Visiting the Reading Pagoda in 2026: A Moto Vlog Update from Mount Penn

If you have been riding in Pennsylvania for any amount of time, there is a good chance the Reading Pagoda has been on your list at least once. It sits up on top of Mount Penn overlooking the city of Reading, and on a clear day the view is genuinely hard to beat. I have been up there more times than I can count, and when the weather turned nice and I found myself with a free morning, I figured it was a good excuse to make the run up there, check on the restoration work, and put together a quick vlog for you guys. Spoiler: the Reading Pagoda is still under construction, but the trip was not a total bust.

A Little Background on the Reading Pagoda

For anyone who has never been up there, the Reading Pagoda is a Japanese-style building that was built back in the early 1900s on top of Mount Penn. It is one of those places that looks kind of surreal the first time you see it, because you are riding through a pretty typical Pennsylvania landscape and then all of a sudden there is this pagoda sitting on top of a hill. Over the years it became a legit tourist spot and a popular meet-up point for car clubs, bike groups, hikers, and basically anyone who wants a great view of the city without a whole lot of effort.

The building itself has a few floors to it. The first floor used to be a gift shop where you could grab all kinds of little trinkets and souvenirs. As you work your way up through the floors, there was space used by the local news station WFMZ, including a camera that they would pull up during weather and traffic segments. The very top floor had a little museum with displays from local businesses that had contributed to the pagoda over the years, along with a lookout. Once you are up there, the view is something else. You can see for miles in every direction.

The Reading Pagoda Restoration: What Is Going On

The last time I made it up to the Reading Pagoda was with my buddy Goofy on one of our group rides. We rolled up and the whole thing was gated off. Turned out that during an inspection they found a good chunk of the stonework was cracking and deteriorating, and they had to bring in a construction company that specializes in historical buildings to handle the repair work. That is not exactly a quick job.

I watched a video put out by the committee that oversees the pagoda, and the president mentioned that this whole rejuvenation project could last several years. It is not just the exterior stonework either. There are interior improvements in the mix as well. The pagoda has not been open to the public since the pandemic, and the goal of this project is to eventually get it back open so people can go inside and tour it again.

I had heard through the grapevine that the gate was back down and you could get close to the building again. So I figured I would ride up and see for myself.

The Ride Up to Mount Penn

I took the back way up, which is honestly my preferred approach. The weather was nice but still a little cool in the morning, and the roads were in decent shape. I was on the Yamaha MT-09 SP for this one, and I have to say every time I take that bike out I am reminded of how different it feels compared to riding the Ninja 400. Two totally different animals.

The area around Mount Penn is always busy, which caught me a little off guard on a weekday morning. There are hiking trails all over the place, a park toward the bottom of the hill, and a spot where people fly RC planes and drones. It has kind of turned into a full destination. On weekends you will see car clubs and motorcycle groups using it as a meet-up point. When I worked in Reading years ago, I used to come up here on lunch breaks just to kill 20 minutes and enjoy the view. It has that kind of easy appeal.

What I Actually Found at the Reading Pagoda

Short answer: still blocked off. There were workers actively on site when I pulled up. So whoever told me the gate was down was not totally wrong – the overlook area is more accessible now – but the pagoda building itself is still fenced off with construction happening. No getting close to it today.

That was a little disappointing, not going to lie. I wanted to show you guys a freshly restored pagoda and a clean lookout. But you work with what you have got.

The William Penn Memorial Fire Tower: A Hidden Gem Worth Knowing About

Since the pagoda was a no-go, I rode over to check out the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower, which sits not far from the pagoda on the same ridgeline. This thing is tall. Like, tilt-your-head-back-and-get-vertigo tall. It used to be a functioning fire lookout tower where people would watch for fires across the surrounding area. These days it is gated off and closed to the public, but you can still walk up and get a close look at the structure.

Honestly, I think the view from up in that tower would be even better than the Reading Pagoda, just based on the height of it. There are a lot of old, cool structures in this area that have been closed off for years. Some of it is pandemic fallout, some of it is just age and maintenance. It is a little bit of a shame, but they are still worth going to see even if you cannot get inside.

Is It Worth Riding Up to the Reading Pagoda Right Now?

Yes, with realistic expectations. The pagoda itself is still under wraps and workers are on site, so do not go up there expecting to walk around the building. But the overlook area is accessible, the scenery on the way up is great, and there is enough to see around the hilltop to make the stop worthwhile. Add in the fire tower and the general vibe of the place, and it is still a solid destination for a short ride.

When the restoration is finally done and the Reading Pagoda is open to the public again, it is going to be worth a dedicated trip. The view from the top floor lookout is legitimately impressive, and if you have never been inside, that museum level is a cool little time capsule of local history. Keep it on the list. Just maybe wait until the fencing comes down.

Watch the Full Vlog on YouTube

The full ride and everything I saw up on Mount Penn is in the video above. If you want to follow along on future rides, make sure you subscribe to the WaltInPA YouTube channel so you do not miss the next one. Trekkie Moto may be joining up for a ride soon and those group rides are always a good time.