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Print Friendly MapThe 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 Township. Currently, the paved pathway covers just over 2 miles across Upper Merion Township, connecting residents and visitors with Valley Forge National Historical Park, Heuser Park, and Bob Case Park.
The west end of the Schuylkill River West Trail passes underneath the Route 422 bridge to connect with Sullivan's Bridge, a pedestrian bridge that runs parallel to US 422 as it crosses the river. On the north side of the river Sullivan's Bridge connects to the Schuylkill River Trail, which offers more than 75 miles of pathway as it makes its way down to Philadelphia. This link gives residents of Valley Forge and King of Prussia an off-road connection to a large network of trails spanning southeast Pennsylvania.
From its west end, the paved pathway begins just outside of Valley Forge National Historical Park, famed for its Revolutionary War era structures, and continues east loosely paralleling the southern shoreline of the Schuylkill River. Along its journey, the Schuylkill River West Trail offers a well-canopied route, a footbridge over Trout Creek, and access to Heuser Park, which offers athletic fields and a playground. The trail's eastern endpoint is by Bob Case Park.
Parking is available in Heuser Park (694 W Beidler Rd) and Bob Case Park (295 Abrams Mill Rd).
The recent completion of a new segment of the Schuylkill River West Trail beneath the Route 422 bridge gives residents of Valley Forge and King of Prussia an offroad connection to a large network of trails spanning Southeastern PA.
The asphalt trail connects Bob Case Park with Sullivan's Bridge Trail just west of the Route 422 bridge over the Schuylkill River, passing primarily through open space between residential neighborhoods and the Norfolk Southern RR line. Heuser Park, which features athletic fields and a playground, is situated about halfway, and railfans will have opportunities to observe freight trains that frequently rumble by on the active rail line. Although there are a few steep slopes, most notably on the new segment beneath the Route 422 bridge, the trail is user friendly and can be enjoyed by cyclists. walkers and other users.
From its western terminus, trail users have the option of either turning south to Valley Forge National Historic Park, which has its own greenway network, including the Joseph Plumb Martin Trail, and is also the eastern terminus of the Horseshoe Trail, a hiking and equestrian path that extends west to the Appalachian Trail, or turning north, crossing Sullivan's Bridge, to the main Schuylkill River Trail and The Circuit, the vast, growing network of multi-use greenways that span Southeastern PA and South Jersey.
Current plans anticipate the Schuylkill River West Trail being extended eastward to link to the segment of the Chester Valley Trail currently under construction from King of Prussia through Bridgeport to the Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown in the next few years. Once this is complete, the trail will form part of a loop that will be an integral part of The Circuit.
The connection of this short trail to the Valley Forge extension to the full Schuylkill Trail system is now complete! Just yet one more extension off the Schuylkill system as of Aug 13 2022
Quiet trail awaiting completion to connect with Valley Forge. Bathrooms and ball fields in the middle with plenty of parking. Some hills. A couple of tight switchbacks requiring a slow pace and some may need to dismount.
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