Horse-Shoe Trail is a 3.4-mile out-and-back in Valley Forge National Historical Park near Chesterbrook, PA. It climbs 688 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade. It scores 1/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Horse-Shoe Trail
3.4 mi · ▲ 688 ft · 1 hr 29 min
Elevation 70–435 ft
Out & Back · Valley Forge National Historical Park
Trailhead: Yellow Spring Trail · 40.08341, -75.45707
Weather Sep 5: sunrise 6:34 AM · sunset 7:29 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Yellow Spring Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Mt. Misery Trail, heading NW.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Horse-Shoe Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Joseph Plumb Martin Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Horse-Shoe Trail, heading W.
- 250 ftTurn left onto Owen Drive, heading W.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Horse-Shoe Trail, heading W.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Mt. Misery Trail, heading SE.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Yellow Spring Trail, heading SE.
- 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.7 mi in (~51 min). Leave by 6:18 PM for the 7:29 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:37 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Yellow Spring Trail Trailhead
- Valley Creek Trail Loop 2.3 mi · ▲ 327 ft
- Catfish Island–Baptist Road, 7 sights 13 mi · ▲ 591 ft
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Hikes near Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania