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.

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 spot to safely walk your dog, get a run or bike in, or explore the native marshland of…read moreEastern PA. It is completely paved (a bit steep at times for wheelchairs) and there is parking located at the front of the trail. They are dog (on leash) friendly and have potty bags at the front. We saw many geese, deer, and weird caterpillars. I was also happy to see people picking up the random price of garbage as we walked by.

I had the chance to visit Pine Run to look for Sandhill Cranes (which I did indeed locate). The…read moreparking area is quite small but you can park on the residential street, if necessary. This is a great place to run, walk, bike, or bird. You can choose to walk in the field (wear hiking shoes) or stay on the paved path that circles the reservoir. There's a wooded area and an open area. If you live nearby I'd definitely recommend getting outside one day and exploring what this reservoir has to offer.

I really enjoy this trail, which runs about 5 miles and is quite multi-use! I've seen this trail…read moreused for biking, running, jogging, dog walking, and sledding. TPLT follows PECO's Energy line through Horsham township, starting at Blair Mill Road and ending at Biwood Road. The trail is a one-stop shop for other activities and outdoor spaces in the area, including Jarrett Rd Park and Lukens Park, which sport verdant open fields, baseball diamonds, and an outdoor gym. Along the trail there is plenty of scenery to take in: corn fields, rivers, soccer fields and playgrounds line the trail, and for those of you who appreciate house peeping, there is no shortage of residential Horsham houses to take a gander at. Horsham wildlife is also normally in full effect: I've seen a fox, several deer, and a few rabbits while biking this trail. Do be careful about road crossings, and be a defensive pedestrian in the parts of the trail that intersect with the main roads: they are busy! Other than that, enjoy the trail! It provides the people of the area a safe outlet to engage with the outdoors and exercise!

Full disclosure: I didn't know that the organization called Natural Lands existed until I visited…read morethis site, so I didn't go in with any expectations shaped by that. My parents live nearby (and I grew up there), my girlfriend and I were visiting, we wanted to take an outdoor stroll and chose to take it at the Gwynedd Preserve. It served our purposes well. It had clean walking trails. The back part is near power lines, like the trail at Wentz Run Park, but it's otherwise clear/natural space. There are a few spots with especially nice views. Since I'm drawing some of the details from their own educational signs, I might be drinking their Kool Aid, but it looks like they're doing a good job preserving some local wetlands and keeping local drainage working in the process. From a practical recommendation standpoint, I don't know how one should choose among here, the Farm Park, the trail behind Wentz, etc., as places to visit. But, it's a pretty good place to walk.

Gwynedd Preserve was my 15th Natural Lands preserve of the 20 I've now visited. Of all the…read morepreserves, I have to say this one was by far the dirtiest with dog poo. Natural Lands provides a receptacle for dog droppings, AND bags to collect them. WHY would anyone have a reason not to clean up after their dog? Not only that, but I found FOUR PILES within the first twenty yards of the parking lot where all the dog poo stuff is located. This preserve is located in a very opulent and showy part of North Wales. The other visitors I saw were in flashy cars, and dressed like Martha Stewart. I didn't witness who exactly didn't pick up their dog poo, but I saw people with dogs, and the poo was fresh. It seems like the frequent visitors here believe themselves to be above abiding preserve rules to clean up after pets, which makes the preserve pretty disgusting for others. One dog crapped something white, green and blue, and it was extremely foul. It is a shame because Natural Lands doesn't condone this behavior, has rules against it, and needs to work on enforcement. It really put a damper on my experience because I do pick up after my dogs, and I don't like having to worry about stepping in someone else's mess when I am there to enjoy the day with my own pets and young child. Grossness aside, this preserve is a vast meadow, with some very pretty views. Log slab benches have been added with donor names credited, and little Martha Stewart-esque message boxes where you can write inspirational thoughts for the next visitor. There is a windmill in one meadow, just for show, which was interesting, however inauthentic. I had a good vibe here, overall. I don't know the history of the land, but it felt horse farm-y, like a lot of horses had lived good lives there. I normally always give greenspace a minimum of 4 stars for the fact of its existence. And I love to give greenspace 5 stars! In this case, the poo was so offensive, I can't give more than 3. It's not NL's fault, it's the gross visitors. But it mars the experience nonetheless. Hope the local peeps will want to clean up their preserve and do it proud so it can keep on par with all the rest!!!

