Find the top rated bike trails in Reading, whether you're looking for an easy short bike trail or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a bike trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The Schuylkill River West Trail will one day span 15.5 miles beginning in downtown Philadelphia and heading northwest through Lower Merion Township, West Conshohocken, Bridgeport, and Upper Merion...
The Pomeroy and Newark Rail Trail offers urban connections to the University of Delaware campus, Newark Shopping Center, DART Transit Hub and the downtown area, as well as the recreational amenities...
A work in progress, the 2.5-mile Uwchlan Trail currently extends from the Struble Trail off the intersection of Dowlin Forge and Shelmire roads, north along the Shamona Creek and primarily following...
As of late 2017, approximately 1 mile of the Pencoyd Trail has been completed. The paved, multi-use trail begins at Main Street and an on-street segment of the Schuylkill River Trail next to the UA...
The Wyomissing Creek Trail offers a pleasant tree-lined route along its namesake waterway in West Reading. At its eastern end, you can connect to an 18-mile segment of the Schuylkill River Trail that...
The beautiful Lehigh and New England trail is a short, crushed-stone trail that follows a section of the former Lehigh and New England Railroad corridor just south of Tamaqua in eastern Pennsylvania....
The Slate Heritage Trail is built on the former Lehigh Valley Railroad, which opened in 1874 and transported slate products from quarries in northern Lehigh County to Slatington to connect with the...
Less than an hour west of Philadelphia, the East Branch Brandywine Trail begins south of Downingtown and continues south along its namesake river. The paved trail passes through meadows and wooded...
Reading's Neversink Connector Trail is a short paved pathway that branches off the Thun Trail, a 18-mile section of the Schuylkill River Trail. It begins near the Reading Area Community College and...
The Riverview Trail makes a loop through Fox Point State Park along the Delaware River in Wilmington. The trail circles an open field along the west bank of the river.
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The Powerline Trail in Horsham Township connects schools, parks, business centers and neighborhoods along an easement managed by PECO/Exelon. Parts of the trail have road crossings, so use caution....
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The Cross County Trail runs for 3 miles between the Schuylkill River Trail in Conshohocken and the village of Plymouth Meeting. The trail links suburban shopping with neighborhoods and mostly...
Although just 1.4 miles long, the 58th Street Greenway is an important connector in the southwestern Philadelphia neighborhood of Kingsessing. Although most of the greenway is off-road trail, note...
The Northern Delaware Greenway Trail spans 10 miles of northern New Castle County from Bellevue State Park on the Delaware River to Brandywine Creek in Wilmington, Delaware’s largest city. The surface...
Originally the Reading & Columbia Railroad, this branch of the Reading Railroad was built to haul anthracite coal to Columbia where it was loaded into barges on the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal for...
Part of Manheim Township's growing greenway network, the paved, multi-use trail begins at the access road to the Manheim Township Community Park and loops around athletic fields and a playground at...
From 1880 until well into the 20th century, Bangor and Portland Railway steam locomotives plied this corridor and others in the region, providing essential transportation services for the nearby...
The Jonathan Eshenour Memorial Trail, named for a local resident who died in a bicycling accident, offers a safe paved route through Derry and nearby communities. It begins in a rural area just south...
The Warwick Township Linear Park Trail is a joint project of Warwick Township and Lititz borough. The pathway extends from Market Street north, following the Santo Domingo Creek, to Newport Road....
Caution: On April 12, 2018, a fire severely damaged the Martic Forge Trestle, which runs over Pequea Creek and River Road on the Enola Low Grade Trail. Access to the trail going west from the Route...
The Warwick-to-Ephrata Rail-Trail, first envisioned in the 1990s, is built along the former Reading Railroad. The nearly 7-mile route was completed in late 2018 and connects the central Pennsylvania...
The pleasant Monocacy Way takes walkers and cyclists on an adventure through the fascinating history of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The trail kicks off at Monocacy Creek Park, where you can see the a...
A part of Manheim Township's network of multi-use greenways, the mile-long Kissel Hill Commons Trail extends across the mixed use subdivision for which it is named in the suburbs north of...
Chester Valley Trail currently stretches 14 miles between Exton and King of Prussia. Its west end is anchored by Exton Park, while its east end stops just shy of the King of Prussia Mall. Along the...
This 2.4-mile paved trail provides a quiet, scenic escape northwest of Philadelphia, from Encke Park at Radnor-Chester Road to the shopping center at Sugartown Road and Route 30. The trail travels...
Philadelphia’s Rail Park is an exciting project developing across Center City, which will connect several neighborhoods and provide access to Fairmount Park and other cultural attractions. The 3-mile...
