Highlands Trail & Upper Bucks Rail Trail

3.7 mi · ▲ 54 ft · 1 hr 16 min

Highlands Trail & Upper Bucks Rail Trail is a 3.7-mile out-and-back near Shelly, PA. It is mostly level, with 54 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 1/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi492 – 568 ft4.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 40.47918, -75.37267
Nearest town Shelly, PA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Highlands Trail & Upper Bucks Rail Trail

3.7 mi · ▲ 54 ft · 1 hr 16 min

Elevation 493–567 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 40.47918, -75.37267

Weather Sep 5: sunrise 6:33 AM · sunset 7:29 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 50 ftTurn right onto Upper Bucks Rail Trail, heading S.
  3. 1.4 miTurn left onto Veteran's Park, heading E.
  4. 0.2 miTurn left onto Highlands Trail, heading E.
  5. 100 ftBear left, heading SE.
  6. 0.3 miReach Upper Bucks Rail Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  7. 0.2 miSharp left, heading W.
  8. 450 ftBear right, heading N.
  9. 100 ftTurn right, heading N.
  10. 250 ftContinue straight onto Veteran's Park, heading N.
  11. 0.1 miTurn right onto Upper Bucks Rail Trail, heading N.
  12. 1.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
  13. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

62% gravel29% paved9% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:33 AMSunset 7:29 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.6 mi in (~15 min). Leave by 6:54 PM for the 7:29 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:00 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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