In many wilderness stretches, the AT and the Highlands Trail pose a challenge even for experienced hikers, who should carry trail maps, plenty of water, and knowledge of how to cope with getting disoriented or lost. Clearly marked intermediate-level trails can be found in state and county parks across the region. These are popular with families with small children, and generally run near swimming and boating areas, playgrounds, and campsites. At the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, the trail system includes a wheelchair-accessible section on boardwalks into wetlands.
Rail trails offer flat, straight pathways that are hard to stray from.
Beside rivers and lakes, these leafy paths muffle the din of traffic until the loudest noise is birdsong. A popular route for bikers and hikers is the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail on the banks of the Delaware River. Following the route of an old railroad, the 32-mile trail runs from Frenchtown to Trenton through historic villages, fishing areas, boat launches, and riverside campgrounds. One of the newest rail trails, the Paulinskill Valley Trail, runs through a rugged corner of New Jersey seldom seen by highway travelers. Bergen Record Corp.