Columbia Trail
A relatively level multi-use path links High Bridge with wooded river valleys and small towns.
Artwork inspired by George Inness
Columbia Trail follows a former rail corridor for 16.5 miles through Hunterdon and Morris counties. Its gentle grade makes the landscape easier to notice: shaded cuts, river crossings, old infrastructure, and town edges unfold without the repeated climbs of a hill trail. High Bridge Commons is a clear starting point for a short walk or ride.
The surface is natural and stone dust, not uniformly paved, so rain and season affect comfort. Cyclists, walkers, runners, and riders share portions of the corridor. Choose a turnaround rather than assuming a full end-to-end journey, and slow at road crossings and narrow bridges. For history, ask why a railway needed this alignment through the valley.
- Length
- 16.5 miles
- Surface
- Stone dust and natural
- Historic form
- Rail corridor
Quick guide
- Start in High Bridge
- Set a distance before leaving Commons Park.
- Share the grade
- Slow at narrow sections and crossings.
Know before you go
- Read the cut
- Rail engineering explains the gentle grade.
- Notice water
- Streams and river crossings shape the route.
- Yield predictably
- Different trail users move at different speeds.
- Plan return
- There is no automatic shuttle from the far end.
Good to know
The trail crosses two county systems and multiple towns. The map action identifies the High Bridge starting point rather than implying the trail is a single street address.
Notice these
- Railway alignment
- Wooded river corridor
- High Bridge trailhead