Schuylkill River Trail

Schuylkill River Trail
The trail running along the Schuylkilll River in Pottstown, Pennsylvania at the Riverfront Park
Location	Philadelphia, Montgomery County, Chester County, Pennsylvania, USA
Use	Cycling, jogging
Hiking details
Season	All

The Schuylkill River Trail is a multi-use trail under construction for expansion along the banks of the Schuylkill River in southeastern Pennsylvania. Large stretches of the trail are rail trails.

When complete, the trail is planned to run from the river's headwaters in Schuylkill County to Fort Mifflin in Philadelphia, a distance of about 140 miles (230 km). As of 2007, several complete portions of trail exist, including a section from Auburn to Hamburg, a 19.5-mile (31.4 km) portion from Reading to Pottstown and a 23.2-mile (37.3 km) portion from Oaks to South Street in Center City, Philadelphia.^[1]

Map of existing and proposed portions of trail on map of proposed regional trail system

Existing

In progress

Planned

Other trails

On many maps and street atlases, and on some of the trail's signage, the segment between Philadelphia and Valley Forge is still identified by the older name Philadelphia–Valley Forge Trail.^[2]

Trail description

Auburn to Pottstown

Schuylkilll River Trail at the Pottstown Riverfront Park in Pottstown, Pennsylvania

The Schuylkilll River Trail begins at a trailhead is located at the Kernsville Dam in Auburn, Pennsylvania just above Hamburg.^[1] The trail continues through Reading, Pennsylvania to Pottstown, Pennsylvania until it reaches the Riverfront Park on College Drive near the Reading Railroad Pottstown Station. This section passes through the Schuykill River National and State Heritage Area, an area generally known for fishing in the Philadelphia metro.^[3]

The Reading Railroad Pottstown Station is visible from the trail in Pottstown, PA.

In lower Berks County, the trail follows the existing Thun Trail, named after industrialist Ferdinand Thun, who founded the Textile Machine Works in Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1892 (later moved to the borough of Wyomissing, a suburb of Reading, in 1896).^[4]^[5] Plans are underway for a connection from Reading, North to Hamburg. The current northern edge links the trail with the Union Canal towpath.

The trail begins in North Reading, along Riverview Drive, then quickly crosses an old railroad bridge into West Reading. It then continues as a mixed surface path of macadam, gravel, coarse stone or chalk to Gibraltar where it becomes a poorly marked on-road bicycle route following Old River Road and Schuylkill Road to Birdsboro. From there, the trail follows the old concrete industrial collector, Armorcrast Road, to the rear entrance of a ballfield. The trail then goes off road as a gravel path to the county line where it meets the paved Schuylkill River Trail, which currently terminates in Pottstown.

Pottstown to Phoenixville / Mont Clare

Ducks as seen inside the Schuylkill River in the Pottstown Riverfront Park.

Two routes have been proposed for this stretch. One would come down the right bank (Chester County side) and end near Cromby Generating Station, above Phoenixville, then use borough streets and the Mont Clare Bridge (PA29) to connect with the trail section along the Canal in Mont Clare. The other plan would bring the trail down the left bank to Mont Clare. It appears that both options may eventually be built, with the Chester County trail proceeding first and carrying the main SRT designation.

In April 2011, the Spring City to Cromby segment opened on the Chester County side. This segment includes a new trail head on Township Line Road, near the Cromby Power Plant.

Mont Clare to Oaks

Schuylkill River Trail in Montgomery County.

The stretch of trail from Mont Clare to the Perkiomen Creek, near Oaks opened in the spring of 2008. In the first phase of construction, the southern section of the trail between Longford Road, at the present watered end of the Oakes Reach of the Schuylkill Canal, and the Oaks intersection with the Perkiomen Trail was constructed. This section follows much of the filled portion of the Oakes Reach and is paved except for a gravel segment of about half a mile (which also includes a short trail detour). To cross the three streams in this section, two new culverts were constructed and the trail temporarily routed over a historical aqueduct from the Canal at Crossman's Run. A new bridge was built across Crossman's Run for the trail, and the paving was completed.

Historic Schuylkill Canal aqueduct carried the SRT over Crossman's Run, near Oaks, PA

For phase 1, the northern section, upstream of Longford Road, is signed along the low volume Port Providence Road and Walnut Streets, which run along the left bank of the Canal, to reach Mont Clare. In a second phase of construction for the northern segment, the Canal towpath on the canal right bank will be refurbished, and a small bridge constructed over a spillway near Port Providence. On 14 February 2008, a meeting was held to announce the survey work for the Phase 2 extension. This would provide an off road alternative between Longford Road and Mont Clare. It was expected that the towpath restoration itself would commence in the fall of 2010,^[6] however Montgomery County put the project on hold due to budget constraints. In early 2013, construction was started on the towpath portion of the trail, with improvements to the Route 29 underpass and construction of a new spillway and foot bridge, opposite Port Providence.

Oaks to Philadelphia

The trail through downtown Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.

