Formed in 1850 by the Philadelphia and Reading Company, the Chester Valley Railroad stretched 22 miles between Bridgeport and Downingtown. The Chester Valley Trail will generally follow a now-abandoned rail corridor and will connect ChesterCounty’s Struble Trail in Exton with MontgomeryCounty’s Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown. ChesterCounty is expecting to extend the Trail into Downingtown.
The Trail is one of 16 multi use trails planned for MontgomeryCounty. What makes this Trail so important is its regional significance. With its connection to the Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown, a visitor will be able to make the connection between the Chester Valley Trail for an easy ride East to Philadelphia or West to Valley Forge National Historical Park and onward to the Perkiomen Trail in Oaks.
The Trail will take visitors over the scenic Schuylkill River in Norristown, a National and state Heritage river corridor, through the downtown shopping area of Bridgeport Borough with its various restaurants, art galleries, and bed and breakfast lodging opportunities, past the Veterans Memorial Park, and into the King of Prussia area of Upper Merion. Visitors will eventually be able to exit the trail on local streets to visit the King of Prussia Mall and other businesses along busy Rt. 202. Of particular note is the bridge crossing of the Schuylkill Expressway where the visitor can get a bird’s eye view of the fast moving traffic below. After crossing County Line Road, visitors to the Trail will enter ChesterCounty for their journey to Exton and Downingtown.
Visitors are encouraged to stay on the Trail unless specifically directed to street access points, since adjacent lands are privately owned.
The Trail is expected to be completed between Norristown and Exton by the Fall of 2007.Please note that visitors should only use the segments that are clearly shown as completed. This Trail brochure will be updated as needed when new segments are opened.
