Chester County is overflowing with outdoor recreation opportunities and is home to some of the most beautiful parks for hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities in Pennsylvania.
In today’s article, we are highlighting the top parks and recreation areas in Chester County to help you plan your next outdoor adventure.
Below is our list of 8 parks and recreation areas in Chester County for you to appreciate today.
Chester County Parks and Trails
The Chester County Department of Parks and Preservation is committed to promoting a high quality of life. With a variety of parks and trails to choose from, keep reading to learn more about what the parks of Chester County have to offer.
Hibernia Park
www.chesco.org/4625/Hibernia-Park
1 Park Road, Coatesville · (610) 383-3812
Hibernia Park offers camping (May through October), hiking, boating on Chambers Lake, and even Goose Hunting. The over 900-acre grounds are also home to rich Chester County history for visitors to explore. Choose the Walking Tour of Historic Sites and explore the ruins, structures, and landscape for yourself.
Black Rock Sanctuary
www.chesco.org/4624/Black-Rock-Sanctuary
953 Black Rock Road (Route 113), Phoenixville · (610) 469-1916
Totaling 119 acres this park is home to sustainability practices, wildlife habitats, and public day use. Most of the trails in this park are reserved for foot traffic only. The .80 mile Interpretive Trail is ADA accessible and will allow you to appreciate the rehabilitation and sustainability efforts of the park as you enjoy native plants and natural landscaping.
Springton Manor Farm
www.chesco.org/4627/Springton-Manor-Farm
860 Springton Road, Glenmoore · (610) 942-2450
Springton Manor Farm, a historic farm and national historic district, offers both history and outdoor recreation. Tour the grounds of the historic Victorian tenant farm, interact with animals at the Great Barn, and choose from a number of trails. The mix-use trails at Springton Manor Farm range from .41 miles to 2.47 miles in length. Springton Manor Farm is one of 8 Chester County parks that offers archery permits for whitetail deer each fall.
Struble Trail
www.chesco.org/4645/Struble-Trail
Norwood Rd, Downingtown, PA
The Struble Trail follows Brandywine Creek as it flows east. Offering 2.6 miles of user-friendly trails, the trail is great for biking, running, hiking, and even fishing. The Born Learning Trail, in partnership with the United Way of Chester County’s Early Childhood Education Initiative, helps facilitate early learning. Walkers can also enjoy free books from The Free Little Library along the trial.
Wolf’s Hollow Park
www.chesco.org/4629/Wolfs-Hollow-Park
1399 Schoff Road, Atglen · (610) 932-2589
Having opened in 2010, Wolf’s Hollow is the newest regional county park in Chester County. The park consists of 569 acres along Octoraro Creek with nearly ten miles of winding trails. It should be noted, Wolf’s Hollow is a rustic, natural park, with no public office and limited comfort facilities. Consequently, trash cans are not provided and visitors must take their trash with them when they leave.
Pennsylvania State Parks in Chester County
In addition to the County Parks, Chester County is home to two beautiful Pennsylvania State Parks: Marsh and French Creek State Parks.
Marsh Creek State Park
www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/MarshCreekStatePark/
675 Park Rd, Downington · (610) 458-5119
Located in the northern part of the county, Marsh Creek State Park has 1,784-acres of land for you to explore. The mix-use trails are open to foot traffic, bikes, horseback riders. While there is no camping at the park, there are picnic shelters available for day use around the 535-acre lake. Boat rentals are available throughout the summer months. Winter activities include Ice fishing, ice boating and ice skating.
French Creek State Park
www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/FrenchCreekStatePark/
843 Park Rd, Elverson · (610) 582-9680
French Creek is a 7,730-acre park and the largest contiguous forest between New York City and Washington D.C. The forests, lakes, wetlands, and fields serve as an oasis for the people of Chester and Berks counties to hike, fish, camp, and bike. Additionally, the park has over 30 miles of trails hiking, and, in some places mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and even horseback riding,
National Parks in Chester County
Chester County is proud to be the home of the Valley Forge National Historic Park for visitors and residents to enjoy year-round.
Valley Forge National Historic Park
www.nps.gov/vafo/
1400 N Outer Line Drive, King of Prussia, PA 19406 · (610) 783-1077
At Valley Forge National Historic Park, you will truly experience history. As the location of the third winter encampment of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, Valley Forge became first state park of Pennsylvania in 1893. The park offers a blend of history and outdoor recreation that can never be explored all in one day. With 3,500 acres and more than 30 miles of trails, a lot of hiking and biking is ahead of you. For those interested in taking in more of the history, the encampment tour loop is a driving tour for taking in the sites and learning the history. Other activities include horseback riding and canoeing/kayaking.
COVID-19 Mitigation Measures for Parks: At many county, state and national parks, the offices, visitor centers, exhibit halls and interpretive areas are closed to the public, and in-person programs and tours are canceled, but some virtual programs are available. Additionally, mask-wearing and social distancing are required in all public spaces as per official guidelines.Â
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This article is intended for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only and should not be construed as advice, guidance or counsel. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Once again, I enjoy learning. I have enjoyed visiting some of these sites and hoping to enjoy more when the weather permits.