Parks & Trails

History buffs and nature lovers come from around the world to experience the beauty of our backyard, Valley Forge National Historical Park. The site of the 1777-78 winter encampment of the Continental Army features 3,500 acres of monuments, meadows and woodlands and close to 30 miles of trails. Historical storytellers and incredible year-round events bring the past to life for the more than 2M people who visit the park each year.

A 2.2 mile extension of the Schuylkill River Trail was formally opened November 5, 2015 at Heuser Park in Upper Merion Township. The dedicated bicycle and pedestrian trail connects to 15.5 miles of trails from Valley Forge National Historical Park to Manayunk. The Schuylkill River Trail is a part of the Circuit Trails, a vast regional network of more than 300 miles of interconnected trails in southeastern Pennsylvania and central and southern New Jersey.

This new trail is still under construction and will traverse Chester and Montgomery Counties and ultimately connect to other trails, including the Schuylkill River Trail. Currently, a one-mile section has been completed by PennDOT in Montgomery County, including a bridge over the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) in King of Prussia. Eventually, the trail will take visitors over the Schuylkill River in Norristown and provide access to view the new fish ladder at the Norristown Dam as well as opportunities to visit various shops, restaurants, and art galleries along the way. It will then continue past the Veterans Memorial Park and into the King of Prussia area of Upper Merion Township.

The Circuit Trails are a continuously-growing network of more than 300 miles of trails in the nine county region of southeastern Pennsylvania, and central and southern New Jersey, with a vision of more than 750 miles of interconnected trails. In the King of Prussia area, the Schuylkill River Trail, Chester Valley Trail, the Valley Forge Loop, and more are all a part of the Circuit. A group of more than 65 non-profit organizations, foundations and agencies are working together to advance completion of the Circuit Trails through the Circuit Trails Coalition. Together, the Coalition is working to create a multi-use trail network unlike any other in the country — connecting the urban, suburban and rural communities of Greater Philadelphia and providing trail users with 100s of miles of happy to explore.

The new 602 ft recreational trail bridge is the much-anticipated missing link between the Schuylkill River Trail and the Valley Forge National Historical Park. Now open, Sullivan’s Bridge provides bicyclists and pedestrians a safe and beautiful connection.

Upper Merion Township (UMT) boasts 35 parks and open spaces, many of which are available to rent. UMT’s Park Partners program provides residents, organizations and businesses with a variety of ways to help protect and enhance our parks, and to educate people about the importance of parks and open spaces.