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 Audubon Loop Trail is only 2.5 miles in length, but is over four miles when adjacent sections of the Perkiomen and Schuylkill River trails are added. The trail begins in Lower Perkiomen Valley...
The Christina Riverwalk is short (1.3 miles) but pleasant pathway along the Christina River, between the Russell Peterson Wildlife Refuge and the end of S. Popular Street, just beyond Tubman-Garrett...
The Ironton Rail-Trail is the quintessential example of how a former rail corridor can transform a community. This trail has it all for locals and visitors alike. If you are looking for beautiful...
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...
The historical Ben Franklin Bridge, opened in 1926, offers expansive city skyline views and is itself a stunning structure. The iconic suspension bridge once included two streetcar tracks in addition...
The Forks Township Recreation Trail follows the an old right-of-way of the former Lehigh & New England Railroad. Starting at the trail's midpoint behind the Riverview Country Club in Easton, you'll...
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 James F. Hall Trail—a rail-with-trail—packs a lot into a short stretch: Its paved surface is great for bicycling, in-line skating, and strolling, and there are multiple playgrounds, picnic areas,...
The Muhlenberg Rail Trail spans nearly 2 miles, running parallel to Rosedale Avenue from Laureldale Borough to Temple. It follows a former corridor of the East Penn Branch Railroad, traversing a...
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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...
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 South Bethlehem Greenway is a linear park that follows a former Norfolk Southern rail line through the southern neighborhoods of Bethlehem. The paved pathway begins just north of Lehigh University...
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 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.
The Angelica Creek Trail, in Reading's suburbs, begins at a scenic stretch of the Schuylkill River Trail, then goes south along the river a short distance before heading northwest toward Angelica...
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...
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...
The Doylestown Bike and Hike Trails system provides a convenient car-free network of paved pathways to get around this eastern Pennsylvania community, about 30 miles north of Philadelphia. With more...
The Cynwyd Heritage Trail is a 2-mile linear park and rail-trail that connects Lower Merion Township to the Manayunk Bridge over the Schuylkill River just outside Philadelphia. The bridge ends very...
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...
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...
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 trail winds along the Bushkill Creek connects the old Simon Silk Mill on 13th Street to Third Street at the base of the stone stairs leading up to Lafayette College. The trail is paved and though...
Southeastern Pennsylvania’s Schuylkill River Trail forms the spine of the Schuylkill River National Heritage Area, a five-county expanse between Philadelphia and Pottsville. Built along former...
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...
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...
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...
The history of Perkiomen Trail railroad corridor extends more than 140 years. Founded shortly after the Civil War, the Perkiomen Railway Company started running from Oaks to Pennsburg in 1868. New...
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The Pennsy Trail is a short, but sweet rail-trail located in Haverford Township, to the west of Philadelphia. The trail's southern and northern ends are currently broken up by Manoa Road, with the...
Tyler State Park, located in Newtown, Pennsylvania, covers over 1,700 acres on the grounds of an old farm in a charming woodland setting. The park features a network of interconnected trails,...
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...
The Muhlenberg Rail Trail spans nearly 2 miles, running parallel to Rosedale Avenue from Laureldale Borough to Temple. It follows a former corridor of the East Penn Branch Railroad, traversing a...
This is a pleasant one mile community trail which begins right at the center of Red Lion, PA. The main trailhead is on Main St. at the restored MA&PA train station, which now is home to the Red Lion...
Although the Neshaminy Creek Greenway is only about a half mile long, big things are in its future. One day, the greenway could span as much as 33 miles, reaching the Delaware River. Currently, the...
The Chester County Parks & Recreation Department opened this trail in 1979 on part of a former Pennsylvania Railroad right-of-way. Today the 2.6-mile trail attracts more than 125,000 visitors each...
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...
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 Industrial Track Greenway Trail follows an abandoned rail corridor and will eventually link New Castle with the Wilmington waterfront. Already the trail spans nearly 4 miles in two disconnected...
The Angelica Creek Trail, in Reading's suburbs, begins at a scenic stretch of the Schuylkill River Trail, then goes south along the river a short distance before heading northwest toward Angelica...
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. A lush tree canopy separates the trail from...
The Audubon Loop Trail is only 2.5 miles in length, but is over four miles when adjacent sections of the Perkiomen and Schuylkill River trails are added. The trail begins in Lower Perkiomen Valley...
The Industrial Track Greenway Trail follows an abandoned rail corridor and will eventually link New Castle with the Wilmington waterfront. Already the trail spans nearly 4 miles in two disconnected...
Picking up directly across Norwood Road from the Struble trail's south end point, The Lions' trail offers a half mile of paved trail winding through scenic Kardon Park with 10 acres of ponds and over...
The South Bethlehem Greenway is a linear park that follows a former Norfolk Southern rail line through the southern neighborhoods of Bethlehem. The paved pathway begins just north of Lehigh University...
Cobbs Creek Trail runs through the borough of Lansdowne, just west of Philadelphia. The paved pathway offers a scenic route along its tree-lined namesake creek from the 63rd Street Station to Cobbs...
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...
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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...
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...
The Skippack Trail traverses a township of the same name in eastern Pennsylvania, about 40 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Its western end connects to the Perkiomen Trail, a 19-mile north-south route...