The next segment of the trail begins in Oaks, Pennsylvania at the southern end of the Perkiomen Trail and a trailhead at Pawlings Road. This paved segment runs along the abandoned trackbed of the former Schuylkill Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. It runs beside U.S. Route 422 for a short distance, then runs through Valley Forge National Historical Park. After leaving the park at Betzwood, it continues along the river to Norristown, where it crosses over U.S. Route 202 and runs through the middle of the Norristown Transportation Center.

The trail continues eastwards, now parallel to the SEPTA Manayunk/Norristown rail line. On entering Conshohocken, it passes through industrial areas, under Interstate 476, and intersects the local Cross-County Trail.

Philadelphia

The Schuylkilll River Trail passing through Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Shortly after crossing into the city of Philadelphia, the trail segment ends. Trail traffic is briefly directed onto Nixon and Shawmont Streets, crossing the Manayunk/Norristown Line at the discontinued Shawmont Station.

The trail continues southeastward, unpaved, along the former Manayunk Canal^[7] towpath of the Schuylkill Navigation System, passing through the neighborhood of Manayunk to the end of the towpath at Lock Street. Trail traffic is then directed onto the sidewalk of Main Street and Ridge Avenue to Fairmount Park, where the trail meets the southern end of the Wissahickon Trail. Trail traffic then continues on the bike path of Kelly Drive, which widens into another section of paved multi-use trail.

The trail over the Schuylkill River in Center City

The trail then winds alongside the bank of the Schuylkill through the park, passing under many railroad and highway bridges and past several monuments. It runs through Boathouse Row and the Azalea Garden behind the Philadelphia Art Museum, and next to the Fairmount Water Works. After that, the trail runs along the riverbank on the west edge of Center City Philadelphia as a waterfront park. At Locust Street, the trail splits: a bridge carries the trail over CSX-owned railroad tracks to terminate in Schuylkill River Park,^[8] while a boardwalk (open as of October 2, 2014)^[9] extends into the river and continues to South Street.

On May 20, 2009, as one of its last acts, the Fairmount Park Commission approved the acquisition of 12 acres (49,000 m²) of land along the Schuylkill River to extend the river trail.^[10]

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has announced plans to continue the trail from the South Street Bridge to Christian St.^[11]

History

Many current and proposed sections of the Schuylkill River Trail, including the Thun Trail and the Oaks to Philadelphia portion, are rail trails, following the right-of-way of the former Schuylkill Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Live catenary wires are still in place above the trail between Norristown and Philadelphia. These are part of Amtrak's 25 Hz traction power system, and supply power for both the Philadelphia to Harrisburg Main Line and Northeast Corridor.

The Shawmont to Manayunk portion of the trail runs along the towpath of the historic Schuylkill Canal (Schuylkill Navigation System).

References

1 2 "first_map_paths" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-07-26.
↑ ADC Map (2001). Street Map Book, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (16th ed.). Alexandria, VA, USA: ADC Map. pp. Map 35 (p. 39); Map 36 (p. 40). ISBN 0-87530-083-9.
↑ "Top Spots To Go Fishing In Philadelphia".
↑ "The Berkshire – Reading Eagle Newspaper". Readingeagle.com. Retrieved 2009-07-26.
↑ "Historical Society of Berks County PA / Berkshire Knitting Mill". Berkshistory.org. 1906-07-06. Retrieved 2009-07-26.
↑ "Canal Towpath Restoration Project – Summary of Meeting Minutes – Design Phase Meeting #27 – May 6, 2010" (PDF). Retrieved 22 May 2010.
↑ Archived June 22, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
↑ "Friends of Schuylkill River Park". Fsrp.org. Retrieved 2009-07-26.
↑ http://6abc.com/society/philadelphia-cuts-ribbon-on-new-boardwalk/333776/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
↑ Von, Jane M. "Fairmount Park Commission OKs acquisition of Schuylkill land parcels|Philadelphia Inquirer|05/21/2009:". Philly.com. Archived from the original on May 27, 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-26.
↑ "Schuylkill Avenue Master Plan" (PDF). Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. 2013-05-07. Retrieved 2014-03-28.

External links

Hiking trails in Pennsylvania

Allegheny Front Appalachian Baker Black Forest Brandywine Bucktail Path Chester Valley Chuck Keiper Conestoga Cresheim Cross County Darlington Donut Hole Evansburg Forbes Road GAP GET Glacier Ridge Golden Eagle Horse-Shoe John P. Saylor Laurel Highlands Liberty Bell Lost Turkey Lower Loyalsock Mason-Dixon Mid State Mill Creek Montour North Country Old Loggers Path Panhandle Pennypack Perkiomen Pinchot Pine Creek Potomac Heritage Power Line Quebec Run Quehanna Rachel Carson Rock Run Schuylkill East Schuylkill River Standing Stone Struble Susquehannock Tanbark Terrace Mountain Thunder Swamp Tuscarora US 202 Parkway Valley Forge Warrior West Rim Wissahickon Youghiogheny River

