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Geography
| Perkiomen Trail   | 
| Location: Pennsylvania, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 40.12665°N / 75.44809°W Trail Type: Trials County: Montgomery County Technical Difficulty: Easy Aerobic Difficulty: Medium Layout: Point to Point Length: 19.0 Mi / 30.6 Km
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| Page By: Aspen Knight Created/Edited: Oct 18, 2007 / Oct 20, 2007 Object ID: 262648 Hits: 728 Loading... Page Score: 86.99% - 3 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Overview of Perkiomen Trail
Beginning of the Perkiomen Trail |
The 20-mile long Perkiomen Trail (PT) is a multi-use trail that extends from its connection to the 25-mile long Schuylkill River Trail in the City of Oaks in Upper Providence Township to Green Lane Park in Upper Frederick Township.
The trail serves as a regional access between Green Lane Park in Green Lane, Central Perkiomen Valley Park in Schwenksville (location of Spring Mountain, the closest ski/snowboarding resort to Philadelphia) and Lower Perkiomen Valley Park in Oaks and two very significant county historic sites: the Mill Grove National Historical Landmark in Audubon and Pennypack Mills Historic Site in Schwenksville.
Trail DescriptionMost of the trail is cinder and packed gravel surface, although in Oaks it is paved for a short distance from Indianhead to the Schuylkill River Trail. There is an amazing 9% grade before the entrance to the Lower Perkiomen Valley Park. Hold on tight to the handle bars and enjoy the ride; don't fall on those curvy turns!
Trail Marker |
Getting There from Philadelphia
Trail Connection System |
From the Philadelphia Fairmount Park System, park your car along Kelly Drive in the Art Museum area and ride along the paved trail towards the trendy neighborhood of Manayunk. From here, you can ride along the Schuylkill River on gravel trail (expect pebbles, rocks, and tree trunks) to Nixon Street or for a more challenging way you can ride up Main Street.
From Main Street, turn RIGHT at Leverington Avenue and a LEFT at Umbria Street. Umbria is an uphill climb and it will change briefly into Minerva Street which in turn merges and becomes Shawmont Avenue. Turn a SHARP LEFT at Shawmont and ride downhill under a bridge. This is Nixon Street and it'll lead to a large sign on the left-hand side welcoming you to "The Schuylkill River Trail" (a.k.a., "The Cyclists Highway").
From here, ride 25 miles on a nicely paved road towards the Valley Forge National Historical Site. You will pass a very smelly waste water treatment plant along the old railroad track; cyclists call this "the scent of victory". The Schuylkill River Trail's ending will connect you to the beginning of the Perkiomen Trail. Along PT, a rider can access the John James audubon Center at Mill Grove via the Schuylkill River Trail at both Egypt and Pawling Road.
When to BikeThe trail can be accessed year-round, but do wear proper gears during the late fall, winter, and early spring seasons. Because it is a multi-use trail, keep an eye out for walkers, joggers, rollerbladers, children on bikes, pets, and cars in some area street intersections.
ANNOUNCE YOUR PRESENCE WHEN PASSING (e.g., "To your left")Scenery and SupportThe Perkiomen Trail provides riders with the opportunity to travel through some of the most beautiful scenic areas of the county. There're Spring flowering trees, deep Summer shades, spectacular Fall colors, and open Winter vistas.
The trail passes through a rich and varied landscape, including town centers, suburban landscape, and rural, remote areas. Through the entire length, the trail follows the scenic Perkiomen Creek, a tributary of the Schuylkill River. Riders will find country inns, farm markets, restaurants, sport shops, and other support facilities. This trail preserves much of the old Reading Railroad right-of-way. It also presents the historical significance of the railroad to the economic growth of the region. Images |
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