The beautiful Lehigh and New England trail is a short, crushed-stone trail that follows a section of the former Lehigh and New England Railroad corridor just south of Tamaqua in eastern Pennsylvania....
The Lincoln Drive Trail bridges the gap between two of Philadelphia’s very popular trails. At its southern endpoint, the mouth of the Wissahickon Creek at Ridge Avenue, the trail meets the Schuylkill...
The Exeter Scenic River Trail traces the north bank of the Schuylkill River. The tree-lined route provides views of the river and runs to the Klapperthal Trail at the base of Neversink Mountain. Visit...
Completed in the summer of 2016, Sullivan's Bridge and the adjacent trail provide access from the Schuylkill River Trail, Betzwood Park and the section of Valley Forge National Historic Park north of...
The roughly half-mile long Frog Hollow Trail currently begins at Miller Road and follows a creek south between two subdivisions before dead ending at a point near French Creek. The crushed stone trail...
The Manayunk Bridge Trail opened in late 2015 to great fanfare, and for good reason: the trail, which crosses the Schuylkill River, Schuylkill Expressway (Interstate 76), and active train tracks,...
The nearly 3-mile long Chester Creek Trail is finally a reality after nearly two decades of planning. Phase 1 of the multi-use trail was opened to the public in late 2016. It follows the path of the...
This trail connects the historic Thomas Leiper House (built in 1785) to Smedley Park, hence its name. The 2-mile multipurpose trail is mostly shaded as it winds through the Crum Creek Valley and zigs...
The Warwick Township Linear Park Trail is a joint project of Warwick Township and Lititz borough. The pathway extends from Market Street north, following the Santo Domingo Creek, to Newport Road....
Eastern Pennsylvania’s D&L Trail spans just over 140 miles through the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor from Bristol, in the Greater Philadelphia region, to Mountain Top, nestled in the...
The Hunters Crossing and Brayton Garden trails form a paved, multi-use greenway that extends 2.7 miles from the Country Square Shopping Center in Quakertown to Dovecote Drive immediately south of...
The Slate Heritage Trail is built on the former Lehigh Valley Railroad, which opened in 1874 and transported slate products from quarries in northern Lehigh County to Slatington to connect with the...
Lykens Valley Rail Trail is nearly half-way complete with 9 miles of trail open out of 20 miles planned. Those 9 miles are available in three disconnected segments. In Millersburg, a 0.4-mile segment...
Reading's Neversink Connector Trail is a short paved pathway that branches off the Thun Trail, a 18-mile section of the Schuylkill River Trail. It begins near the Reading Area Community College and...
Swatara Creek runs through the vast woodlands of Swatara State Park in eastern Pennsylvania. Bear Hole Trail traces the eastern side of the waterway, while the Swatara Rail-Trail runs along the other...
The first section of the Elizabethtown Connector Trail officially opened in May 2015. Although just shy of a mile this trail provides such beautiful scenery that you'll feel like you could stay...
The JFK Walking Trail is a hidden gem created to be part of the Pottsville Community flagship recreation complex. The paved trail is located behind the tennis courts and pool. A stylish sign complete...
The nearly 3-mile long Chester Creek Trail is finally a reality after nearly two decades of planning. Phase 1 of the multi-use trail was opened to the public in late 2016. It follows the path of the...
The discovery of anthracite coal in the Tremont area of Pennsylvania shaped commerce and development well into the 1800s. The Union Canal was constructed in the 1820s to connect the Schuylkill and...
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The Palmer Township Recreation Trail (a.k.a. the Towpath Bike Trail) is a terrific community asset for Palmer and Bethlehem township residents and a great destination for visitors as well. Three modes...
A work in progress, the French Creek Trail is one of several trails being developed by East Pikeland Township. Although a small part of it follows the route of the former Pickering Creek Railroad,...
The Powerline Trail in Horsham Township connects schools, parks, business centers and neighborhoods along an easement managed by PECO/Exelon. Parts of the trail have road crossings, so use caution....
Eastern Pennsylvania’s D&L Trail spans just over 140 miles through the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor from Bristol, in the Greater Philadelphia region, to Mountain Top, nestled in the...
TRAIL ALERT: As of May 2018, The Wissahickon/ Green Ribbon Trail has been closed until further notice due to flooding, mud and debris. Once the water subsides staff will clean up the trail and...
The Gurney Street Trail currently extends for just one block in the Fairhill Neighborhood of Philadelphia. However, the trail, which will continue to North American Street, is the culmination of a...
