Join Us in Reviving the Reading Gateway Section of the SRT

Schuylkill River Greenways needs the community’s help to revive a section of the trail in Reading. The Reading Gateway Initiative will revitalize a portion of the Thun Section on the Schuylkill River Trail by raising $70,000 to install a camera system, repair trail lights, and other needs. The project will also complete several maintenance activities with the help of volunteers. Click the button below to learn more about the project.

Learn More About Reading Gateway Initiative View Trail Alerts

Trail Status During COVID-19

All sections of the Schuylkill River Trail are open to the public but park amenities may be closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Get the most current information about each trail section through our Trail Partners Page. Please continue to check county and local municipality recreation websites for updates on the status of public facilities in your area. Notices about closures and other guidelines concerning the coronavirus disease are constantly evolving.

Check Status of Each Trail Section

Please Use the Trail Safely During COVID-19

View Trail Safety During COVID Flyer

We ask you to please keep the national and state recommendations of social distancing and hand washing in mind while using the Schuylkill River Trail. The National Recreation and Park Association has provided tips and information about keeping a safe social distance in parks and on trails during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these tips are listed below.

Recommendations for physical distancing & trail safety during COVID-19
  • Follow CDC’s guidance on personal hygiene prior to heading to trails — wash hands, carry hand sanitizer, do not use trails if you have symptoms, cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, etc.
  • Observe at all times CDC’s minimum recommended social distancing of six feet from other people. Practice it and know what it looks like. Keep it as you walk, bike or hike.
  • Warn other trail users of your presence and as you pass to allow proper distance and step off trails to allow others to pass, keeping minimum recommended distances at all times. Signal your presence with your voice, bell or horn.
  • Note that trail and park users may find public restrooms closed — be prepared before you leave and time outings so that you are not dependent on public restrooms.
  •  Bring water or drinks — public drinking fountains may be disabled and should not be used, even if operable.
  • Bring a suitable trash bag. Leave no trash, take everything out to protect park workers

 

Voted Best Urban Trail

In 2015, the Schuylkill River Trail took first place as the Best Urban Trail in USA Today’s 10 Best Readers Choice poll.
View The Interactive Map View Trail Alerts

Hit the Trail!

Welcome to the Schuylkill River Trail, a multi-use path that will extend 120 miles from Frackville in Schuylkill County, through Montgomery, Chester and Berks Counties to Philadelphia. It travels through the historically rich region of southeastern Pennsylvania. The trail passes through rural, agricultural, suburban, urban, and industrial landscapes. The Schuylkill River (pronounced SKOO-kill), Dutch for Hidden River, is where the American, Industrial and Environmental Revolutions were born.

Most of the trail is built over abandoned railroad lines. Today, over 75 miles of paved and crushed stone trail are open to the public. Along its path, trail users can see evidence of several centuries of industrial development, canal navigation, railroad transportation, quarrying of limestone and iron ore, and the production of iron and steel.

OPERATING HOURS

The Schuylkill River Trail is open every day of the week from sunrise to sunset. 

IN AN EMERGENCY

Call 911 and provide them with the “Help Locator Number” or Mile Number found on mile posts and trailhead signs.

Trail Safety Tips

Please keep these trail safety tips in mind when using the Schuylkill River Trail

  • Use the trail only from sunrise to sunset. The trail is closed at night. 
  • Tell someone when and where you’re going on the trail.
  • Carry a cellphone to use in distress.
  • Avoid headphones that block sound so you can hear others approaching.
  • Carry ID with contact and medical information.
  • Check your bike regularly. Make sure the tires are full, chains are greased, and the brakes are tight.
  • Be alert for downed branches and other hazards.
  • Come to a full stop at intersections and use caution proceeding.

For more tips about staying safe on your bike, CLICK HERE. 

For more tips about staying safe while hiking, CLICK HERE. 

View Trail Etiquette Rules

Please remember these trail etiquette rules when using the Schuylkill River Trail. 

