Columbia Trail — Attraction in Washington Township

I recently found a great rail trail in NJ called the Columbia Trail. This trail spans nearly 15 miles and runs between Mt Olive and Washington Township in Morris County and downtown High Bridge in Hunterdon County. It is a great place to go for a walk, jog, bike ride, or snow shoeing and X country skiing in winter. The trail is well-maintained and has a flat surface without any hills or steep grades, making it accessible to users with different abilities and needs. The trail also allows horses from a nearby horse farm which adds to the charm of the trail but just be on the lookout so as not to spook the animals. Along the route are many opportunities for a stop off to shop and eat – Long Valley, Califon and the end point of High Bridge. The trail is also wheelchair accessible for most of its length – especially closer to the noted towns with ample parking at each site. Overall, I had a great experience on the Columbia Trail. It’s a great place to enjoy the outdoors and get some exercise. I would highly recommend this trail to anyone looking for a fun and scenic day out. Enjoy your time...

I rode this trail for the first time in Oct 2020. It was a beautiful flat ride on a wide trail - good for social distancing, though I hope by the time you read this COVID is a distant memory. I started at the northeast trail head on Bartley Road and road the trail down to Californ (about 10 miles, 20 up and back). The trail follows the right of way for an old rail line through the valley, and you can still see remnants like bridge foundations. It also parallels the South Branch of the Raritan River which gives you some nice photo ops. You Cana Leo stop for coffee in Long Valley. You could also hike it - my personal opinion is that it is better for biking because you get different scenery over a 10 mile ride than a 2-3 mile walk. I have read that the southern section starting in High Bridge is really nice so I will start...

This is a great, easy trail for walking, running, or biking. For large portions of the trail, it runs alongside small creeks. There are places to get close to the water and skip stones, and a couple of benches are available. At some points you have to cross roads, so just be aware when going with kids. The path is large enough to keep a conservative distance from others and is wide enough to pass people easily.

There is also a surprising amount of wildlife. We saw ducks and deer by the water and passed a snake and snapping turtle on the path itself.

Overall, this is a safe, easy place to spend a few minutes or...