My boyfriend and I took one of our cats in a stroller to Neshaminy State Park. He loved it! He…read moreenjoyed smelling the air on the beach and taking in the view. We walked about a mile loop around the trail, thought it is about 3 miles total. There is so much wildlife around! The park is so well-maintained and clean. It is such a pleasure to walk around! The main trails are either pavement or gravel so it is very easy to get around. This park is an easy hike or good place for a jog. We also saw many people walking their dogs or enjoying the scenery. There is a huge parking lot, bathrooms, water fountains, and trash cans scattered throughout the park. I also saw a pavilion or two. The park is right next to the Delaware River, so there are many places to get great photos as well! On the trail, there were many maple trees, many types of grasses, many birds including gray catbirds, and some mushrooms. This is a great park for birdwatching or nature photography due to the amount of biodiversity. If you have a chance, you should totally check out this park!

I have a spot in my heart for Neshaminy State Park as it was the location of my first job. At 14 I…read moreworked at the concession stand at the pool. Not much has changed over the years. Plenty of paved, unpaved, gravel and dirt trails that offer easy hikes throughout the park. Pavilions, picnic areas, playground equipment, a volley ball pit and pool all scattered about the 300+ acres of parkland. It does get crowded on the weekends in summer but weekdays you can catch a nice walk in with relatively minimal human interaction. NSP is well maintained and has plenty of facilities. Perfect for a quiet weekday walk or a day at the park with the family. For me, it reminds me of a younger time when my work ethic was formed and my love of nature began.

This is such a nice park and I'm so happy it's only ten minutes from my house!…read more We were invited a hs graduation/birthday party last Sunday. The host had rented an eagles bus so that was parked where the friends and family were gathering. He was grilling and had tables out with food. We brought our camp chairs and table and set up under a big tree. It was a really nice day and the party turned out great. This was my first time to this park for a gathering. I normally find myself just heading here if I want to enjoy the Delaware River, the quiet, the sunshine, etc. they also have a gazebo that I've eaten lunch with my mom in years ago.

POD is a large park with a lot to offer. There are fields and benches, paved trails and more rugged…read moreones. Meadows, trees, open spaces. It has it all, and tons of parking. You can come here with your kids or dog, observe the flora and fauna, run, bird, have a picnic, or just take in the views of the river. As a birder I was especially interested in the vast meadow area past the sports fields. There's so much to see and do!

Intro to Rock Climbing with Valley to Summit on September 18, 2022…read more This was my second trip to Chickies Rock with VTS and it was wonderful! There were only 5 of us, so plenty of time to climb. Our Guide, Bob, was so patient, engaged and informative. I learned a lot of great things that I had not known before about clothing, ropes and technique. Bob was so patient with me and was there with his " green pointer" to help me over the tough spots. You should know that I am 74 years old and tho I have climbed indoors for a few years, my stamina was not that of the youngsters who were there! Nonetheless, it was a great time! I highly recommend Valley to Summit, this being my 3 rd trip with them. They Rock!

Absolutely amazing professional guides!!…read more I hired this company to guide me through the winters treacherous water fall trails of Ricketts Glen that is normally closed off for hikers that don't have the explicitly specific required safety gear for winter hikes which this company provides. The guides were patient and helpful with the small group in getting gear on and going over all the safety equipment. They were never impatient with anyone and insanely kind. You could tell the guides truly enjoyed bringing everyone out to this amazing trail at Ricketts Glen State Park. I wasn't sure what to expect but OMG it was worth the money spent to have these guys/gals guide me through the trails. I took tons of pictures and was never rushed at all while taking in the views and photos. This company comes highly recommended amongst the hiking community even out of state.

A nice walk in the woods. I enjoyed an early spring walk there. Blue Jays and Robins were…read morenoticeable as were a group of turtles sunning themselves on a rock in the lake. Very glad I found this place

We really enjoyed this trail today, first time there!…read more The trail is relatively flat and very well maintained. There is a big loop around the lake that my dogs and I took, which is nice because it's a good walk without being too long or too short and you don't need to turn around. Lots of winding path areas so you feel pretty secluded. If you have reactive dogs you can easily step aside in many areas to let others pass. I'm excited to bring my dogs back here.

Blueberry Hill is my favorite place to walk It has…read morewheelchair accessible You're definitely burning calories There are hills you can climb Different signs along the way some trails have pretty flowers. I recommend this place to anyone.

Nice place for a scenic walk on mostly paved trails, and there was indeed some blueberries growing…read moreat the top of that hill! GPS brought me to a parking lot near the red trail, and there are several intersecting in-and-out trails that measure roughly 2.5 miles each. I would've liked to stay longer and check them all out, but we only had time to do 1.5 trails before we had to turn back. If I lived nearby I would check it out again!

This is my second hike at this park. I believe I have hiked through all the trails at this point…read more It is very scenic and overall I give it a 2/10 in terms of difficulty. The red and purple trails were my favorite. On my second trip here I wanted to hike for about an hour but I ended up getting lost. Lost in terms of I want to get out but I don't know which way is the exit...I could definitely see the trail markers all throughout though! I recalled seeing a red color marker at the entrance so I followed that but ended up going deeper into the woods. I don't believe the white trail is fully finished as I had to double back a few times. I used google maps to get a sense of where I was but still couldn't make my way to the main road. Went in circles between the blue and green trails (the green trail said it was a 5K, not going to lie I got a bit worried there) but eventually I managed to make my way to Bortons road! and then it was another 30 min walk to my car along kettle run road. So what was supposed to be an hour nice weekend stroll ended up being 2 1/2 hours. Can't complain though, loved exploring!

I am truly NOT the outdoorsy type but I will agree to the occasional hike or bike ride and this was…read moreone of those days. We decided to explore Black Run Preserve for our first bike trail experience since moving to the area and it didn't disappoint. There are plenty of bike and hiking trails and doing a little research online prior to going I was able to map out which trails would be best for us, specifically since I'm a nervous beginner lol. The trails are color coded and tbe associated color markings are on trees along the trails so you know which trail you're on. There is so much beautiful scenery surrounding you whether you're on bike or foot and there's a real sense of peace and tranquility in the Preserve, Definitely spray yourself down with bug repellent and wear longer pants and tops if it isn't too hot because there are warning signs for ticks and such given it's truly a wooded area. We will be back in the fall for another ride among the beautiful foliage.

X-posting a review from the Wissahickon Park page. This park is so good it deserves two 5-star…read moreratings. Hard to rate an entire park this massive, but all things considered, after 5 years of traversing the trails here, this is an awesome park. Note that I live in U-City, so the fact that such a massive trail system exists in only a ~20 minute drive, depending on which part of the park I start in, is a blessing and keeps my sanity. Friends of Wissahickon does a great job maintaining trails and even expanding the system over the past few years. I don't think I've ever observed an unseemly part of the park. Definitely unseemly times of year like the snow thaw or the time between the trees dying and the snow falling, but otherwise, this park is beautiful all times of year. I've never had a hard time parking, never even had trouble with crowds even around the most popular trails (ex. Forbidden Drive). Even the bikers are friendly and patient here! Would strongly recommend not only visiting but coming back to keep exploring! I'm still finding new gems in this massive trail system.

Today I decided to switch things up and take a trip to Valley Green in Wissahickon Park, Philly…read more I've always heard about Devil's Pool but had never been, so when I saw the trailhead, I figured--why not check it out? What I've known about Devil's Pool is that it's been a popular hangout spot, especially for teens and young adults--swimming, drinking, smoking, etc. But I wasn't prepared for how disappointing the trail would be. At nearly every turn, there was trash--plastic bottles, wrappers, and even entire black garbage bags just left behind. The closer I got to Devil's Pool, the worse it got. There are clear signs asking visitors to take their trash with them, yet so many clearly don't. It's really disheartening to see such a beautiful natural space disrespected like that. Instead of feeling peaceful or connected to nature, it honestly felt a bit unsanitary and neglected. Wissahickon Park deserves better. If you visit, please respect the space and take out everything you bring in.

During this hot weather, a shady stroll through Lorimer Park was pleasant. The path was paved and…read morestroller accessible . Everyone we encountered was friendly although there were not many people. There were a few benches along the way, but I could see how there could be a need for more benches if more people were present. We were also surprised that we did not encounter many bugs. We did use bug spray just in case! The parking lot was easy to find and there was plenty of space. We plan to return again for a family walk.

This 230 acre park was given to the people of Montgomery County by the estate of George Horace…read moreLorimer, the editor of the Saturday Evening Post and president of Curtis Publishing Co., both headquartered in Philadelphia from the late 19th Century to the present. His mausoleum is in Laurel Hill Cemetery, so although originally from North Carolina, his true impact was on the cultural life of our city. Fairly small, it feels considerably larger due to its connection to Pennypack Park covering a large area in Northeast Philadelphia to the border with Montco. The creek by the same name flows through both parks, tying them together geologically. The watercourse meanders through Lorimer where it has cut a deep ravine over the millennia. There are multiple scenic overlooks worth exploring, even in winter when the absence of foliage allows you to see through the trees to the actual contours of the steep rocky hills across the creek. If power walking or family bike riding is your jam, Pennypack Trail runs along the northern boundary of the park and beyond for several miles, and it is flat, wide and dirt/gravel packed for smooth ambulation or cross country biking, allowing excellent views of the topography and creek vale. Plenty of parking in a big lot across the road from the main entrance.

Great short or longer hike in lambertville with good views of river and new hope pa! Be mindful as…read morethere is no trail map in parking area/trailhead. Downloading trails ahead of time might help, as paths do get confusing at times. Either way, can always opt for shorter walk of 0.5 miles each way which is easy!

You park a bit of a distance from the overlook so make sure you have good footwear. Once you get…read morethere, it is very pretty, but I wouldn't say spectacular.. on a nice day, after a big lunch, it will be a nice walk, not too many inclines.

Cute, new, well kept little play area. Walking paths…read morePicnic tables including a handicapped accessible table

I prefer to call it by its past moniker: "Olympia". This review will be written in indirect Greek…read more First, a history lesson. This park used to be a quarry until it was filled with water. It was also a recreation center at one point, closing down possibly in the seventies. As teens, we believed an urban myth that the Philly rock station WMMR sponsored a concert here, and the attendees went crazy, trashing Olympia in the process. What really happened is that WYSP, a different rock station, held a "Ramblin' Raft Race Riot" in the early eighties. (You can see how the word "riot" incites some people.) Anyway, it ended up being privately owned, but that did not faze us from entering its abandoned grounds. So, now Burlington County owns this park. I am glad it has been protected from possible condos, but I am not so sure if the county is going to improve this park like they have promised. All I can say is that when this park went public, it lost some of its spirit due to cars on walking paths and humans that think that nature embraces empty forties. Parking is just off of 130. You can walk, fish, swim, boat, and birdwatch here. There are two lakes- one huge one, and a smaller, longish one with mini islands here and there. This smaller lake is bound by Route 130 on one side, but you get used to it. There are paths going around the lakes in a general fashion. In the late eighties the people who lived on the residential road bordering the south end of the lakes used to claim that their street was "private". Feel free to boogie down this street. I don't take kindly to liars who come out in hastily put on robes, ex-cop or not. Paths also go to areas in general woods, and open areas. The rest of the park is bordered by Beverly Rancocas Road, and an industrial park. Go past the industrial park to get to Crystal Lake. Somehow, neither of these manmade entities ruin the atmosphere. Docks could be here and there, depending on their state. Getting down to the water is easy, anyway. You might see remnants of the rec club's past glory. Friends of ours once built a sweat lodge near a set of cement stairs. I used to sit on these stairs and read for hours. This is also where my dog, Daisy, flushed out a rabbit which a barn owl swiftly scooped up. I enjoyed seeing the blue flags coming up every year and eating persimmons right off the tree. Blackberries are biannual and delicious. There should be a giant, cement "compass" still there, serving as a weed garden. You may also see: snakes, turtles, baby turtles, turtle eggs, turtles laying eggs (no crap), snapper shells that you hide until someone else finds it, stuck woodchucks in abandoned wells (no crap- we saved it), egrets, herons, swans, owls, turkeys, an albino goose, weird rocks that seem melted in the orangeish sand area, and many varieties of mushrooms. I never saw the eagles. Watch out for the aforementioned well. It is not deep and it is covered with nature, but someone can still get hurt. And dead animals. I once found two deceased German shepards- together- sometime in the early 2000's. It's a haunting image. It is funny that the police dog training building is right down the street from that depressing scene. You can hit the Rancocas, at the way back, heading south. You will see old, cement structures that once supported creek industry. Daisy almost floated away on a mini iceberg here. I also pet a rabid bat back there. And just watched the creek there, reflecting on life as the sun reflected on the creek. My special haunt is a secret no longer. Glad that some people will come to love it, too.