! I live in West Orange and you'll find a lot of discussions here around "prohibited" biking in\around Essex County.

To start off and if you're available weekdays there is a great group ride that goes into Eagle Rock from Pedal Montclair. You can find the details on their Facebook site (https://www.facebook.com/pedalmontclair/) whether they go or not (weather permitting).

If you are familar with Strava segments and Trailforks you'll find a good amount of trail between all parks in Essex. The other more common biking areas are Chimney Rock (take I-78 to exit 33), Lewis Morris (Morristown - great for kids) and Hilltop (new pump track that got built and kids are loving).
 
robmaurizi

robmaurizi

Well-Known Member
Welcome @Weeping Bear ! I'm in Montclair, and the local trails are over the hill in Cedar Grove & Verona off of the West Essex Rail Trail. Also good stuff up at High Mountain behind William Paterson. Depending on your kids' ages, there's a NICA team for kids in 6th–12th grade. Great bunch of folks and if you volunteer to help coach, you get to go on the team rides too :)

Keep in mind that biking is technically prohibited in all of the Essex County parks (unless you're on a road), so keep an eye out if you venture into Eagle Rock or Mills.
 
Weeping Bear

Weeping Bear

Member
RIDEr said:
Welcome to Essex County @Weeping Bear ! I live in West Orange and you'll find a lot of discussions here around "prohibited" biking in\around Essex County.

To start off and if you're available weekdays there is a great group ride that goes into Eagle Rock from Pedal Montclair. You can find the details on their Facebook site (https://www.facebook.com/pedalmontclair/) whether they go or not (weather permitting).

If you are familar with Strava segments and Trailforks you'll find a good amount of trail between all parks in Essex. The other more common biking areas are Chimney Rock (take I-78 to exit 33), Lewis Morris (Morristown - great for kids) and Hilltop (new pump track that got built and kids are loving).
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oh wow! this is great! Me and my wife starting to go every time to cedar grove whenever we get the chance. We start at the pool area, going up the trails, it's quite challenging for a newbie like me and my wife, but we like the challenge. The last time I and my son was looking for a good beginner trail at hilltop we got lost and ended up just going home. I'll check out the chimney rock, and we've been to Loantaka reservation in morris and the kids loved it.

We were planning to check out the pump track in Milford but never had a chance yet. That's great news that's there's a pump track at Hilltop, which is near me. I just don't know where to go there? address maybe? parking lot maybe?
 
Mtbdog

Mtbdog

Well-Known Member
Welcome! Northern Passaic county has some nice ride opportunities. High mt., Ringwood state forest, Waywayanda just to name a few. Enjoy!
 
robmaurizi

robmaurizi

Well-Known Member
RIDEr said:
Welcome to Essex County @Weeping Bear ! I live in West Orange and you'll find a lot of discussions here around "prohibited" biking in\around Essex County.

To start off and if you're available weekdays there is a great group ride that goes into Eagle Rock from Pedal Montclair. You can find the details on their Facebook site (https://www.facebook.com/pedalmontclair/) whether they go or not (weather permitting).

If you are familar with Strava segments and Trailforks you'll find a good amount of trail between all parks in Essex. The other more common biking areas are Chimney Rock (take I-78 to exit 33), Lewis Morris (Morristown - great for kids) and Hilltop (new pump track that got built and kids are loving).
Click to expand...

Where's the pump track at Hilltop?!
 
Weeping Bear

Weeping Bear

Member
robmaurizi said:
Welcome @Weeping Bear ! I'm in Montclair, and the local trails are over the hill in Cedar Grove & Verona off of the West Essex Rail Trail. Also good stuff up at High Mountain behind William Paterson. Depending on your kids' ages, there's a NICA team for kids in 6th–12th grade. Great bunch of folks and if you volunteer to help coach, you get to go on the team rides too :)

Keep in mind that biking is technically prohibited in all of the Essex County parks (unless you're on a road), so keep an eye out if you venture into Eagle Rock or Mills.
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that's what exactly I was gonna ask, I went to Eagle Rock, coz some of my friends told me, there was a trail there---very rocky though--and I went, I saw some people riding on the road, but it's only me who is riding in the trail, I was wondering if I'm gonna get in trouble with the sheriffs there?
 
MadisonDan

MadisonDan

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Welcome!
So many great places to ride in NJ, from cruising on rail trails for miles to gnarly rocky tech, there's something for everyone.
 
robmaurizi

robmaurizi

Well-Known Member
Weeping Bear said:
that's what exactly I was gonna ask, I went to Eagle Rock, coz some of my friends told me, there was a trail there---very rocky though--and I went, I saw some people riding on the road, but its only who is riding in the trail, I was wondering if I'm gonna get in trouble with the sheriffs there?
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Yeah, I know guys who've gotten tickets there, and I know people who've been followed home by civilians who didn't like the fact that they were riding in Eagle Rock.

Ringwood is fairly rocky for sure.

The stuff in Cedar Grove keeps evolving which is kind of cool, and it's growing in popularity (may be good or bad)... Not sure how far you've ventured from the park, but starting from the Community Park / pool, if you make a right on the rail trail and go over Rte. 23, there's some fairly mellow stuff on your left (my 7YO's love it in there) between 23 and the next street crossing. After the street crossing, there's more great stuff that's a little more challenging.

If you want to do a small road trip w/ the team, check out High Bridge NJ (about an hour from here), but there's a rail trail, a solid trail system (Nassau Trails), a pump track, and the new one-way flow trails—something for everyone for sure!

Also, be sure to take the team down to Allaire State Park (the south side trails, not the north side trails)... A lot of good stuff in there and little spurs off of the main Orange, Blue and White trails.
 
Weeping Bear

Weeping Bear

Member
robmaurizi said:
Yeah, I know guys who've gotten tickets there, and I know people who've been followed home by civilians who didn't like the fact that they were riding in Eagle Rock.

Ringwood is fairly rocky for sure.

The stuff in Cedar Grove keeps evolving which is kind of cool, and it's growing in popularity (may be good or bad)... Not sure how far you've ventured from the park, but starting from the Community Park / pool, if you make a right on the rail trail and go over Rte. 23, there's some fairly mellow stuff on your left (my 7YO's love it in there) between 23 and the next street crossing. After the street crossing, there's more great stuff that's a little more challenging.

If you want to do a small road trip w/ the team, check out High Bridge NJ (about an hour from here), but there's a rail trail, a solid trail system (Nassau Trails), a pump track, and the new one-way flow trails—something for everyone for sure!

Also, be sure to take the team down to Allaire State Park (the south side trails, not the north side trails)... A lot of good stuff in there and little spurs off of the main Orange, Blue and White trails.
Click to expand...

My family are planning on camping in allaire state park for a weekend two weeks from now, and I'll definitely check out high bridge, thanks man!
 
Gene

Gene

The Dancing Machine
robmaurizi said:
Welcome @Weeping Bear ! I'm in Montclair, and the local trails are over the hill in Cedar Grove & Verona off of the West Essex Rail Trail. Also good stuff up at High Mountain behind William Paterson. Depending on your kids' ages, there's a NICA team for kids in 6th–12th grade. Great bunch of folks and if you volunteer to help coach, you get to go on the team rides too :)

Keep in mind that biking is technically prohibited in all of the Essex County parks (unless you're on a road), so keep an eye out if you venture into Eagle Rock or Mills.
Click to expand...
Apologies, meant High Bridge.
 
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