Bike rides in Pennsylvania

Explore 12 rail-trail, greenway and park ride options in Pennsylvania, with route lengths, surfaces, access notes and starting locations. These are selected recreational outings, not an exhaustive trail inventory. Read each guide’s scope and access cautions before choosing a ride.

12 ride guides · alphabetical order

• Conewago — a short farmland return

  Elizabethtown area

  2.0 mi · Out-and-back

  Crushed stone

  A two-mile ride on the southern end of the Conewago Recreation Trail, starting at its Route 230 parking area and returning before the trail's sloped Mill Road crossing. This is a compact outing on a separated former railroad, with farmland, creek scenery and a crushed-stone surface.

• Ernst Trail — Beans public trailhead: short bicycle return

  Meadville

  Up to 4 miles return · Out-and-back

  Paved Ernst core; not gravel Conneaut continuation or dotted unopened links

  Follow the signed main path west on the paved Ernst main trail toward Mercer Pike. Turn after 2 outward miles or before the first public-road crossing, work barrier, uncertain continuation or uncomfortable transition, whichever comes first; retrace. Walk any initial lot or access-drive interface. Do not use a road or private-property detour.

• Fatlands — the Betzwood river return

  Betzwood, Valley Forge National Historical Park

  6.0 mi · Out-and-back

  Packed fine gravel

  Follow the north bank of the Schuylkill River at Valley Forge National Historical Park for an approximately six-mile out-and-back. The National Park Service describes this three-mile corridor, formerly called the River Trail, as level, shaded and surfaced with packed fine gravel. Its accessibility page says there are no steep areas. This is a different outing from the park's hilly paved Joseph Plumb Martin loop.

• Ironton — the main paved loop

  Whitehall and Coplay

  5.2 mi · Loop

  Asphalt, as described by the current operator.

  Ride approximately five to five-and-a-half miles around Coplay and Hokendauqua, north of Allentown, Pennsylvania. The trail operator describes a ten-foot-wide paved rail corridor with a flat, ADA-compliant grade. This outing follows the main loop, leaving the western spur for another visit. It suits an ordinary recreational bicycle, with several street crossings that require attention.

• Lancaster Junction — Champ Boulevard return

  Lancaster Junction, Lancaster County

  3.0 mi · Out-and-back

  Crushed stone

  A roughly three-mile outing on a level crushed-stone rail trail through Lancaster County farmland. Start at the sanctioned Champ Boulevard lot, ride north to the manager's mile 1.5 marker and retrace the trail. One mapped public-road crossing lies inside this outing; stop and check traffic each time you reach it.

• Pennypack Trail — Lorimer outer public lot: short bicycle return

  Huntingdon Valley

  Up to 2 miles return · Out-and-back

  Crushed-stone bicycle rail-trail, not all Lorimer nature paths

  Walk from Lorimer outer public lot to the signed crushed-stone Pennypack main. Ride north for up to one mile, turning before the first public-road crossing, any rail tracks, work barrier or uncomfortable transition, whichever comes first; retrace. No active SEPTA crossing, natural park spur or roadside bypass is part of this outing.

• Philadelphia Schuylkill Banks: short boardwalk return

  Philadelphia

  Up to 2 miles return · Out and back

  Paved riverside trail and boardwalk

  Walk your bicycle down the South Street Bridge ramp. Follow the signed riverside Boardwalk and trail north up to one mile and retrace, walking all ramps and any railroad crossing. Do not ride a blocked crossing or weave around a train.

• Pine Creek — Ansonia public trailhead: short bicycle return

  Ansonia

  Up to 4 miles return · Out-and-back

  Improved gravel / crushed-stone main rail trail

  Follow the signed main path south toward the gorge on the improved main rail trail. Turn after 2 outward miles or before the first public-road crossing, work barrier, uncertain continuation or uncomfortable transition, whichever comes first; retrace. Walk any initial lot or access-drive interface. Do not use a road or private-property detour.

• Staple Bend — Mineral Point to the tunnel exterior and back

  Johnstown area

  4.0 mi · Out-and-back

  Crushed limestone

  An approximately four-mile out-and-back beside the Little Conemaugh River near Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The National Park Service describes the two-mile approach as flat crushed limestone. Ride from the public Mineral Point trailhead toward the historic tunnel, turn around at the safe exterior viewing point before the closure, and return the same way.

• Struble Trail — Norwood Road public lot: short bicycle return

  Downingtown

  Up to 2 miles return · Out-and-back

  Asphalt bicycle rail-trail

  Follow the signed main path north on the paved Struble main trail toward Dorlan Mill Road. Turn after 1 outward mile or before the first public-road crossing, work barrier, uncertain continuation or uncomfortable transition, whichever comes first; retrace. Walk any initial lot or access-drive interface. Do not use a road or private-property detour.

• Valley Forge — Betzwood paved river return

  Betzwood, Valley Forge National Historical Park

  4.0 mi · Out-and-back

  Asphalt

  Ride an approximately four-mile out-and-back on the paved Schuylkill River Trail from Betzwood toward Pawlings Road. The National Park Service describes its two-mile section as paved, with no steep areas. Montgomery County's complete trail map independently lists two miles between the Betzwood picnic area and Pawlings Road trailhead. This is a short, bounded outing within a much longer regional trail.

• Youghiogheny / GAP — Ramcat trailhead: short bicycle return

  Ohiopyle State Park

  Up to 4 miles return · Out-and-back

  Crushed-limestone former-rail main path

  Follow the signed main path downstream toward Ohiopyle on the limestone GAP main line. Turn after 2 outward miles or before the first public-road crossing, work barrier, uncertain continuation or uncomfortable transition, whichever comes first; retrace. Walk any initial lot or access-drive interface. Do not use a road or private-property detour.