Schuylkill River trail
The Schuylkill River (SRT) trail Southern end is at its confluence with The Delaware River in Philadelphia near Ft. Mifflin, on it Western side. The eastern side is inside the Philadelphia Navy yard. At this time, August 2008, the trail is continuously signed from Spruce Street in Philadelphia to Phoenixville. The trail is to cross to the southwestern side and follow the river in Chester county to Pottstown. From Pottstown the trail is signed to the Tulpehocken Creek north of Reading PA. The SRT pass connections to other trails Norristown Farm trail system in Norristown, the Perkiomen trail from Oaks PA to Green Lane PA, The French Creek trail in Phoenixville, the Wyomissing Creek train in Reading and the Union Trail along the Tulpehocken Creek. The trail is to ends in Tamaqua, Northeast of Pottsville. Section above Reading are waiting to be connected. A cue sheet for a onroad link between Phoenixville and Pottstown is here. Onroad SRT cue
The SRT has completed sections north of Reading. The map below shows all of these section to Pottsville and Tamaqua.
The last section map shows a mileage chart 98 mile to Pottsville, another sign. on the trail give the mileage to Tamaqua. one 100 miles, I will capture that later.
2008 ride to Blue Marsh
Below, 2006 ride to Reading.
November 4th Thun trail ride From Pottstown to Queen City. The pictures are not as sharp as usually. I wasn't aware that several feature like ISO film speed and electron volts manually until a friend told me. I had preset the camera to take video Sunday in church. These picture was altered brighter with software.
At the end on the Union trail is Blue Marsh Lake
Union trail along the Tupehocken Creek. At the end of the Thun trail, cross the Schuylkill, make a left to the end of Blair Rd. To Confluence Park. The Union trail start here. Bring your camera, You will find a red cover bridge, foot bridge to cross and a bridge with toll houses on each end.
The Thun Trail revert to the Schuylkill trail and one day will extend to Tamaqua This will make the distance from the confluence of the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers to Port Clinton more than 100 miles.
Steve Trovic led me on a ride from Oley to Port Clinton a while back. In Port Clinton is a section of the canal and towpath, that section and the section in Mount Clair are the only remains of the canal that once carried coal from the coal mines to Philadelphia. Also in Port Clinton, the Appalachian trail comes down to the gap of the Schuylkill river for crossing. An outfitter for hiker is here. Also a live steam train goes from Port Clinton to Jim Thorpe as an excursion train during fall leaf season
Map with track on the Schuylkill and Thun trails from Pottstown to Birdsboro and Reading. The trail starts at Pottstown Riverfront park at Hanover St. and College Ave. The trail Crosses Rt. 724 twice. A overpass was removed, making one crossing a steep descent on both side. Walking your bicycle is recommended. In Birdsboro, Rt. 724, Main street is used for one block and then a right turn on to Schuylkill Rd. Schuylkill Rd. ends at Rt. 724. and becomes Old River Rd after crossing Rt. 724. a quick right to continue on Old River Rd. River Rd. ends at Proudfoot Rd. Straight ahead the trail began. The trail crosses Rt. 724. caution on the loose gravel for a short distance. After the parking lot a section is unfinished. Use Rt. 10 There is a wide shoulder for most of the way to Rt. 222 business. The trail restart with a right on Prospect Ave. However, for the Queen City Diner, stay on Rt. 10 is better. If Crossing Bus 222, turn here and use the trail and overpass.
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-05.
Thun
(t
n) (KEY) ,
city (1990 est. pop. 37,700), Bern canton, central Switzerland, on the Aare
River, where it flows out of the Lake of Thun. Machinery, watches, pottery, and
cheese are made there. Of interest are two castles, the 16th-century town hall,
and the historical museum. The Lake of Thun, c.20 sq mi (52 sq km), is
picturesquely situated at the foot of the Bernese Alps.
The name Thun is held by many people who have and is contributing to society.
Google Earth view of new trail work.
January 17, 2006 Google Earth Satellite map With blue track lines. Trail section from Brown Rd in Oaks to To tow path and Longford Rd. in Mt Clair.( A right on Longford Rd crosses Egypt Rd. and leads to Evenburg State Park) .Until this section is completed, Use the cue sheet from here http://www.billcotton.com/Bill%20cotton%20cue%20sheets.htm Norristown to Queen city dinner via Phoenixville. It will be updated as the trail sections are completed.
Google earth placemark for Pottstown to Birdsboro section of the trail. Old Phila. pike can be used to get its end to get to the Morlatton Village trailhead of the Douglassville to Birdsboro section. Turn right after the White Horse Tavern sign. The train has guide post at the entrance but no name sign. The trail is more suitable for horse and mountain bike, but wide tires make it rideable with a road bicycle. The trail crosses the river on the old railroad bridge. The it crosses Rt 724 on the road that BikePa "L" route uses and cross Rt. 724 again at the Ugly Mug Tavern. The trail ends at a ball bark. go left and cross the Hay creek. Use Rt. 82 and Rt. 724 for about a block to get to Old Schuylkill Road. It crossed Rt. 724 and leads to the connection of the Thun trail in Gibraltar This goes to Reading at Rt. 10 and Business Rt. 222, a bridge takes the trail over this busy intersection. http://www.schuylkillriver.org/maps/birdsboro_trail.asp
Tracks from January 14 century following Cedarville rd. to it western end and other roads to Black Mart Rd. Then crossing the Douglasville bridge. The track shows a wrong turn to a dead end road, before reaching Rt. 724.The same ride on another day, I went into Douglasville and followed Ben Franklin Blvd. to the completed western end of the Pottstown bike trail at Grosstown Rd 2.3 miles There is a map of the trail at the trail office as you enter the trail at the parking lot on College Ave. The trail section from Douglasville to the Birdsboro is here. http://www.schuylkillriver.org/maps/birdsboro_trail.asp I will ride this section soon.
Tracks from January 7 Schuylkill Century following the future trail as close as possible and using all of the completed sections. E mail me if you want a Mapsource file of the tracks.
Above are tracks from the intersection of the Perkiomen trail to Port Providence. Work was being done today in this area that may allow bypassing Egypt Road as shown in the Google Earth map above.
Some of Philly area trails. A 86 mile loop from my home in Cheltenham. I Enter the Ft Washington section of the Cross County trail from Skippack Pike above Bethlehem Pk. The first 1/4 mile is gravel but after that the trail is paved to Valley Green Rd.. After crossing Valley Green Rd. and the Creek, the trail branches one section goes to Bethlehem Pk. and Flourtown picnic area on Mill Rd. The other section goes to Stenton Ave. Two proposed trails will be joined here, One follow the Wisohocken to Valley Green Park. the other will join the Cross County trail that now is finished from the Schuylkill Trail to Germantown Pk. and Chemical Rd.
Below a close-up of the Ft. Washington Trail
The Skippack trail from the junction with the Pekomen after crossing the creek follow on the east side of the creek for a short distance then follow the power lines up hill to Skippack Village and Evanburg Park. The trail is completely paved and signs for Evanburg and Skippack Village. Caution, going through the local park requires close watching to make all turn. The map below can be down loaded from here;
The trail is on the right side walk of Mensch Rd. The trail starts at the end of the side walk.
The Skippack Village section from the fork above, through the park, shown below as dotted line.
http://skippacktownship.org/TrailInfo.htm
The dotted red lines will get you to Skippack Village.