Bicycling
The Center City section of Schuylkill Banks is a great place to join multiple larger trail systems, including the Schuylkill River Trail, the Circuit Trails, and the East Coast Greenway.
Bike rentals are available from the Wheel Fun Kiosk located between Lloyd Hall and Boathouse Row. Kiosk hours and rental information is available here. You can also take an Indego, Philadelphia's bike share. More info and station locations is here. Get a bicycle map of Philadelphia here.
Looking for a new place to cycle? Check out the Grays Ferry Crescent, Bartram's Mile, and Bartram's to 61st Street trail sections.
- Grays Ferry Crescent has 4,017 feet of bike trails. Access points to this segment are located on the 34th Street Bridge, Grays Ferry Avenue and 36th Street, and Wharton Street and Schuylkill Avenue. Please walk all bikes on the 34th Street Bridge ramp. This section of trail will eventually connect to the Center City portion via the Christian to Crescent Connection.
- Bartram's Mile, on the west side of the Schuylkill, is also a great place to cycle. Access points to this segment of trail are located at 49th Street and Botanic Avenue, Bartram's Garden, and 56th Street and Bartram Drive. This section will eventually connect to Grays Ferry Crescent via the Schuylkill Crossing at Grays Ferry.
- Bartram's to 61st Street extends south of Bartram's Mile and includes unique views of the river and skyline. Access this section from the 56th Street Plaza.
Parts of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (West River Drive) are closed to automobiles on Saturdays and Sundays in April through October. MLK Jr. Drive between the Art Museum and Sweetbriar Drive is bicycle- and pedestrian-only from 7am to noon and MLK Jr. Drive from Sweetbriar Drive to the East Falls Bridge is bicycle- and pedestrian-only from 7am to 5pm on these weekends. You can connect to MLK Jr. Drive from the north end of Schuylkill Banks; simply turn off the trail when you reach the Schuylkill Banks Pergola and enter MLK Jr. Drive at the signalized pedestrian crossing.
Cycling Safety
Please be aware of your surroundings while cycling on the Banks -- keep an eye out for pedestrians, kids, pets, skaters, and other cyclists. The trail can be very crowded, especially during commute times, lunch time, and weekends in the spring through fall and during Schuylkill Banks events. Slow down when the trail is crowded and announce yourself when passing on the trail. Bike racks are located conveniently along the trail; please do not lock bikes to trees or in locations that block trail traffic. Please walk your bike on all ramps and railroad crossings.
Getting to Schuylkill Banks Center City on bicycle
From South Philadelphia: Take the 22nd Street bike lane to South Street, turn left on South Street and take the bike lane past Schuylkill Avenue and up the South Street Bridge to the Boardwalk access ramp. Please walk your bike on the ramp.
From Rittenhouse Square, Fitler Square, and adjacent neighborhoods: Take the Spruce Street bike lane to 25th Street, turn right on 25th Street and then turn left at the at-grade railroad track crossing into Schuylkill Banks. If this entrance if it is blocked by a train, walk your bike over the Schuylkill River Parks Connector Bridge just south of the at-grade crossing.
From West Philadelphia or central Center City: Take Chestnut Street Bridge, Market Street Bridge or JFK Boulevard Bridge to the east side of the Schuylkill River and then take the ramps from Chestnut and Market Streets or the JFK stairs down to Schuylkill Banks.
From Logan Square and nearby neighborhoods: Take Cherry Street past 23rd Street until just before the CSX railroad tracks, then turn right and continue one block to Race Street. The at-grade railroad track crossing onto Schuylkill Banks will be on your left. Do not use this entrance if it is blocked by a train.
From the Art Museum area: Starting at Eakin’s Oval take MLK Jr. Drive just south of the Art Museum and use the signalized crossing to cross MLK Jr. Drive and enter Schuylkill Banks by the Pergola. Alternately, take Kelly Drive south, continue on the trail past the Fairmount Water Works and under the Spring Garden and MLK Jr. Drive bridges to connect directly to Schuylkill Banks.
