Lock 60 Recreation Area — Attraction in Upper Providence Township

The whole Lock 60 recreation and surrounding area is a great place for a hike, a walk, a bike ride, or a kayak down the Schuylkill! There are so many great options of adventures to do here. Here are my top 2 that you might not immediately notice:

If you park at the end where the Lock is and cross to the other side of the canal, you can walk down a very long trail along the Schuylkill. It's beautiful, but what's best is if you follow it all the way it will take you to the Black Rock Animal Conservatory where you can see wolves and other cool animals for free! The walk isn't too long. It's a terrific way to spend an afternoon!

If you bring a kayak or other water vessel and park near the ramp into the Schuylkill, you can go down the river a couple miles until there is a portage trail to bring your vessel to the canal where you can then paddle back! Since the canal doesn't have a current, it's easy to paddle back to your car. Just look for overhead power lines over the river (exclusive of a bridge) and look left for the portage sign on the bank right around those power lines!

I used to also jump off the Lock fence into the water, and that was super fun. I've never heard of anyone getting hurt, since the Lock is so deep, but the cops will come and check to make sure no one is jumping off...

We biked up here on the SRT, coming from Valley Forge, and had to turn around and head back because the trail ahead is currently closed due to recent flooding. There's an old lock here that doesn't appear to be operational anymore, but there's a small dock from which you can launch kayaks and other paddle boats.

You can also walk up a certain section to take a closer look at the dam up river a little, although it's gated off and marked to enter at your own risk. Mainly, that part just doesn't have any railings or anything, so you could fall into the water if you're not careful; it's really not dangerous, though. That was sort of a nice walk, but it's a bit riddled with litter.

Hard to tell much information about the lock itself here, as most of the signs are badly faded and unreadable. My wife kept asking me why I was referring to it as Lock 60, but it's because I don't know what else to call it; I don't know what it is! Visiting didn't really help. Hopefully in the future the trail will...

Love this place. We always have fun whether we go tubing, kayaking, or hiking. Great set-up which allows you to float down the schuylkill, cross over, and paddle back up the canal. They have some great trails where it says “Neal Thorpe” towards the back of the park, but I recommend finding maps on AllTrails so you don’t get lost. Pet friendly. There’s also a walking trail where you can actually walk all the way down to Black Rock Animal Sanctuary. Great place if you want to get into nature for a bit!! Only downside is the narrow/scary road...