There are more than 30 miles of the Schuylkill River Trail in Philadelphia including a section which provides recreational space in the center of the beautiful and historic city. 

Schuylkill Banks, located between the Fairmount Water Works and Locust Street, is a linear park that hosts a variety of entertainment and recreational events throughout the year. 

Trail Segments & Surfaces

  • Bartram’s Mile: Bartram’s Mile, a 1.1-mile stretch of trail on the west side of the river, will eventually connect to the Schuylkill Banks section of the Schuylkill River Trail in Philadelphia. The 15-foot-wide multi-use path extends along the western bank of the Schuylkill River through the grounds of historic Bartram’s Garden, which was frequented by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and other boldface names from history. The new trail starts at the 56th Street Plaza and continues for 1.1 miles to the Grays Ferry Swing Bridge.
    • Access: The easiest way to enter this new path is at 56th Street and Lindbergh Boulevard, which will bring trail guests right to the 56th Street Plaza, an area that offers prime skyline views. There’s plenty of parking available at this access point.
  • Schuylkill Banks to East Falls: The trail is a wide paved surface suitable for rollerblading, walking, running and cycling. This section runs next to Kelly Drive and takes users past Boathouse Row.
  • East Falls to Manayunk Canal Towpath: From East Falls to Ridge Avenue the trail is on sidewalk, Ridge Avenue to Manayunk’s Lock Street uses Main Street, then the trail goes behind Main Street and uses the Manayunk Canal towpath, a section of the Schuylkill Navigation System. The Manayunk Canal towpath varies between crushed stone and wooden boardwalk.

Trail Partners

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Philadelphia, South of the Art Museum

The Schuylkill River Development Corporation (Schuylkill Banks) manages the trail from the Fairmount WaterWorks to South Street, a section known as Schuylkill Banks. The Schuylkill Banks vision calls for trails running along both banks of the Schuylkill River wherever possible between the Fairmount Dam and the Delaware River. SRDC is currently working with public and private partners to plan, design and build additional trail segments and improve neighborhood connections to the trail.

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Philadelphia, North of Art Museum

The Philadelphia Parks & Recreation protects over 10,200 acres of public land and waterways, and manages hundreds of recreation, environmental, and cultural centers. The department manage historically significant Philadelphia events and special venues, and works with communities and organizations, leading capital projects and introducing creative programming.

Trailheads

Sites Along the Trail