More often than not, the most difficult part of working out is getting started. Fortunately, both of St. Joe’s campuses are located near an assortment of urban trails with varying difficulties that can be followed right from campus, no extra work required. Here is a roundup of five local urban trails, from easiest to hardest.
Merion Botanical Park
Difficulty: Beginner
Distance: 0.3 miles
Directions: The main trail is a straight line through the park, so you can begin either from Merion Road or Civic Circle near the Merion Station Post Office.
This trail’s proximity to the Hawk Hill campus makes it ideal for a new runner. The park is located at the intersection of Merion Road and North Latches Lane, which is right alongside the train tracks that lead to Overbrook Station.
While the park itself is 13.5 acres, the main trail is extremely short. While this fact may seem like a negative, it means that the trail will be challenging for new runners while offering lots of customizability for more experienced runners.
Leslie Quan ’22 recommends this trail because of its options for additional paths.
“There’s a neighborhood right across the street from the seminary and on the opposite side of the Merion Botanical Park that I love,” Quan said. “It has a large hill but when you go at the right time you can watch the sunset as you run up the hill. It’s quite beautiful.”
Bartram’s Mile Trail
Difficulty: Beginner
Distance: 1 mile
Directions: This trail is about 1.5 miles from the University City Campus and is located right next to the Schuylkill off of Harley Street.
This short trail is located inside of Bartram’s Garden and offers great views of the city while still being in a fully natural setting.
The path alternates between open areas along the banks of the Schuylkill and tight wooded areas. Be very careful in the wooded sections because the exposed tree roots are easy to trip over.
While there are not many other nearby paths for longer runs, the circular shape of the trail makes it easy to repeat for runners looking for a longer run.
Cynwyd Heritage Trail
Difficulty: Beginner
Distance: 2 miles
Directions: To reach this path, simply cross the train tracks at Cynwyd Station and follow the straight road.
Despite the fact that it is located near a large number of small businesses and major roads, this trail is surrounded by trees and the occasional animal. For some extra distance, try running down Green Lane through the center of Manayunk.
Paul Patterson, Ph.D., associate professor of English and pre-law advisor, said this trail is ideal for runners of any skill level.
“It has a significant hill, but it also has relatively flat and easy dirt trails that branch off and reconnect to it,” Patterson said. “For more experienced runners looking for longer distances, if you take it to its end, you can connect to the SRT (Schuylkill River Trail), which goes all the way to Valley Forge.”
Merion Long Loop
Difficulty: Intermediate
Distance: 4 miles
Directions: This path starts right on the Hawk Hill campus and loops through Merion Township. Start at Hagan Arena and run directly into Merion, tracing Old Lancaster Road, then Montgomery Avenue, then Merion Avenue, then Overbrook Avenue, which will lead you back to where you started.
This trail is frequented by the SJU Running Club, and takes the runner further into Merion Township, then the Merion Botanical Trail. During its course, you will stay almost entirely alongside busy roads and will pass multiple schools and small businesses, which makes it the most urban-feeling trail on this list.
Lauren Bernic ’23, president of the SJU Running Club, said this trail is meant for intermediate runners.
“I’d recommend doing a few shorter loops closer to campus before doing any longer loops to familiarize [yourself] with the area,” Bernic said. “Going with a friend is always something I’d recommend as well.”
Belmont Plateau
Difficulty: Advanced
Distance: 3.1 miles
Directions: To follow this trail, first find the starting line, which is located near the softball fields off of Montgomery Drive. After that, simply follow the blue arrows that show when and where to turn.
Located about 2 miles away from the Hawk Hill campus, this massive park contains a wide variety of trails for runners of any skill level. Because of this, the park is frequently used for cross country meets by a variety of institutions, from elementary schools to colleges. However, one of the most challenging of these trails is the park’s 5 kilometer course.
Not only do you have to run up the park’s challenging Flagpole Hill right at the trail’s beginning, but you have to climb it again part of the way through the third mile. In between those two climbs, you will also have to conquer Parachute Hill during the second mile.
For some customization, the park also contains a number of lengthier miles, with the longest going up to 6.213 miles.
