Best Winter Hikes in New Jersey with Kids

Our list of family-friendly wintertime hikes in New Jersey features fun cold-weather attractions like waterfalls, grand vistas, and ruins. I love hiking with my kids on NJ trails in winter because there’s a lot of room for exploration. 

Hiking in winter can be a cold and muddy endeavor, so keep that in mind before you set out and wear appropriate outerwear and boots. 

If you fall in love with winter hiking, many of these easy NJ hikes for fall would also be great for winter. 

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Fun Winter Hikes in North Jersey

Women’s Federation Monument Hike – Palisades Interstate Park 

The Palisades are gorgeous no matter the time of year. And the lack of foliage in the winter on this hike makes for better views of Manhattan! Winter is also a good time for the 2-mile hike to the Women’s Federation Monument because it ends in a “castle” that kids can explore. Check out our full write-up on family-friendly hikes in the Palisades for more. 

Castle Loop Trail – Ramapo Mountain State Forest 

A great winter hike here goes by a lake and to the “castle” ruins, where kids’ imaginations can run wild. This hike is just shy of 4 miles and moderately difficult, so I would suggest you save this one for older kids. If you hike just north beyond the castle you can get a great view of the NYC skyline, especially on a clear day in winter.

Coppermine Trail – Delaware Water Gap 

This is a gorgeous, mountainous region formed by the Delaware River and is spectacular in any season. One of my favorite hikes in winter is the Coppermine Trail, because the waterfalls and vistas are breathtaking. Check out our full write-up of family-friendly hikes in the Delaware Water Gap for more ideas. 

Appalachian Trail Pochuck Boardwalk and Stairway to Heaven – Wawayanda State Park

I love this hike because you can say you have walked part of the Appalachian Trail! If you have younger kids, stick to the boardwalk portion of the trail, which is quite flat and easy but has some interesting features that make it fun for kids in winter, like a suspension bridge and a railroad track. Note: It’s not a continuous boardwalk, so I wouldn’t suggest a stroller. If you have older kids, extend the hike and include the Stairway to Heaven portion, which has some steep rock slab steps and great views that will make your hard work worth it.

Kid-Friendly Winter Hikes in Central Jersey

Hartshorne Battery Loop – Highlands

This 1.5-mile easy hike in Hartshorne Woods Park is popular for bird watching and is beautiful any time of year. The reason I especially like this hike in the winter is its points of historical interest. This loop takes you past World War II batteries that were once manned along the coastline, as well as picturesque views of the ocean. Check out the trail map before you go to design your adventure! 

Delaware and Raritan Canal Park – Princeton

This 70-mile-long trail runs along a historic canal from the early 1800s. Irish immigrants dug out this canal by hand to make an efficient trade route between Philadelphia and New York City. What makes this a great winter hike are the bridges, locks, canal houses, and informative panels on the canal’s rich history that you will encounter along the way. And, if you want to make a day of it, head to Princeton for lunch after your hike and then visit the Cotsen Children’s Library at the Princeton University campus.

Goat Hill Overlook – West Amwell Township 

This is an easy hike that offers a fantastic view of the Delaware River at any time of year. You can do the 1-mile version of this hike on an easy gravel path to the main overlooks, or you can do the full loop, which has two more overlooks and is about 2.5 miles. Goat Hill Overlook is very close to two adorable towns separated by the Delaware River, Lambertville, and New Hope. If you want to make a day of it, head into one of those picturesque towns for a meal, walk across the bridge, or take a ride on the New Hope Railroad, which is featured in our write-up of activities in the area for train-loving kids. 

RELATED: Kid-Friendly Waterfall Hikes in Northern NJ

The Barnegat Lighthouse hike is short but sweet. Photo by Amy Williams

Winter Hikes for Families in South Jersey and the Jersey Shore

Rancocas Nature Center – Westhampton Township

Located in the Rancocas State Park, this center has some relatively easy, but still fun, trails for younger kids. We love going here in winter because there are things for little kids to enjoy, like a large music board for kids to pound on and a few animals to see in the nature center. Follow the blue trail along the boardwalk to the pine tree forest, which is beautiful in the wintertime. For more information on hikes here, read our full write-up. 

Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge – Medford 

This is a great spot for a hike in winter because you can see animals while walking along the trail. Some of our favorites are the owls, the crow (who can talk!), the skunk, and the fox. For our go-to winter hike, we walk across the bridge that goes over the lake and then walk through the animal exhibits. We then continue on through the pine barrens and enjoy the story trail, where you can read pages from a nature story as you walk along the trail. 

Barnegat Lighthouse Hike – Barnegat 

This is an extremely short hike (0.2 miles), but the destination makes it a fantastic winter hike. One of the things I love the most about this hike is how well-preserved the dune system is. And, in the winter, you can climb one of the tallest lighthouses on the East Coast for FREE on this hike! If you want to make it longer, add on the Jetty Walk, which is 2 miles round trip. Kids will love the rock hopping (but be careful, since rocks are slippery when wet). 

Ceres Park Nature Preserve – Sewell

This expansive park has many trails, but Emerald Lake and Cedar Lake are the two big attractions and they are filled with ducks and geese in the winter. These lakes are remnants of old marl pits, formed during mining operations that led to the naming of the towns Marlton and Marlboro. Skunk cabbage and Christmas Ferns keep the landscape interesting in winter, and if you go at dusk, look for deer and nesting owls in the trees. If you want to make a day of it after your hike, head to the nearby Bonesaw Brewing Company, which is featured in our write-up of family-friendly breweries in NJ. 

Great Winter Hikes Nearby in Pennsylvania and New York

Hickory Run State Park and Boulder Field – White Haven, PA

This isn’t so much of a hike as it is an exploration–of a boulder field! This gem is amazing any time of year. Kids will love trying to traverse the boulder field. We usually tries to make it to the single tree standing alone in the boulder field and back. Just to warn you, this is probably not the best “hike” for little kids, since it basically involves rock hopping. If you want to do a real hike after checking out the boulder field, nearby Hawk Falls and Shades of Death are good winter hikes too. 

Ringing Rocks County Park – Upper Black Eddy, PA

Another great winter hike for budding geologists, this park features an easy 1-mile loop that culminates in a stunning frozen waterfall and a massive boulder field. Bundle up and bring a hammer, because these rocks ring when you hit them! 

Awosting Falls – Minnewaska State Park Preserve, NY

Minnewaska Sate Park is one of our favorites because it has lots of spectacular hikes. However, in winter, Minnewaska’s Awosting Falls is a particularly great family hike, featuring a short, paved out-and-back to the bottom of a gorgeous waterfall. On the way, you pass right by the top of the waterfall. One of our favorite things to do at the bottom is the waterfall illusion (look it up and give it a try!). The walk back up is a little steep, which keeps me from calling it easy, but it is a great hike to bring a stroller.