Learn About the Pennsylvania Highlands Trail Network!
Have you heard of the Mid-Atlantic Highlands region? This 3.5 million acre forested greenbelt sprawls across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut, bordering densely populated areas around Philadelphia, New York City, and Hartford. In 2004, Congress enacted the Highlands Conservation Act, designating the region as in need of special protection due to its unique natural and historic features, clean streams, wooded uplands, physiographic features, and geology.

 

 

In order to provide community connection across the Mid-Atlantic Highlands region, some states have developed trail networks known as the Highlands Trail. In Pennsylvania, the Highlands Trail is a connected trail network of 300 miles that crosses thirteen counties and co-aligns with twenty-two existing trails.

It begins at the Delaware River in Riegelsville, following the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor and extending the New York-New Jersey Highlands Trail into Pennsylvania. The trail then heads west across the southeastern portion of the state, where the Appalachian Trail meets the border of Pennsylvania and Maryland.

 

 

On the Pennsylvania Highlands Trail’s journey through the state, it connects three rivers: the Delaware, the Schuylkill, and the Susquehanna. It also connects the towns of Easton, Bethlehem, Quakertown, Green Lane, Phoenixville, and Pottstown, and it passes through six state parks: Delaware Canal, Nockamixon, French Creek, Gifford Pinchot, Pine Grove Furnace, and Caledonia State Parks. There’s more: Valley Forge National Historical park connects to the Highlands Trail, as well as several county parks, such as Ringing Rocks Park, Green Lane Park, Central and Lower Perkiomen Valley parks, and Chickies Rock County Park.

 

 

The Pennsylvania Highlands Trail includes a spectrum of types of trails, from rugged natural surface footpaths like the Horse-Shoe Trail to the gravel multi-use Perkiomen Trail. Different sections of the trail may allow for different forms of recreation, including hiking, biking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing, among others. Some sections of the trail are also accessible.

 

Get Involved!
While the Pennsylvania Highlands Trail is ready for you to get out and enjoy it, there’s still plenty of work to be done. Trail gaps break up the connectivity of the Highlands Network, and trail maintenance is a constant need. If you want to help ensure that the Pennsylvania Highlands Trail is supported and maintained, keep an eye on our social media pages for volunteering opportunities. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates!

 

 

The Pennsylvania Highlands Trail is supported and managed by the Appalachian Mountain Club, the nation’s longest serving conservation and recreation organization whose goals are to connect people with the outdoors and to publicly advocate to preserve and expand the spaces we love.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Pennsylvania Highlands Trail Network, or looking to find a trail or state park near you, check out our website at pahighlands.org! To learn more about the Appalachian Mountain Club, go to outdoors.org!

 

Madison DeGerolamo is the Mid-Atlantic Trails Coordinator with the Appalachian Mountain Club. In her role, she manages the Pennsylvania Highlands Trail Network. Madison enjoys hiking, cooking, and checking out Pennsylvania farmer’s markets. To contact Madison, please email her at [email protected]!