Located across from the end (or start, depending on where you go) of the Banbury/Mopac Trail, comes…read morea parking lot and the start of the Enos B Godshall Park. Unlike the Banbury/Mopac trail, this is mostly a walk through the woods with a small bridge, and many paths to follow through the woods. It is very peaceful and quiet, and to this day I have not been on all the paths that lead further into the woods yet!! It has a finished parking lot with plenty of parking and leaving to go onto Godshall Road can be a pain at times, but is manageable. So, if your looking for a nice stroll through some scenic woods, this is the place!!

Completed in Montgomery County in 2015, Pennypack Trail is actually 16 miles long (5.4 mi. in…read moreMontco), and part of the much larger trail network in eastern PA. In fact, the section extending into Bucks County reaches the Delaware River and connects with the East Coast Greenway which runs 3,000 miles from Maine to Florida. So, if you want a long hike, you can have one. The portion I was on yesterday was the border of Lorimer Park that was historically the railroad right of way since the 1860s, when first the Philadelphia Montgomery County Railroad Co., followed by the Philadelphia Newtown New York Railroad and finally the Newtown Branch of the Reading R&R used it to transport people and produce before highways took their place. SEPTA had it last and suspended commuter transportation (Fox Chase - Newtown Line) in 1983, and donated it to the Rails to Trails Project. While we all love a scenic walk, it sure would be nice to have mass transit available to get us from our bedroom communities to the heart of the city more conveniently, and redevelop the termini and old stations along the route for small commerce, too. There should be a way to have both more green space and village like economies working in tandem to attract people. Vision and capital are all that are required. Still, the Trail is a beautiful route for nature and scenic lovers as it is, and can be enjoyed in almost any weather. Walking along the heights above Pennypack Creek and watching the water course through the steep ravine cut out by erosion over eons of time, is remarkable. In the 18th and 19th Centuries many mills were busy using water wheels to grind flour, which was transported by the nearby rails to cities for further production and consumption. Some of those old structures are still there (mostly in ruins), and the stone houses built near to them were often maintained and are lived in today. Hiking further, the Bethayres Swamp beckons, with Audubon designation as an IBA - Important Bird Area. The trail goes through the town of Bryn Athyn, where the original train station has been repurposed as the local post office. Just beyond that is the site of a major head-on train collision in 1921, that killed many passengers. Not all the trail is smooth for bike riding, nor easy strolling, but with effort, grit and good footwear, these places can be reached, explored and fancied. The Pennypack Watershed is an ecological zone with long human history in the Philadelphia area. It is well worth sustaining and maintaining, even with reasonable respect for progress and our shared future.

This is such a staple to the North East Philly community and has been for decades. Trails in this…read more part wind through our area for miles and miles along Penny Pack Creek. There's usually 3 different levels of trails so no matter what your experience is, you'll have a great time. The main trail is paved and always clean. Perfect for those on bikes or brining a stroller. There's lot's of picnic areas and open fields for games. There's multIple entrances so you can go through the entire trail a bit each day. The main entrance is right across the street from Fox Chase Farm and has the biggest parking lot. Everything closes at sundown

It's mostly gravel and some paved trail and rated as "easy." We started our walk at the Central…read morePerkiomen Valley Park in Schwenksville and went for a little over three miles and turned around to the park. Most of our trail was covered by trees, but there were some open places. We observed some wild animals like deer along the way. There was a 12% grade hill (for about 1/4 mile) along the way which gave some of us a little challenge especially our climb was almost towards the end of 6.5 mile walk. We took an advantage of a bench located at the top of the hill. The Perkiomen Trail is a 19-mile-long multi-use trail along the Perkiomen Creek in Pennsylvania. It begins at the junction with the Schuylkill River Trail near the mouth of the Perkiomen and Valley Forge National Historical Park and ends in Green Lane Park. For the most of its length, the "Perky" as it is know by the locals, uses the former rail bed of the Perkiomen Line of the Reading Railroad. Some of our cohorts were terribly bothered by the swarm of cicadas along some part of our route of about 6.5 miles. It seemed it was especially challenging when we crossed over three bridges. I was trying to be kind, but it was particularly hilarious watching them dodge cicadas since some of them landed on their bodies...I had some fun at their expense. It was a very nice walk in the afternoon with some cloud cover and breeze.