Spanning just shy of 8 miles, the Jack A. Markell Trail, named after a former Delaware governor, connects the Wilmington riverfront with New Castle. The paved pathway was formerly known as the...
Maryland's Susquehanna State Park is recognized for challenging hiking and biking trails, camping facilities, rock outcroppings, boating, a museum and restored historical sites. But none of these...
The Manayunk Bridge Trail opened in late 2015 to great fanfare, and for good reason: the trail, which crosses the Schuylkill River, Schuylkill Expressway (Interstate 76), and active train tracks,...
Located in Worcester Township, the Zacharias Creek Trail is a an easy walk or ride along water, through riparian woods and across green fields. The trail begins on Green Hill road (where there is a...
Although less than 2 miles, the Port Richmond Trail—a key component of the North Delaware River Greenway—provides an important connection between northeast Philadelphia and the Delaware River. It's...
Like so many trails in this area, the Great Hazleton Rails to Trails occupies the former corridor of a railroad line that supported the local coal mining industry. After a half century of disuse, the...
The Tacony Creek Trail is a winding paved path along its namesake creek in the Juniata Park and East Oak Lane neighborhoods of Northeast Philadelphia. Situated entirely within scenic Tacony Creek...
Less than an hour west of Philadelphia, the East Branch Brandywine Trail begins south of Downingtown and continues south along its namesake river. The paved trail passes through meadows and wooded...
The Warwick Township Linear Park Trail is a joint project of Warwick Township and Lititz borough. The pathway extends from Market Street north, following the Santo Domingo Creek, to Newport Road....
I was looking at the map of the trail and saw a short section of trail that I was never on between N. 25th Street and Long Lane, just north of where the main section of the trail ends (at US 422 aka Ben Franklin Hwy). I drove there to discover that it is currently under construction, large dump trucks and front end loaders moving about. Look forward to checking it out in the spring.
The only section I have not ridden on this trail is the 10 mile section from Mtn. Top south to White Haven but I'm told it's rough and single track - best for a mountain bike. There's a little strip mall at the trail head in White Haven, pizza, ice cream, drinks, bike rentals and restrooms all available. The 26 miles section from White Haven to Jim Thorpe is smooth, compact gravel with sections of shade, making it an enjoyable ride for any style bike. Quite scenic with numerous water falls. Restroom and water is available in Rockport, about the half-way point of this section. 1 star deduction for the following: tourist crowds on the weekends that don't know bike etiquette, it's a little rough for about the 1st mile south of White Haven and there's a soft spot or two as you approach Glen Onoko right after your cross over the railroad tracks. Follow the trail into Jim Thorpe, you have plenty of places to get something to eat and drink. The newly constructed bridge at the end of the parking lot will eventually connect the gap between JT and Lehighton. Once completed (2019, 2020?) you'll be able to bike about 3 1/2 miles of the eastern section of the trail, cross over the vehicle bridge in Weissport
and re-connect to the trail in Lehighton. Be careful of traffic on the bridge.
The 20 mile section from Lehighton to Northampton is similar to the White Haven to JT section, compact gravel, smooth, mostly shaded and perfect for any style bike. It's just about 10 miles to Slatington, which has a trailhead with restrooms and places to get drinks and eats. I recommend the hot dogs from the trailer in the parking lot. (The Slate Heritage Trail connects to the D&L in Slatington and offers an additional 6 mile round trip ride if so desired.) Continuing south the trail reaches Northampton. Take the left and ride across the bridge, then an immediate right and it's about 1 1/2 mile to a park and the end of this section.
NOTE: From Northampton and Allentown there's about a 7 mile gap that can be ridden on roads and streets also open to vehicle traffic. Use caution when riding on roads.
The trail starts again at Canal Park in Allentown and is now a towpath vs. a rail trail. The 18-20 mile section from Allentown to Easton can be bumpy, single track or tire tracks and there's one or two sections that can be very narrow. That said, I've had no issues riding this section with my hybrid bike. Predominantly shaded with a few places to stop and rest, but water and food may not be readily available without wandering off the path and into one of the towns along the way.
Once reaching Easton, the trail continues south along the Delaware for about 51-52 miles to Morrisville. Much of this section is a towpath, can be single track or tire tracks for much of the ride, but it's smoother than the towpath from Allentown to Easton. There's a couple of places along the way for refreshments and rest areas between Easton and Upper Black Eddy and be sure to make time to visit New Hope and Washington Crossing Park before finishing the ride in Morrisville.
A favorite group of trails located in the Tyler State Park new Newtown, PA. The rebuilt covered bridge is a must see. The terrain is hilly.
