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Hiking · Straddles the county line

John Bartram Trail

Type
Riverside rail/dirt trail (point-to-point)
Where
Tilden Township, Berks County (trailhead); the corridor reaches the Schuylkill County line at Port Clinton
Managed by
Schuylkill River Greenways (Schuylkill River National & State Heritage Area)
Coordinates
40.56227, -75.99465 · Open in Maps
Schuylkill River Greenways official Kernsville Dam trailhead page (~30-car lot, 25 Kernsville Dam Rd, Hamburg).
Last verified
2026-06-18

The John Bartram Trail is a flat dirt trail along the Schuylkill River, named for the colonial botanist. It runs from the Kernsville Dam trailhead north toward Port Clinton, crossing the Appalachian Trail and passing through sections of State Game Lands.

Hiking

The grade is flat former-rail/dirt and is described as wheelchair-accessible. The Kernsville Dam trailhead (a ~30-car lot in Berks County) sits next to the historic Desilting Monument; the corridor reaches the Schuylkill County line at Port Clinton, where it connects with the Appalachian Trail and the Schuylkill River Water Trail. Because parts of the route cross State Game Lands, wear blaze orange during hunting seasons.

Access & parking

Getting there
Parking at the Kernsville Dam Rd trailhead (Berks County), next to the Desilting Monument; the AT crosses the corridor southwest of Port Clinton, and sections cross PA State Game Lands.
Accessibility
Flat former-rail/dirt grade described as wheelchair-accessible.

Sources

← Outdoor Life