  • Watch your speed - cyclists should pass on the left.
  • Announce your approach to other trail users.
  • Dogs must be kept on a 6 foot leash AND under control.
  • Owners are responsible for cleaning up pet waste.
  • No littering - please practice “Carry In - Carry Out”.
  • Cyclists and rollerbladers should wear a helmet.
  • No unauthorized motor vehicles allowed on the trail.
  • And most importantly...Be courteous to other trail users and trail neighbors.

Connecting the Trail

The Schuylkill River Trail (SRT) is owned, managed, maintained and developed by a number of organizations who have come together to form the Schuylkill River Trail Partners. Until several years ago, the Schuylkill River Trail existed in unconnected sections known by the names given to them locally. Enormous efforts have been made to connect these sections, close gaps, create a unified sign system and promote the trail as a single entity. This work continues with plans to close several remaining gaps, and to extend the trail in Philadelphia at the lower end and in Schuylkill County at the upper end.

Current Trail Projects

Support the SRT

Your membership donation supports the Schuylkill River Trail and the many other projects and programs that benefit the entire Schuylkill River region. Schuylkill River Greenways works with partners to improve trail access, create a uniform sign system, and improve trail amenities. The nonprofit operates and maintains more than 30 miles of the trail in Berks and Schuylkill Counties. Maintenance and upkeep along these sections of the trail are done solely by volunteers. Help us build and complete the Schuylkill River Trail.

Become a Member

AND/OR

Become a Volunteer

Trail Alerts & Updates

Trail Alerts
Schuylkill River Trail at Monocacy Crossing Closed for Construction 

The Schuylkill River Trail near Monocacy Station in Union Township, Berks County  is closed for the construction of the Richard P. Whittaker, M.D. Memorial Bridge. The trail will be closed between the trail access across from the Fork & Ale restaurant and approximately 600 feet east of the bridge construction site. Construction is expected to last until August. This section will be closed throughout the project to allow construction vehicles to transport materials. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

  • This notice was posted on Jan. 26, 2021 and may not be current 
 
Schuylkill River Trail Temporary Closure in Reading for Tree Removal

Weather permitting, on Wednesday, Feb. 24, the Schuylkill River Trail will be temporarily closed in the area Victor Emmanuel Club, Reading. Click here to enlarge image above. This trail section is located between Brentwood Trailhead and the Lancaster Avenue Pedestrian Bridge. The closing will be to remove a large fallen tree which is hazardous. Work will take place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb. 24. 

  • This notice was posted on Feb. 22, 2021 and may not be current 

 

SRT Under Chestnut St. Bridge in Philly Will Close for Repairs

The Schuylkill River Trail under the Chestnut Street Bridge in Philadelphia will be closed to all trail traffic starting February 15 for about 2 to 3 months so PennDOT can rehabilitate the bulkhead. The bulkhead under the southside of the Chestnut Street Bridge is compromised, resulting in a 5 x 10-foot sinkhole on the trail surface. The repairs are estimated to cost more than $1 million. 

To navigate around this area during the trail closure, users are directed to exit the trail using the Walnut Street Bridge Stair Towers just south of the project site or the Market Street Ramp just north of the project site. For more details or if you have questions, visit schuylkillbanks.org/projects/chestnut-street-bulkhead, email Schuylkill Banks at info@schuylkillbanks.org, or call us at 215-309-5523.

  • This notice was posted on Feb. 13, 2021 and may not be current 

 

New Fencing Installed Along SRT at East River Bridge

New fencing was installed on the pedestrian East River Bridge which is located just east of the Brentwood Trailhead in Cumru Township. Contractors removed the deteriorated chain link fence/fence posts and installed a new one. CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS

  • This notice was posted on Jan. 29, 2021 and may not be current 

 

Schuylkill River Trail Construction in Phoenixville 

Construction work has commenced on an area of the Schuylkill River Trail between the Mowere Road Trailhead, and Fillmore Street for water and sewer line infrastructure installation. CLICK HERE to enlarge above image. Residents and visitors travelling along the trail will encounter a narrowing of the trail in this area during this period of construction. Construction fencing will delineate where the construction is taking place. This work is expected to go until late February 2021.For additional information and updates on this project, CLICK HERE. 