The Liberty Bell Trail located in Hatfield Borough, PA is a flat gravel lined trail. It is approximately .5 miles long and follows the train track front East Main to West Vine. It links up to the Chestnut Street Trail.
Never been on the south section (not a fan of ticks, etc.) but the north section is very nice. Shaded and cool in the summer. No lights so I will only go during daylight hours. Those walking dogs keep their pets on leashes and pick up after their dogs which is really nice to see. Everyone encountered is friendly and offers a "good morning/afternoon" which is pleasant. Looking forward to the day when the south section is paved as well.
Rode this trail on Wed. 1/2/19 starting in the early afternoon, the temperature was in the low 40s and it was overcast. There were lots of people using the trail, mostly walkers but also runners and several other riders. My GPS showed that the trail was only 6.85 miles from Main Street in Ephrata to Oak Street in Lititz. The trail is a pleasant mix of small town "urban" and farmland and with all of the leaves off the trees there were some nice long views of the Lancaster County countryside as you climb and descend several small hills. If you start your ride in Ephrata about 1 mile from Main St. the trail turns to the left. (Going straight takes you to a road). A potentially dangerous spot is near the Warwick Township building, there is a black fence next to the trail that blocks your view around a turn. One last word of caution, some of the many Porta-Potties have doors that do not latch closed. Still a great little trail, while too short to be a destination ride on it's own, there are several other nice trails nearby. I hope to ride this trail many times throughout the year.
After 20+ years, the Rehab/redecking of the bridge over the Cocalico creek has been completed!!!!!!!!! Yahoo!!!!!!
This middle section was opened to the public, yesterday , 12/28/2018.
One can now utilize this 7.2 mile trail to travel from the Lititz Borough /Warwick township line to Rte. 322/Main Street in Ephrata.
A local bike company, has a bike rental station(via smartphone) at the Warwick township building at Clay Road. Train for a 5 k, half marathon or a Leisurely bike ride on this trail thru preserved farms, and the heart of the 1900's industrial era of Ephrata. Many scenic vistas! go out explore, send photos!!!!!!!!
We started at Glen Onoko parking lot, easy flat couple of miles back across the river to the Scenic Rail station and then a steep 200 ft climb up Packer Hill Ave to the start of the South trail. This trail is easy, has a hard packed surface and is suitable for most bikes able to handle the odd rock. The ride to the lake took us about 35 mins of gentle uphill (total of about 300 ft climb). The trail then crosses the road and starts climbing steeper all the way into Summit Hill (another about 45 mins and 400 ft of climbing). We stopped in town for a snack and beer, and on the return ride took the North trail (fork well marked). This trail is mostly also a good hard surface, with a couple of fallen small trees that need to crossed. Most of the trail is relatively flat, other than 2 steep sections near the end, the first a short drop where the "bridge to clouds" used to start, and then a longer (half a mile?) steep rocky switchback section starting at far end of original bridge location. Both these section are rideable by an experienced mountain biker, but could be a walk if nervous or if on any other type of bike. Speaking of walking there is a section a couple of miles from the end that you need to portage your bike across a narrow ledge. This is not a major challenge for most, but there is a bypass trail that can be used - we did not check it out but it is clearly not rideable due to growth on the trail. All told the return trip took us 70 mins, and that included a quick stop at the viewpoint.
We parked at the New Castle Battery Park, since that's where traillink says the trail starts. There are, however, no signs that we could find that gave any direction to take the trail. Confusingly, there is a 2 mile trail along the river, starting in the park, that is NOT the Jack Markell trail. After a lot of head scratching and inquiring, we realized that the trail starts northwest on South Street about 5 blocks from the park, at the intersection with 8th Street. And, even there, it's not called the Jack Markell Trail, but The Heritage Greenway Trail. After a couple of intersections, the Jack Markell signs started. This is NOT how to mark a trail!
The trail itself traverses some aesthetically tedious areas, including going under US 13, I-295, and I-495, all extremely busy highways. Much of the trail is through industrial areas, a former landfill, and large marshes before arriving at the Wilmington River Walk.
We were glad to ride the trail to support it, but it does need some additional signing and guidance in New Castle.
My husband and I started in Bainbridge and rode to Columbia. I have a walky for my dog to run beside me and and trailer for when she gets tired. There were many turns and a few small uphills. The traffic on the trail was a little crowded around Chickies Rock. We all had a fabulous ride. I even seen a lizard. Who knew Pennsylvania had lizards. The eastern fence lizard. We also seen a few bald eagles. The views of the Susquehanna were nice too.
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