Named after Dr. Ulysses Simpson Wiggins, a prominent doctor in Camden in the early 1900s, the Ulysses Wiggins Waterfront Park Promenade extends for 1.2 miles from the Ben Franklin Bridge to the...
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...
Saucon Rail Trail connects four communities: Hellertown, Lower Saucon Township, Upper Saucon Township, and Coopersburg. The trail has a slight 1% grade traveling from north to south and is easy for a...
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,...
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 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 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...
Note: Per the York County website, "A section of the Heritage Rail Trail County Park will be closed starting March 21, 2016. The closure will begin at the Colonial Courthouse in York, south to...
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...
The 202 Parkway Trail, part of The Circuit (Greater Philadelphia's trail network) connects three towns—Montgomery, Warrington, and Doylestown—on its 8.4-mile route paralleling the scenic byway. The...
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...
Wanted to let fellow riders know that the bike train shuttle threw the Lehigh Gorge section of the D&L is running again this year. One weekend a month
starting in April. It drops you off in White Haven and you ride threw the gorge 25 miles back to Jim Thorpe. The exact dates can be found on the Pocono Biking website. Paul
If you don't mind a cold weather hike, park at the base of the Conowingo Dam. From November through March, the area below the dam is one of the largest nesting locales for bald eagles in the eastern US and you can watch them as you hike. Look to your side as you head south and you will also see some lengthy depressions in the ground, remnants of a canal constructed there in the early 19th century. I have taken scouts hiking there repeatedly over the years.
Nice views of the river. Plenty of parking along the trail.
So sad to report that the entire wood section of the beautiful Martic Forge trestle bridge burned yesterday, possibly started by brush fires below. This was restored in 2015 after being closed for 20 yrs, linking the section from Safe Harbor to Red hill rd. No word yet on future plans, I believe this is under Martic Twp jurisdiction. I pray this tragedy doesnt derail the planned Safe harbor expansion. The low grade is still a diamond in the rough.
I usually link this ride with the Schuylkill River Trail, as it links up with it at Oaks, PA, and there is parking available either at the Pawlings Road trailhead along the Schuykill River Trail, or the Lower Perkiomen Valley Park, where trail maps are also available at the parking lot. A good portion of the trail, after about 1.5 miles, is fine gravel or packed dirt, and goes along nicely wooded and scenic areas, which used to be a railroad. There are several road crossings in the Collegeville area that are stop light controlled. The crossing of Rte 29 is perhaps the least pleasant of the crossings, since vehicle traffic can be fast and heavy and it is not stop light controlled. Once crossed, you are on packed surfaces, and pleasant riding. There are quite a few parking areas along the trail, so with the trail map, one can easily schedule your journey as befits your skill or endurance level.
Once past Schwenksville, one does a brief climb, followed by a steep descent to the Perkiomen Creek. For me, that ends my journey on the trail and the last time I bicycled that far, it was all gravel down the slope.
I wasn't able to ride it for a number of years, but now, what nice improvements are there to be found. From Norristown to Valley Forge, mainly new macadam surface, plus the addition of several spots of racks of bike repair tools. And, the water fountain is about 1.2 miles from Valley Forge Park. There are areas of washboard type macadam around the Conshohocken area, and from Spring Mill to where it branches down to the Schuylkill River, relatively new macadam. Once you leave the tow path in Manayunk, it sort of tosses you into the street, which is crowded, so take the sidewalks, giving care for pedestrian traffic. Once you hit the Fairmount Park area, relatively decent trail surface, but expect heavy traffic all the way to what is now the end of the trail in Philadelphia. I take away one star due to the heavy Philadelphia traffic, and right now the detour around the Art Museum due to construction and confusing signage. The entire route is relatively level, so easy riding.
Since the upper end (above Philadelphia) is far less crowded, one may encounter cycling groups that travel at high speeds and can be annoying if they think they own the trail.
The trail here is all paved and runs adjacent to a bubbling Creek. It's good for a stroll, particularly with a stroller or dog. The nearby Merry Place playground is well maintained and great for small kids.
If you like ships, this trail offers a fantastic opportunity to view them up close and learn about shipbuilding and the development of the U.S. navy at the Independence Seaport Museum, which sits trailside.
This wide, easy trail puts you right next to the Delaware River, so the views of the waterway and the Ben Franklin Bridge are really nice. It's also right behind the Adventure Aquarium, which my 8-year-old daughter loved, especially the shark tunnel! Adjacent to the trail is also the USS New Jersey, a battleship that you can tour.
From a recumbent trike's perspective with a full suspension, the trail is easy ... if you can avoid the pedestrians: Overwhelming majority of people are polite & move over when you ring your bell. But only takes a few obnoxious runners.
Description: From the nature center parking lot, going clockwise, first obstacle are 2 sets of cement barriers on the bridge. A trike will get through, but recommend reduced speed to be sure. After that, the trail is paved but bumpy until you reach the parking lot on Creek Road; about a mile of this. At the parking lot veer to the right; this is new stretch of trail, that prevents riding on the road. From this point on it is smooth & easy, with manageable ups & down. You have 2 options when you reach the dam: Either ride on top of it, or take the longer route & ride below it (more elevation change). Nothing exciting until 1/4 mile past the last New Galena Rd parking lot, when 8% grade starts. This goes on for about 2/3 of a mile; lots of down hill after that before reaching the nature center. Total loop is a little over 6 miles.
So peaceful;everyone saying good morning;we walked the trails 4 miles
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