The Cross-Jersey Challenge coincides with FreeWalkers’ 15th anniversary, celebrating an organization that has grown from a single 50-mile walking event in 2010 to a thriving community of thousands of members participating in dozens of free walking events each year.
The 2025 challenge includes five events spanning March through May:
Spring Ahead Walk (March 22) – A 14-mile walk from Trenton to Princeton along the D&R Canal towpath
Great Canal Walk (April 5) – A 28 or 40-mile journey from Princeton or Trenton to New Brunswick
Kruimer Walk (April 27) – A 13-mile connecting walk from New Brunswick to Metropark
Paul’s Big Walk (May 17) – The original 50-mile walk from Metropark to Manhattan that launched FreeWalkers in 2010
Staten Island Marathon Walk (May 31) – An optional 22/26-mile walk through Staten Island to Manhattan
Participants can complete the entire 100-mile challenge over three to five days, with flexible options for those who prefer shorter segments. All events are free and open to the public, allowing walkers to move at their own pace while enjoying the camaraderie of fellow participants. Walkers are always encouraged to walk as many or as few segments or miles as they choose. For ease of access and return, all walks begin and end near train stations along the Northeast Corridor, with service provided through NJ Transit, Septa, and Amtrak. Transit points are available along the way for those unable to finish a walk.
The route follows the New Jersey section of the East Coast Greenway, a developing 3,000-mile multi-use trail extending from the Canada border in Maine to Key West, Florida. Along the way, walkers will experience the Garden State’s diverse landscapes, from the historic capital of Trenton to the suburban communities of central Jersey, the industrial heritage of Essex County, the vibrant urban environments of Newark and the skyline views of Jersey City, before crossing into New York City.
“The Cross-Jersey Challenge is a quintessential FreeWalkers experience,” says Freewalkers event coordinator Charles Updike. “To connect distant points on foot is to make the land yours forever, etching the details and contours of the journey in your mind in a way that cannot be experienced through the windshield of an automobile, all while discovering new friends and engaging with old ones.”
Founded in 2010 by Paul Kiczek, FreeWalkers was inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s 1963 challenge for Americans to prove their physical fitness by walking 50 miles. What began as Kiczek’s personal attempt to complete this historical challenge has evolved into an IRS-approved 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the benefits of walking while creating free and engaging events for walkers of all experience levels.
For more information about the 2025 Cross-Jersey Challenge or to register for any of the walking events, visit www.freewalkers.org or the Cross-Jersey Challenge page on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/cross-jersey-challenge-181359.
About FreeWalkers
FreeWalkers.org is a social network dedicated to exploring life on foot, for walkers and hikers interested in participating in long-distance walking events in the Mid-Atlantic region. Participation is free and open to everyone. The organization supports each member’s effort to reach their own goals of fitness and enjoyment as they walk together, explore their surroundings, while promoting pro-pedestrian interests.
As FreeWalkers observes its fifteenth anniversary, the 2025 Cross-Jersey Challenge represents both a celebration of its history and an invitation to join a growing movement of walking enthusiasts. By following in the footsteps of those who have completed this journey before, participants will discover not only the diverse beauty of New Jersey but also their own capabilities. Whether completing the entire 100-mile challenge or joining for a single segment, walkers are sure to find inspiration, camaraderie, and perhaps even answers to President Kennedy’s original question about physical fitness and human potential.
Contact:
Risa Olinsky
President, FreeWalkers
(201) 618-5582
info@freewalkers.org
