Any hidden bike trails in MSO?

I know there are plenty of places to go if we haul our bikes, BUT we'd like to just hop on at home (in S.O.) and tool around.

We love the (very) short path that runs behind the South Orange recycling center, but it's a sad road to nowhere. Any other hidden gems or lesser traveled roads that you can recommend? Off road is great too

I'm anxiously awaiting any info. I'd love to ride but don't like riding near cars. 

A lengthy, dedicated bike path is high on my wish list for this area, too.  DH, there was discussion recently on this forum about the promising news of a million dollar grant to improve the South Orange path.   Once upon a time, there was a South Orange Maplewood Bicycle Coalition, but that seems no longer active.  However, if you look here:  http://www.sombike.com/p/maps_6547.html  you'll find a map with bike paths delineated.  Most of them are shared with cars, though.  

Thanks EC!  Yes, I can't wait for that path, but think we will be waiting for awhile!

Thanks for citing sombike, which I co-founded and have since dissolved. I've been meaning to take down the web site. There are differences, and sometimes terms are confused. There are bike lanes, which are parts of roadways. There are bike paths which are separate from roads. There are bike routes which are merely recommended routes. The stuff in that citation might be lanes but they might be routes. I don't remember.

You may see the chevron pattern with a picture of a bike. These markings indicate that bikes and motor vehicles are supposed to share the same space, i.e. it is not a bike lane.

A sharrow is not a bike lane

Hmm, it seems I can't have a hypertext link (yet). Oh well, here is the URL.

http://blog.bicyclecoalition.org/2013/10/a-sharrow-is-not-bike-lane-your-handy.html

There is also a difference between a bike path and a trail. Trails are often called multi-use paths or MUPs.

http://velotraffic.com/2010/09/difference-between-paths-and-trails/

Tom Reingold, no longer living in NJ

We've never found good places to bike around here.  If you can find a good biking route out to Union County, there are great trails in Cranford around Nomahegan Park and throughout the town.  They weave in and out of the woods and through neighborhoods, so sometimes you are off-road and sometimes on paved trails.  There is also a paved trail across South Springfield Ave from Nomahegan, which takes you from Lenape Park to Echo Lake Park, and more trails.

I'd like to find a nice mountain bike trail around here. See a lot or road bikers around and the Res seems to have some nice hiking trails. Do hikers care much if mountain bikers are on the same trail as them on the Res?

Growing up in the DMV area we had a ton of mountain biking areas.

Bikes are banned from trails in the South Mountain and Watchung reservations, and signs are posted 

to that effect. (Which isn't to say you won't see bikers there.) 

Yes, hikers care a lot. Advocates on both sides are quite vocal. More here:

http://www.nj.com/union/index.ssf/2014/07/mountain_biking_advocates_push_to_lift_cycling_ban_on_watchung_reservation_trails.html

j_r said:

Bikes are banned from trails in the South Mountain and Watchung reservations, and signs are posted 

to that effect. (Which isn't to say you won't see bikers there.) 

Yes, hikers care a lot. Advocates on both sides are quite vocal. More here:

http://www.nj.com/union/index.ssf/2014/07/mountain_biking_advocates_push_to_lift_cycling_ban_on_watchung_reservation_trails.html

 Thanks. So you can ride horses but not Mountain bikes? Makes sense, since everyone has a horse, ;-)