Rail trails in Pennsylvania

Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike Beaver River Chester Valley Conewago Recreation Trail Cumberland Valley D&L Trail East Coast Greenway Five Star Ghost Town Great Allegheny Passage Great Shamokin Greene River Indian Creek Valley Lackawanna River Heritage Lebanon Valley Lehigh Gorge Liberty Bell Lower Montour Ohio River Panhandle Perkiomen Pine Creek Schuylkill River Stony Valley Struble Susquehanna Warrior Switchback Three Rivers Heritage Westmoreland Heritage York County Heritage Youghiogheny River

Protected areas of Pennsylvania

Federal

NPS National Historical Parks & National Historic Sites	Allegheny Portage Railroad NHS Edgar Allan Poe NHS Eisenhower NHS Friendship Hill NHS Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church NHS Hopewell Furnace NHS Independence NHP Steamtown NHS Valley Forge NHP

National Memorials	Benjamin Franklin Flight 93 Johnstown Flood Thaddeus Kosciuszko

National Battlefields and National Military Parks	Fort Necessity NB Gettysburg NMP

National Trails	Appalachian Trail

Other protected areas	Allegheny National Recreation Area Blue Marsh National Recreation Area Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Lackawanna Heritage Valley National and State Heritage Area Middle Delaware National Scenic River Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River

National Forests	Allegheny

USFS National Historic Sites	Grey Towers

National Wildlife Refuges	Cherry Valley Erie John Heinz Ohio River Islands

State

State Parks	Allegheny Islands Archbald Pothole Bald Eagle Beltzville Bendigo Benjamin Rush Big Pocono Big Spring Black Moshannon Blue Knob Boyd Big Tree Buchanan's Birthplace Bucktail Caledonia Canoe Creek Chapman Cherry Springs Clear Creek Codorus Colonel Denning Colton Point Cook Forest Cowans Gap Delaware Canal Denton Hill Elk Erie Bluffs Evansburg Fort Washington Fowlers Hollow Frances Slocum French Creek Gifford Pinchot Gouldsboro Greenwood Furnace Hickory Run Hillman Hills Creek Hyner Run Hyner View Jacobsburg Jennings Joseph E. Ibberson Kettle Creek Keystone Kings Gap Kinzua Bridge Kooser Lackawanna Laurel Hill Laurel Mountain Laurel Ridge Laurel Summit Lehigh Gorge Leonard Harrison Linn Run Little Buffalo Little Pine Locust Lake Lyman Run Marsh Creek Maurice K. Goddard McCalls Dam McConnells Mill Memorial Lake Milton Mont Alto Moraine Mt. Pisgah Nescopeck Neshaminy Nockamixon Nolde Forest Norristown Farm Ohiopyle Oil Creek Ole Bull Parker Dam Patterson Penn-Roosevelt Pine Grove Furnace Poe Paddy Poe Valley Point Presque Isle Prince Gallitzin Promised Land Prompton Prouty Place Pymatuning R. B. Winter Raccoon Creek Ralph Stover Ravensburg Reeds Gap Ricketts Glen Ridley Creek Ryerson Station S. B. Elliott Salt Springs Samuel S. Lewis Sand Bridge Shawnee Shikellamy Sinnemahoning Sizerville Susquehanna Susquehannock Swatara Tobyhanna Trough Creek Tuscarora Tyler Upper Pine Bottom Varden Warriors Path Washington Crossing Whipple Dam White Clay Creek Worlds End Yellow Creek

State Forests	Bald Eagle Buchanan Clear Creek Cornplanter Delaware Elk Forbes Gallitzin Lackawanna Loyalsock Michaux Moshannon Rothrock Sproul Susquehannock Tiadaghton Tioga Tuscarora Weiser William Penn (Wild areas)

Scenic Rivers	Bear Run French Creek Lehigh River LeTort Spring Run Lick Run Lower Brandywine Octoraro Creek Pine Creek Schuylkill River Stony Creek Tucquan Creek Tulpehocken Creek Yellow Breeches Creek

Other

Other	Anders Run Natural Area Forrest H. Duttlinger Natural Area Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Hoverter and Sholl Box Huckleberry Natural Area Johnson Run Natural Area Stone Valley Recreation Area Trexler Nature Preserve Wykoff Run Natural Area

Hiking trails	Appalachian Baker Black Forest Central Mountains Shared Use Darlington Eastern Continental Five Star Glacier Ridge Great Eastern Greene River Horse-Shoe Indian Creek Valley Loyalsock Mid State Standing Stone Mason-Dixon North Country Ohio River Old Loggers Path Pinchot Potomac Heritage Quehanna Rachel Carson Sheepskin Susquehannock Thunder Swamp Tuscarora Valley Forge Historical West Rim Wissahickon Youghiogheny River

Rail trails	Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike Beaver River East Coast Greenway Five Star Ghost Town Great Allegheny Passage Great Shamokin Path Greene River Indian Creek Valley Lebanon Valley Lehigh Gorge Liberty Bell Lower Montour Ohio River Palmer Bikeway Panhandle Perkiomen Pine Creek Plainfield Township Schuylkill River Sheepskin Struble Susquehanna Warrior Switchback Three Rivers Heritage York Country Heritage Youghiogheny River

Nature centers	List of nature centers in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

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