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Henry Hudson Trail

Henry Hudson Trail
Along the southernmost segment of the trail, in Marlboro Township. Abandoned rails can be seen on both sides.
Length24 mi (39 km)
LocationMonmouth County, New Jersey
Trailheads
  • Route 537 in Freehold Borough
  • Allen Road in Marlboro Township
  • Wyncrest Road in Marlboro Township
  • Church Street in Matawan
  • Lloyd Rd. and Clark St. in Aberdeen/Keyport
  • Avenue D in Atlantic Highlands
UseCycling, Running, Hiking
DifficultyEasy
SeasonYear round
SurfaceAsphalt
Right of wayMonmouth County Agricultural Railroad, Freehold and Atlantic Highlands Railroad

The Henry Hudson Trail is a rail trail in western and northern Monmouth County, New Jersey. The trail is named for Henry Hudson, who explored the harbor at Atlantic Highlands and the Raritan Bayshore coastline in the early 1600s. The 24-mile-long (39 km), 10-foot-wide (3.0 m) paved multi-use trail is part of the Monmouth County Park System. The rail trail traverses the Raritan Bayshore region from Highlands and connects inland to Freehold Borough using the former rights-of-way of several rail lines. Although trees line much of the trail, it affords some views of surrounding wetlands, streams, woodlands and fields.[1] It traverses through the municipalities of Freehold Township, Marlboro Township, Matawan, Aberdeen Township, Keyport, Union Beach, Hazlet, Keansburg, Middletown Township, and Atlantic Highlands.

The Garden State Parkway, the North Jersey Coast Line, and several abandoned rail bridges in Matawan and Aberdeen is the dividing line between the northern and southern sections of the trail. The northern section runs 12 miles east from the Aberdeen-Keyport border to Highlands, north of and roughly parallel to Route 36. A missing link in Atlantic Highlands requires on-road travel between Avenue D and the Atlantic Highlands marina. The southern (inland) section runs south from Matawan to Freehold Borough. A long missing link between Wyncrest Road and Big Brook Park in Marlboro divides this inland section into its own north and south segments, but planning is underway to connect the segments in 2025.

The property for the inland sections is currently railbanked by New Jersey Transit (NJT), which leases the line for trail usage to the Monmouth County Park System. The trail is administered by the Monmouth County Park System and is leased through 2020 for use as a trail. If future economic conditions warrant resuming operation, NJT reserves the right to restore rail service at any time. The railroad line was never officially abandoned, unlike most rail trails.

The Henry Hudson Trail was the first rail-trail developed in Monmouth County, and was joined by the Union Transportation rail-trail in 2010.

  1. ^ "Henry Hudson Trail". Monmouth County Park System. Retrieved 4 December 2023.