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 came here for a hike yesterday on the Yellow Trail and it was beautiful! This time of year…read moreeverything is green and the forest is full. The wildlife are out and about creating a great sound to complete the scene. The Yellow Trail is the longest in the park (about 7.5 out and back) and takes you through the woods and crosses the paved path a couple times. The trail has a few small hills in it that make the hike a little more interesting and fun. In some parts the trail is narrow and the trees are hanging over, but it is nothing unmanageable. The trails are marked throughout the park, but we did find that these markings could have been improved with more arrows when two trails intersected. The best method for making sure you stay on the right trail is to look at the color markings on the trees. However, the marked trees may be several yards down the path. Just keep walking until you see the marking and then turn around if you need to. I would definitely recommend checking out Ridley State Park for a hike, or even a picnic, as there were plenty of areas to do so. I would love to come back and see other areas of the park or even do the same hike again!

We have one of the Pennsylvania Parks Passports so we try to visit new parks to explore and also…read moreget passport stamps. Today was Ridley Creek. It's a nice park with lots of trails to explore and we did the 4-point-something mile white trail loop. We enjoyed it though the trails are busier than the ones we're used to. It's close to Philadelphia, which makes it attractive for hiking, but also more crowded. Is this park worth the two-plus hour drive for us? Well, yes, to get a passport stamp and explore someplace different. Would we come back? Probably not because we saw nothing remarkable and the trails were busy. But any state park with decent trails is worth four stars so four it is!

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.

Heinz Park is a wonderfully well managed clean environmentally friendly refuge area. It has well…read moremarked trails; strategically located observation platforms, bridges and marshlands throughout. The Heinz is suitable for biking. Jogging, hiking, dog waking, nature and bird watching. This community resource is multifaceted, providing options for all ages and interests, don't miss it when in the area.

Good spot, easy to forget it's still in the city…read more I've been here a handful of times, usually after work or on weekends when I need to get outside for a bit. Once you're on the trails it gets surprisingly quiet. Like, noticeably quieter than you'd expect from somewhere still technically inside Philadelphia. The paths are mostly flat gravel so it's not a hard walk at all. I tend to stop on the boardwalks and just look out over the marsh for a few minutes. Last time there were a few turtles lined up on a log, and I'm pretty sure I spotted a couple of herons near the water too. You do hear planes since the airport's close by, but it doesn't really bother me. Kind of adds to the strangeness of the place in a way I actually like. One thing worth knowing: the mosquitoes are no joke. I skipped bug spray once and regretted it pretty quickly. If you're going in summer, just bring some, especially if you're planning to hang around near the water.

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.

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.

This is a perfect place for a quick-ish and relaxing hike. There are several different options and…read moremost of them loop. I did the red trail loop which is a bit longer. It's through some grass and along some private properties. I went on a Friday afternoon and there were not many people there. There are great views and clearly marked trails. Parking can be difficult.

A beautiful nature preserve found in West Chester. A friend of mine loves this place and I needed a…read morechange of scenery. They have four trails to choose from varies in levels of difficulty. I chose the red trail as it was the longest at 4.1 miles and most difficult, but still a moderate hike. It had some rolling hills and one sharp incline, but not too bad. Keep in mind not all of it is tree covered, so about 1.25 miles of the 4 was very sunny, so it was getting a little hot. However it's beautiful and when i was there on a Friday morning it was relatively quiet.