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.

This sort of boring trail becomes more interesting as you head deeper in. At the very end of the…read moretrail is the prize for your efforts... it might be the most beautiful nature scene in the entire area. To really take it in, you have to go off the trail just a little bit. One slight problem: the trail has been closed because a very small part of the trail has severe erosion. There is a chance you could fall straight down maybe 10 feet if you go beyond the barrier and aren't paying attention... and then there is always the chance the earth will cave in on you as you are screaming for help. If you lack common sense, don't go back there. Parking is abundant. There are more trails on the other side of Ridley Creek. That part of this nature area is known as the Louis W. Scott Memorial Park.

Middletown Township Memorial Park is located directly across Balt Pike from Media Waterworks. It is…read morehome to the Middletown Township "Millennium Trail" which parallels the western side of Ridley Creek. The trail is singular and is pretty much a straight line, following the bank of the creek, with a loop at the far end, to bring you back out the same straight. There is a power station to the west of the trail which you see somewhat early into the walk. Various benches to sit on along the way, which is nice. Shaded spots, sunny spots, and various slips for creek access. There is pretty wooded scenery, nothing remarkable, but a decent way to get a nature fix for a 1/2 mile's walk (a mile up and back). Today's visit was early June and the trail was full of baby frogs (thumbnail size) hopping across, all headed to the meadow, from the stream. They were super fast too, otherwise I'd have taken a pic. I remember visiting this greenspace as a kid, but the trail is much newer. I presume it was added at the turn of this century, thus the name. I do not recommend this, but we used to ice skate here as kids. The ice got thick enough to hold the dads supervising these crazy adventures, but it was always really bumpy ice (NOT good), and you never knew when it was going to get deadly. So I don't condone this at all, but just a little history, that people used to do that here, back in the day when no one wore seatbelts or bike helmets and all.

You can tell the caretakers for this park put a lot of time into it. This is basically a bunch of…read morewoods trails, great for walking (the trails are a little soft so I wouldn't recommend bikes or wheeled anythings). They are great for runners or walkers. The paths are mostly all neatly trimmed in the warm months, with fresh mulch on the walkways. Some of the paths weren't trimmed recently, and it limited our walk because of ticks and possible poison ivy. But the ones under the majestic tall pines looked beautiful, and were very pleasant to walk. In the winter, these are great exercise in the snow (x-country skiing, snowshoeing or walking in some good boots). The entrance to the Upper Providence Park area is directly across from Rosemary Lane, off N. Ridley Creek Rd (the stretch between Rose Tree Rd and Kirk Lane). The areas near the creek get very muddy, so I don't recommend for certain dogs, or very young children. If you come prepared for mud you'll be fine. There are some neat cinder-blocks sunk into the swamp to make a stepping path across it to the solid ground on the other side (however, this area gets muddy often, so mud shoes would be recommended). The trails connect to the neighboring Louis W. Scott Memorial Park, and I am not sure if they are maintained by the same group(s) or not? The Louis W. Scott Memorial Park is an open field, with the ruins of a stone building beside it. The stone area seems to attract litterers, which is not pretty, and not sanitary or safe for children or dogs. Wish they kept that up better, but elsewhere it is clean and well-kept.

Beautiful landscape horrible place to run. Should be called Rocky Trip Trail. Maybe it's because…read moreI'm a beginning runner but no way.

The lower part of this trail is fabulous. It is full of amazing hidden beauty…read more The northern section was more solitary while I was there. It takes you to Fair Acres and beyond. Parking is extremely limited at the Valley Road parking lot. One solution to not having a parking option there is to park at the YMCA. They have a long trail that leads from their property on to the Rocky Run Trail. But they don't advertise this. There is no signage. It's up to you to find the entry trail into the forest. How to do this: Simplest way is to park in the rear lot. Find the retaining wall. The entrance to the forest is there. Take the first trail to your left. Go beyond the picnic table area and bear left. Follow the trail until it intersects with the Rocky Run Trail. I recommend going leftwards. This will eventually take you past a small sewage treatment plant. Cross Valley Road and pick up the trail again. And this is where it gets really interesting.

Beautiful spot. Huge park…read more Multiple play grounds. Chambers lake- public access Camping Well maintained clean bathrooms Volleyball courts Lots of trails Horse trailer parking to ride horses through the trails

Do not camp here. They lock the gates so it's impossible to leave in emergency or for any reason…read more Gates are secured shut with 2 padlocks. Only way out is to call 911. Incompetence at its finest. Pending lawsuit is underway due to this negligence.

It was a chilly fall morning to take a hike around Taylor Arboretum! This was a perfect COVID…read moreactivity..very few people out and enough room to social distance from others! We took the walk along the creek and stopped along the way to observe all the different types of trees--it was nice to see the holly trees still had berries that the deer didn't eat up! I like this area because it seems that it is a quiet place to enjoy in all seasons!

Taylor Arboretum is a hidden gem that isn't very busy. You can walk around the woods, along the…read morewater, or in open grassy areas. There are many birds to be seen, especially along the water, and it's just a very relaxing place to take a hike or a walk. Or have a picnic! Parking is ample. I do not believe they have restrooms, and if they do then they are easy to overlook. I will definitely be integrating this location into my birding rotation. It's definitely an overlooked spot.

OK, so here's the thing... This isn't an Arboretum in the way you think of curated trees. And…read morealthough they tout the mature Woodland, there are some areas that are very recent growth. But it is truly a delightful nature area, nestled in the midst of a residential area, The trail which does have two entrances marked towards the right and left corners of meadow (from parking lot) is an actual loop trail. But there's no way to know that from the markings or even the Township description online since it says there's a spur that comes out on the far end. Leisurely pace for the loop 15 to 20 minutes depending on speed or longer if you want to stop and enjoy wildlife along the way. Very active bird calls, and visit The Township site said that it comes out on a route road further away and there does appear to be a smaller spur that would take you in that direction. Please be cautious and be prepared because there are a fair amount of downed tree to scramble over, Gulleys, that clearly fill up with water, and two rickety bridges, including one that has actual broken planks on it so test the wood as you walk across. It was very dry the day I came so my white gym shoes made it through but there are at least seven or eight major areas of true muck that will absolutely challenge your footwear if you're not prepared Really little hidden gem. Also worth taking a look at the rules of hopscotch on the embedded hopscotch layout. Clearly trying to make it fun for children.

Free township park, called an "arboretum". Parking is a gravel lot that can accommodate…read moreapproximately 15-20 cars depending on how courteously people park. Trash can is near entrance. Leashed dogs allowed (no dog waste bags). One source stated this is a 2.3-acre greenspace, however it appears to be larger on the township trail map. I did not see the trail map before my visit so I didn't get a chance to explore the trails. The property kind of bottlenecks after the lawn area around parking, and the "neck" is wooded area that passes between residential properties. It is helpful to know ahead that the property then will fan out to a much larger trail system, otherwise you may assume (like I) that it's one short trail, perhaps tributary-ing off to residences, and not worth exploring. Next visit I will pursue the trails! The lawn area by the parking lot is definitely a relaxing space with various benches and Adirondack chairs for sitting. Two Adirondack chairs are hugely oversized for pictures or kid fun. There is a small pavilion, and a maze-like swirl pattern set in the grass with paver stones. It is a fun and safe place to explore for outdoor time.

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!