  • This notice was posted on Dec. 28, 2020 and may not be current 

 

Use Caution on the Trail During Hunting Season 

Hunting season has officially started. Since some sections of the Schuylkill River Trail run through wooded areas where hunting is permitted, take precautions when you’re out on the trail. Wear bright orange so you are visible to hunters. When walking or jogging carry items that make noise such as bells. Beware that white hats and mittens can resemble a deer’s tail, and that red and green can look brown in dusky light. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

  • This notice was posted on Nov. 15, 2020 and may not be current 

 

Resurfacing for a Mile of the Trail in Reading is Complete 

SEASON GREETINGS: Resurfacing for a 1-mile stretch of the Schuylkill River Trail near the Powell Bridge in Reading is COMPLETE. The area is just north of the Brentwood Trailhead. 

  • This notice was posted on Nov. 15, 2020 and may not be current 

 

Schuylkill River Trail Open Between Phoenixville & Parkerford, Construction Postponed 

The posted Schuylkill River Trail closure thru December 7, 2020 has been removed. Chester County's construction contractor has postponed trail construction work until the spring of 2021. Trail closure signs have been removed and the 5.7-mile section of the Schuylkill River Trail in Chester County between the Cromby Trailhead (367 Township Line Rd., Phoenixville, PA) and Linfield Road at Parkerford, PA is now open for public use. Please direct any questions to: parkspres@chesco.org

  • This notice was posted on Nov. 15, 2020 and may not be current 
 
Angelica Creek Trail in Reading is Closed 

The Angelica Creek Trail will be closed at the bridge crossing for the next 6 to 8 months due to city sewer repair work.  The trail will be closed from the Schuylkill River Trail at Brentwood Drive to the rear gate of the Waste Water Treatment Plant. The Angelica Creek Trail is near The Berks Nature/Nature Place in Reading and connects to the Schuylkill River Trail near the Brentwood Trailhead. Contractors estimate the Angelica Creek Trail will reopen sometime between July  and September, 2020. Check for updates about the construction at berksnature.org/trails. 

CLICK HERE to read a Reading Eagle article with more details about the construction project. 

  • This notice was posted on February 7, 2020 & may not be current
SRT in Auburn is Closed

The Schuylkill River Trail in Auburn, Schuylkill County from River Road to Route 895 is closed through March 2020 to transport coal silts for an environmental remediation project. Find alternative routes using the interactive map.

Trail News & Updates

CELEBRATORY KICKOFF UNVEILS DETAILS OF AUBURN BRIDGE PROJECT

  • The Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area had a celebratory kickoff on Dec. 5, 2018 for the official announcement of the Auburn Bridge Project which will rehabilitate a former Pennsylvania Railroad bridge as part of the extension of the Schuylkill River Trail ... CONTINUE READING

HUNDREDS PARTICIPATE IN 3RD ANNUAL RIDE FOR THE RIVER

  • The sun-filled fall day on Sept. 29 did not go to waste for the 300 bicyclists that spent it outdoors on the Schuylkill River Trail as part of the 3rd Annual Ride for the River ... CONTINUE READING

ZEPHZ JOINS SRT SPONSOR-A-TRAIL PROGRAM

  • Zephz Athletic Footwear, a worldwide brand based in the U.S., recently agreed to provide a one-year $500 donation to the Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area’s Sponsor-a-Trail program ... CONTINUE READING

SRG RECEIVES 2018 CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR AWARD

  • Schuylkill River Greenways was named as the “2018 Conservation Organization of the Year” for trail connections made in Schuylkill County ... CONTINUE READING
Trail Events

There are no trail events at this time