Horse-Shoe Trail is a 2.1-mile out-and-back in Valley Forge National Historical Park near Valley Forge, PA. It climbs 420 ft, with sections as steep as 17% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi69 – 463 ft · steepest grade: 17%2.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Chapel Trail 40.10125, -75.45689
Nearest town Valley Forge, PA
Directions
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Horse-Shoe Trail
2.1 mi · ▲ 420 ft · 55 min
Elevation 70–463 ft
Out & Back · Valley Forge National Historical Park
Trailhead: Chapel Trail · 40.10125, -75.45689
Weather Sep 5: sunrise 6:34 AM · sunset 7:29 PM
Bikes allowed on the whole route · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Joseph Plumb Martin Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Horse-Shoe Trail, heading W.
- 250 ftTurn left onto Owen Drive, heading SW.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Horse-Shoe Trail, heading SE.
- 0.5 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 0.8 miTurn left, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Joseph Plumb Martin Trail, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
- 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
66% dirt24% paved7% gravel3% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:34 AMSunset 7:29 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:08 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 7:29 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:57 PM.
Good to know
- Bikes allowed on the whole route
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Chapel Trail Trailhead
- Mt. Misery Trail via Horse-Shoe Trail 2.3 mi · ▲ 471 ft
- Horse-Shoe Trail 2.3 mi · ▲ 472 ft
- Horse-Shoe Trail 2.5 mi · ▲ 491 ft
- Horse-Shoe Trail 3.3 mi · ▲ 583 ft
- Chapel Trail 3.9 mi · ▲ 267 ft
- Chapel Trail 4 mi · ▲ 264 ft
Get outside more
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Hikes near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania