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.

Mallards, hawks, and swans O my!…read more I visited the Wissahickon Waterfowl Preserve this weekend which is connected to the Green Ribbon Trail (0.06 miles away) and it is a wonderful spot to observe birds and ducks by a freestanding island. There is even a pier where you can set up a scope or use binoculars and get magnificent visuals on these majestic creatures. Interesting tidbit which I observed this weekend, predator birds like hawks are actually chased away by non-predator birds, like the red winged black bird, as non-predator birds do like predator birds hunting on their land! I witnessed this myself and was instructed by our birding tour guide this happens with birds unlike land animals. The tour guide further explained not all predator birds eat other birds hence this behavior exists in nature. There is free street parking right next to the Wissahickon Waterfowl Preserve and the lovely town of Ambler can be explored after you are done with your biridng. As always people SYOY!!!

Fun trail to walk on, goes through the woods but it's mostly paved. We went some time ago and…read morehaven't been back, but would be fun to try again with the toddler. Looks mostly stroller-friendly, since the part we've been on is all paved. We've picked it up on Militia Hill Rd

This is a very nice clean and quiet park. There is a covered picnic area near a small playground…read more You can walk down and look at the water and occasionally catch someone fishing. I rented the House with the patio that overlooks the Perkiomen Creek for a family baby shower. It was so nice and cozy inside and has plenty of seating. The photos turned out nice. Many compliments on the location. I would definitely rent this house in the park again! The great thing about this particular park is you can see many joggers, bike riders, and horse back riding on the Perkiomen trail in the park; but there is enough space to not feel crowded. Otts exotic plants is nearby and makes a nice day trip if you have time to stop at both places.

This is a great municipal park in the area. It has restrooms, a playground, as well as easy access…read moreto the Perkiomen Rail Trail. The Perkiomen Creek is a beautiful sight, very reminiscent of the Neshaminy Creek in Bucks County. Yes, the Perkiomen Trail is a rail trail, you can read about it on Wikipedia. Near the park is Ott's Greenhouse, which is DEFINITELY worth checking out.

We'd passed by the sign near the CVS many times without knowing how to actually get to this place…read more Eventually we figured out (with some help from Google Maps) that the trailhead is at the far end of the parking lot. This became a go-to early in the pandemic, especially since not many people know about it, so it was never too crowded. After hiking through some woods, you find yourself on the other side at a farm with many horses in fenced-in sections. Very friendly horses. Last time we went, we had more trouble than usual navigating the woods (some areas were blocked, others too wet for our liking), but there are multiple paths to get through, so we did eventually find our way. After emerging from the woods, the horses weren't in the sections we'd been used to, so we were afraid we'd gone through it all for nothing! Fortunately, the horses were still out, just in a different area, so we got to interact with them a bit.

We used to pass this park all the time but never turned in to check it out. This year, we finally…read moreturned in to look around and found that it has lots of picnic areas and an interesting birdwatching overlook. At that birdwatching station, they have an area full of birdbaths and other things to attract birds, so there were quite a variety of birds there. There's disc golf and a few areas for hiking as well, so it could be a nice place to continue exploring, especially since it's so close to home!

Took advantage of a beautiful autumn day in these times of COVID-19 and met friends for an…read moreafternoon hike in Fort Washington State Park. It was a pretty park with a nice lookout tower for birdwatching (birdfeeders are positioned to coax birds to stay for a bit) and plenty of hawks circling; however, it did seem more geared for picnicking/grilling and/or camping. There were no marked trails and we just kind of looped around until we hit a road and then looped back again. The park has plenty of parking and the restrooms were open and clean, even during the pandemic.

