Pedal and Paddle – Recreation in Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area

October 2, 2018 || Posted by: F. Calarco (NERO) –

The Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area, located in southeastern Pennsylvania, covers approximately 2000 square miles around the Schuylkill River and its surrounding watershed. Designated by U.S. Congress as a national heritage area in 2000, Schuylkill River Greenways works to create recreational and educational opportunities, preserve cultural and natural resources, and promote heritage tourism along the Schuylkill River.

A major goal of the heritage area is to highlight the numerous resources and opportunities along the Schuylkill River. These efforts include the Schuylkill Explorers Program, which gives kids the opportunity to learn about the Schuylkill River and have fun outside on local nature trails. Each year the heritage area hosts a week-long kayaking trip called the Schuylkill Sojourn. Notably, one recreational event series that the heritage area oversees, which utilizes both water and land trails, is ‘Pedal and Paddle.’

People ride bikes, the “pedal” portion of a Pedal and Paddle event at Lock 60 in Mont Clare, Pennsylvania.

Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area

Operating since 2010, the Pedal and Paddle events occur throughout the summer season, and allow for participants to cycle on the Schuylkill River Trail, or “pedal,” as well as kayak in the river, or “paddle.” Bikes and kayaks are provided by outfitters, such as Take it Outdoors Adventures and Riverbend Cycles. In addition to being provided equipment, event participants also receive user-friendly instruction, ensuring that the experience is accessible to people of all skill and experience levels.

Many of the Pedal and Paddles take place in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. A typical day will start with a short introduction, followed by a five-mile bike ride to the Morlatton Village where participants receive a one-hour tour of the historic area. With a view of the river, participants then eat a boxed-lunch before beginning the paddle portion of the event. The kayaking portion starts with about 20 minutes of instruction before kayaking downriver to complete a loop back to where the event starts.

An additional location includes Lock 60 in Mount Clare, Pennsylvania. This location allows for the unique opportunity to paddle in a kayak loop that includes 2.5 miles on one of the few restored sections of the Schuylkill Canal System. The mid-day stop is at the restored lock and Lock Tender’s House, and a tour is provided by the modern-day lock tenders Dan and Betsy Daley of the Schuylkill Canal Association.

A woman enjoys her first time kayaking on the Schuylkill River, the “paddle” portion of a Pedal and Paddle event.

Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area

In additional to recreational programming, a major focus for the heritage area is to complete the Schuylkill River Trail. Currently, the trail is comprised of 67 non-continuous miles. Schuylkill River Greenways is working to bridge the gaps so that it will be a multi-use trail stretching 125 miles from Fort Mifflin to Frackville, Pennsylvania.

Tim Fenchel, Deputy Director of Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area, states, “The river and trail are amazing resources for downtown communities in Pennsylvania like Phoenixville, Norristown, Manayunk, and Pottstown. We’re a champion for the river and will continue to work as a catalyst for the revitalization of the communities along the river and the trail. There are a lot of success stories across the nation with trails and their popularity, and we’re really excited about the potential that the Schuylkill River Trail has for our region. ”

Map of the Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area.

Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area

To learn more, listen to the NPS National Heritage Area Podcast Episode with Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area’s Deputy Director Tim Fenchel and Trail Program Coordinator Julia Hurle. Information about recreational opportunities on the Schuylkill River can be found on Go Schuylkill Greenways.

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