Horse Shoe Trail
Encyclopedia
The Horse Shoe Trail is a 140 miles (225.3 km) trail that runs from the western edge of Valley Forge National Historical Park
westward toward Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
, where it ends at the Appalachian Trail
.
The trail was developed for equestrian
and pedestrian
use, according to the Horseshoe Trail Club guide (see below), hence the name (horse + shoe).
The Fastest Known Time for covering the entire 142 mile distance of the Horse Shoe Trail is held by Washington, DC ultra-runner Dan Rose who completed the trail from West-to-East in 32 Hours, 43 Minutes, 14 Seconds on November 7-8, 2009.
, Berks, Lancaster
, Lebanon, and Dauphin counties.
The east end of the Horse Shoe Trail is nearly connected to the Schuylkill River Trail
, which runs through the north side of Valley Forge Park. Existing park trails almost connect them, but it is not signed, and busy PA Route 23
has to be crossed thrice. West of Valley Forge Park, the original trail has been broken up by suburban development. Some segments of the original trail have been closed off by new housing and lengthy detours are now required to continue on the trail's route. Detours and rerouted portions are sometimes not marked clearly.
Plans call for the Horse Shoe Trail eventually to connect with the Brandywine Trail at Yellow Springs Road. The Brandywine Trail is planned to run approximately 35 miles (56.3 km) south to Wilmington, Delaware
roughly along Brandywine Creek.
The club prints a guide to the trail that is updated occasionally. The guide is available for sale through the club. It is also sold at the visitor's center to Valley Forge Park and other select locations. The most recent guide was published in July 2002. There is also a newsletter, Blaze, that is published and includes updated information to the guide.
Valley Forge National Historical Park
Valley Forge National Historical Park is the site where the Continental Army spent the winter of 1777–1778 near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, during the American Revolutionary War. The National Historical Park preserves the site and interprets the history of the Valley Forge encampment. ...
westward toward Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
, where it ends at the Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
.
The trail was developed for equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
and pedestrian
Pedestrian
A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In some communities, those traveling using roller skates or skateboards are also considered to be pedestrians. In modern times, the term mostly refers to someone walking on a road or footpath, but this was not the case...
use, according to the Horseshoe Trail Club guide (see below), hence the name (horse + shoe).
The Fastest Known Time for covering the entire 142 mile distance of the Horse Shoe Trail is held by Washington, DC ultra-runner Dan Rose who completed the trail from West-to-East in 32 Hours, 43 Minutes, 14 Seconds on November 7-8, 2009.
Trail junctions
The west end of the Horse Shoe Trail terminates at the Appalachian Trail. It goes through ChesterChester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
, Berks, Lancaster
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
, Lebanon, and Dauphin counties.
The east end of the Horse Shoe Trail is nearly connected to the Schuylkill River Trail
Schuylkill River Trail
The Schuylkill River Trail is a multi-use trail under construction for expansion along the banks of the Schuylkill River in southeastern Pennsylvania...
, which runs through the north side of Valley Forge Park. Existing park trails almost connect them, but it is not signed, and busy PA Route 23
Pennsylvania Route 23
Pennsylvania Route 23 is a state highway in southeastern Pennsylvania. The route begins at Pennsylvania Route 441 in Marietta and heads east to U.S. Route 1 in Philadelphia.-Marietta to Valley Forge:...
has to be crossed thrice. West of Valley Forge Park, the original trail has been broken up by suburban development. Some segments of the original trail have been closed off by new housing and lengthy detours are now required to continue on the trail's route. Detours and rerouted portions are sometimes not marked clearly.
Plans call for the Horse Shoe Trail eventually to connect with the Brandywine Trail at Yellow Springs Road. The Brandywine Trail is planned to run approximately 35 miles (56.3 km) south to Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
roughly along Brandywine Creek.
Points of interest
- Near the start of the trail are the ruins of an old root beerRoot beerRoot beer is a carbonated, sweetened beverage, originally made using the root of a sassafras plant as the primary flavor. Root beer, popularized in North America, comes in two forms: alcoholic and soft drink. The historical root beer was analogous to small beer in that the process provided a drink...
bottling plant. A spring runs through the ruins. - The trail runs through French Creek State ParkFrench Creek State ParkFrench Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in North Coventry and Warwick Townships in Chester County and Robeson and Union Townships in Berks County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It straddles northern Chester County and southern Berks County along French Creek. The park is the...
. - The trail runs through WelkinweirWelkinweirWelkinweir is a nonprofit arboretum, garden, mansion, and conservation area located at 1368 Prizer Road, Pughtown, Pennsylvania near Pottstown. It is open to the public daily without charge....
, an arboretum and conservation area south of PottstownPottstown, PennsylvaniaPottstown is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States northwest of Philadelphia and southeast of Reading, on the Schuylkill River. Pottstown was laid out in 1752–53 and named Pottsgrove in honor of its founder, John Potts. The old name was abandoned at the time of the...
.
Horse Shoe Trail Club
The Horse Shoe Trail Club was founded in 1935 and coordinates volunteer and funding efforts to maintain the trail.The club prints a guide to the trail that is updated occasionally. The guide is available for sale through the club. It is also sold at the visitor's center to Valley Forge Park and other select locations. The most recent guide was published in July 2002. There is also a newsletter, Blaze, that is published and includes updated information to the guide.
External links
- http://hstrail.org/Horse Shoe Trail Club