RideLoop
October is the best month to ride in New Jersey: cool mornings, dry roads and color on every hill. The leaves turn from north to south, so you can follow them for most of the month.
When the leaves peak
Most years. A warm or dry fall moves it by a week either way.
8 loops
Built by RideLoop from each town, the same way it builds yours. Every press of Build in the app makes a new one.
Branchville valleys
Ridge, Mattison, Pines, Fox Hill and Plains Roads, and Kemah Lake Road: the farm valleys and wooded hills south of Branchville, some of the quietest roads in the state.
- Crosses US 206 once, never rides along it
- No 50 mph or four-lane roads along the way
Hope and Jenny Jump
From the old Moravian village of Hope past Jenny Jump State Forest on State Park and Jenny Jump Roads, and along Shades of Death Road, one of New Jersey's best-known back roads.
- No state highways
- No 50 mph roads
- No four-lane roads
Chester farm loop
Pleasant Hill, Tinc, Emmans and North Four Bridges Roads: farm stands, orchards and rolling hills around Chester, with the busy roads through town left out.
- Crosses US 206 once, never rides along it
- No 50 mph or four-lane roads along the way
Oldwick horse country
Black River, Rockaway, Sawmill, Hollow Brook and Still Hollow Roads: horse farms, stone walls and woods around the old village of Oldwick in Tewksbury Township.
- No state highways
- No 50 mph roads
- No four-lane roads
Califon farm roads
Out of the village and up onto the ridges: Sutton, Sawmill, Philhower and Farmersville Roads, through farms and woods. Nearly every mile is on quiet local roads.
- No state highways
- No 50 mph roads
- No four-lane roads
- Under 0.1 mi of county road without a shoulder
Stockton river hills
Up from the Delaware into the farm country of Delaware Township on Lower Creek, Lambertville Headquarters, Dunkard Church and Sergeantsville Roads. It leaves the village on Route 29, Stockton's main street, for about a quarter mile.
- About a quarter mile on Route 29 in the village, then off it
- No 50 mph roads
- No four-lane roads
Hopewell Valley
Stony Brook, Van Dyke, Spring Hill and Cherry Valley Roads: rolling farmland around Hopewell, on roads that see far fewer cars than the routes between the towns.
- No state highways
- No 50 mph roads
- No four-lane roads
Tabernacle pines
Flat and quiet: Hawkin, Big Hill, Retreat and Hilliards Bridge Roads through the pines and farms around Tabernacle, on the western edge of the Pine Barrens.
- Crosses US 206 once, never rides along it
- No 50 mph or four-lane roads along the way
Riding in the fall
- Wet leaves are as slick as ice. Slow down on shaded corners and descents.
- Low sun blinds drivers in the morning and late afternoon. Run a daytime light front and back.
- Days get short fast. Check sunset before you start, and carry a light anyway.
- Start cold. Arm warmers and a vest come off by the first climb.
Your own loop, from your front door
- Set your start. Home, a café or a park, anywhere in the US.
- Pick a distance. RideLoop builds a loop on quiet roads and leaves out highways, 50 mph roads and four-lane roads.
- Send it to your Garmin. Or download a GPX for any other bike computer.
Start free. Ride more for less than a coffee a week.
Questions
When do the leaves peak in New Jersey?
Most years, mid October in the northwest, late October in the middle of the state, and late October into early November in the south. Weather moves it by a week either way.
What's the best fall bike ride in New Jersey?
For color, Sussex and Warren County in mid October. For quiet, flat miles, the Pine Barrens. For hills and river views, Hunterdon County.
Is RideLoop free?
Yes, to start. Bronze is free: 2 loops a month, sent to Garmin Connect, plus GPX downloads for any device. Silver is $9.99 a month for 30 loops a month, sent straight to your Garmin in one tap. Gold is $14.99 a month at the launch price, with unlimited loops and every feature.
Which roads does RideLoop leave out?
Roads with a speed limit of 50 mph or more, roads with four or more lanes, and roads mapped as highways. County roads with no shoulder count as four times their length, so loops use them only where there is no quiet way around. Roads other riders graded rough are left out too.
Build your own fall loop
Start from home or anywhere on the map, pick a distance, and send it to your Garmin.
Build my loop, freeFree plan: 2 loops a month. Compare plans