The Perkiomen Trail is a multi-use
rail trail
A rail trail or railway walk is a shared-use path on a Right of way#Rail right of way, railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed but may also share the rail corr ...
along the
Perkiomen Creek in
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
.
It begins at the junction with the
Schuylkill River Trail
The Schuylkill River Trail ( , ) is a multi-use trail along the banks of the Schuylkill River in southeastern Pennsylvania. Partially complete, the trail is ultimately planned to run about from the river's headwaters in Schuylkill County, Penns ...
near the mouth of the Perkiomen and
Valley Forge National Historical Park
Valley Forge National Historical Park is the site of the third winter encampment of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War from December 19, 1777 to June 19, 1778. The National Park Service preserves the site and interprets ...
and ends in Green Lane Park. It follows the Perkiomen and connects Lower Perkiomen Valley Park, Central Perkiomen Valley Park, and Green Lane Park. The trail is mostly gravel, with some sections being paved.
The abandoned portion of Perkiomen Branch of the
Reading Railroad
The Reading Company ( ) was a Philadelphia-headquartered railroad that provided passenger and freight transport in eastern Pennsylvania and neighboring states from 1924 until its acquisition by Conrail in 1976.
Commonly called the Reading Railr ...
was purchased by
Montgomery County in 1978, and the trail mostly follows the former railroad bed. It was completed in 2003.
It passes through ten communities (from south to north):
Oaks,
Arcola,
Yerkes,
Collegeville,
Rahns,
Graterford,
Schwenksville,
Spring Mount,
Upper Salford, and
Green Lane.
Natural Lands and the Montgomery County Lands Trust have spent over $7 million to establish an easement to ensure that this trail remains an open space in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
References
External links
Home of the Perkiomen TrailPerkiomen RailroadPerkiomen Trail on TrailLink
Rail trails in Pennsylvania
Reading Company
Parks in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
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