When I heard my library had the Brandywine Museum and Conservancy pass available, I contacted the…read moreconservancy office to ask if preserves are accessible with this pass. Happily, they are, and I was finally able to explore this place without trespassing (which I don't do). This is right around the corner from my home, and fills the gap of wilderness between developments along the Easttown Township, and Newtown Township border. The entrance is off of Waterloo Rd., down a gravel driveway, to a parking lot. There are three trail loops, which connect, and can form a larger perimeter loop, if you want the full tour. I did that full circumference of the property, merging the outer paths of all three trails from their map. My pedometer said it was about 2mi for that outer loop. I discovered two bridges along Darby creek, some woods, and a lot of meadow. It is a serene and picturesque preserve. Over Labor Day Weekend, after some rain, I felt that cold air coming up from the ground, that dissipates into humidity in the warm upper air. It's an interesting and connecting feeling with nature, that is a lot more pronounced when seasons change. Years ago, I was a guest on some of the land closer to the St. Davids Rd end of the preserve, when it used to be farmed, before most of it became a development, so knowing that history, why there are a lot of clearings, it surprised me to find some random tree species, like Walnut, Catapala, and Paw Paw, but maybe that is more because my nearby property is covered in Tulip Poplars, and little else. Point is, this variety of tree species was a fun surprise, and I am sure there are a lot I missed, and will find in subsequent visits. Waterloo Mills is open until dusk, and I went around sunset, which made some beautiful colors in the sky. No one else was there, and this time of evening, I saw a lot of activity from rabbits and deer. If you visit after a rain, there are a couple of lower lying areas that got a little squishy, so hiking or rain boots are recommended when wet, but otherwise, this trail is very walkable in sneakers. I much appreciate that the paths are very wide, keeping me and my little one safe from ticks, and offering plenty of space for my toddler to play around as we walked. There were definitely mosquitoes, though. Despite bug lotion all over us, the mosquitoes were still everywhere. If you keep moving they won't bother you, but if you pause for anything (a photo, a deep breath, etc.) you will be eaten! So in warm months, beware. I did notice a lot of bird houses, which I'd hope helps, but I think they need some bat houses to really combat the mosquito issue (and/or nematodes). Dogs are not allowed at this preserve. While I understand many reasons behind such decisions (protection of wildlife and terrain, and liability, are probably the biggest), I cannot give a full 5 stars because dogs are part of my family, and it can't be a full family walk without them. That said, I do understand how unscrupulous and downright abusive many dog owners have been in recent years at preserves, parks, and other places that do allow dogs. For example, dog families have allowed them off leash, when not permitted; they have failed to clean up waste; and I have even been to a number of parks (from NJ to FL) where dogs are expressly NOT allowed, and people bring them anyway. So I fully understand why this rule happens, but as someone who makes the effort to follow rules, who leashes/cleans after my dogs, etc., I wish things could be different. All in all, this is a very well maintained, completely litter free preserve, that is protecting some valuable greenspace near my home, and I am so grateful to Brandywine Conservancy for doing so! Join Brandywine River Museum, or check out your library passes to give them a visit!

I love just about every Natural Lands preserve but this is one of my top picks!…read more There are trails on both sides of the road, and it's a huge preserve (520 acres) so I have yet to explore it all, but have been twice now and the meadow trail plus some of the woods I've explored have been great. No litter (NL preserves are always immaculately clean), trails all maintained and easy to navigate. And I don't want to jinx it but there were very few bugs even in June and July! This is a very picturesque property if you want an outdoor photo shoot! And the vibe is so peaceful, this is really energetically positive countryside!

I had a great time exploring this area today. I even brought my pup along and he had a blast…read more Trails range from beginner to slightly more advanced depending on which color trail you choose to follow. I mostly stayed on the red and purple trails. The red trail is definitely the most difficult with its dense forest and inclines. I didn't get the chance to explore all the area but we did hike 7 miles! Can't wait to come back

Harmony Hill Nature Area is a loop trail through woods, with various inclines. There are some parts…read moreof the path that are covered in tree roots, and other areas with a lot of bedrock. There is a lot of mica along the trail if you are interested in this stone. A lot of bikers were using the trail while I hiked, and this got a little dangerous and frustrating because trails are too narrow for bikes to pass walkers without walkers needing to veer off the trail to allow room to pass. I was uneasy with my child and dogs in this situation. Luckily the bikers slowed down when they saw us, but there were some close calls. There are a lot of signs saying horses aren't allowed; I can only imagine how much more chaotic it would be to have to share the trail with horses too. Wish they'd consider widening the trails. I'm spoiled by Natural Lands' preserves. There is a ruins site by the stream, which is interesting to visit, and a picnic area close to the parking lot. The trailhead has an info board, list and found, bike station with some tools tied to a post, and a port-a-potty.

A favorite hiking/nature walk spot in the Philadelphia area. Check out AllTrails to discover the…read morevarious trails. Trails range from flat and paved, to hilly, winding trails. All trails are wooded. Parking is available at Skelp Level Road for the upper dirt trails. Parking off Harmony Hill Rd at the covered bridge offers easy access to the paved Brandywine Trail and the dirt trails off either side of the road. Parking lots off 322 at Sugars Bridge and the train trestle are located at either end of the paved Brandywine Trail. Additional dirt trails are located at either end of the Brandywine Trail. Port-a-pots are located at both Sugars Bridge and Skelp Level parking lots. Doggie bag dispensers are located at all 4 parking lots. I never had a problem with the mountain bikers. They are not often present.