Happy Summer Trails: Best Places To Get Outdoors Around New Hope

NEW HOPE, PA — The trail beckons as New Hope-area hikers, bikers, and walkers are ready to experience nature close-up again.

Across Bucks County, situated between the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, you'll find 72 miles of trails dedicated just to hiking, and nearly 300 miles of mixed-use trails, with even more for biking. Here are a few of the best places to check out around Doylestown, Bucks County, and into New Jersey.

Peace Valley Park is close by for biking, hiking, boating, and fishing. It's part of the Bucks County park system. Enter on Creek Road in New Britain Township and enjoy the outdoors.

Newtown Rail Trail and Pennypack Trail have come in two phases, as part of Bucks County's trail program. Upper Southhampton Township announced the opening of the Newtown/Pennypack trail in April. The project has been in the works for a long time, and it's ready to enjoy. Find out more here and enjoy this nearby recreation option.

Tyler State Park in Newtown is a local treasure, with all kinds of outdoor recreation including 25 miles of hiking trails. The Tyler Park trail is unpaved and biking is only allowed in some areas, so plan before you head out. There's a one-mile hiking-only difficult trail that crosses Porter Run Creek.

If you head west across Bucks County you can access the Schuylkill River Greenways, a system of trails between Philadelphia and Reading in Berks County. You'll never get tired of the discoveries these trails have waiting.

Perkiomen Trail connects to the Schuylkill River trail network, with its 20 miles running on the old Perkiomen section of the Reading Railroad line in neighboring Montgomery County. The trail welcomes horses, walkers, hikers, and bikers, and you can bring your dog on a leash. Remember to clean up!

Core Creek Park in Langhorne is part of the Bucks County parks system and offers hiking and biking trails along with kayaking and canoeing on Lake Luxembourg. You can also rent paddleboats and rowboats in the park, with discounts for seniors. There's a dog park and picnic areas, as well.

High Rocks State Park has some great hiking and climbing in Tinicum Township, part of the 45 acres that is Ralph Stover State Park. There's a 4.5-mile trail loop with great views and challenging terrain. The cliffs at High Rocks are an area owned by the state and Bucks County, and include opportunities for real outdoor rock climbing.

Regional Trails

Lawrence Hopewell Trail is a 22-mile series of trails that serve local communities in Hopewell and Lawerence townships on the other side of the Delaware. The series of trails was planned to connect places and keep people healthy. Not only are the trail segments meant for recreation, they were planned for commuter use also! Start your hike at 197 Blackwell Road in Pennington, New Jersey.

Watershed Institute does more than work to protect water. It conserves and restores habitats and offers recreation on its trails that pass through wetlands and meadows, over streams to the Wargo Pond. A portion of its trails connect to the Lawrence Hopewell Trail. The Watershed Institute trails begin at 31 Titus Mill Road in Pennington, New Jersey. You can bring a picnic and a pet on a leash, but you must carry your waste out with you.

Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park is for people on foot as well as kayak and canoe! D & R Canal park near Princeton has a self-guided trail system for hiking, biking, and even horseback riding. The park's webpage suggests two local shops where you can rent a bike. The D&R Canal park trails are extensive, so check out maps here and plan your day.

The Lenape Trail offers 36 miles of trail that cross 19 Essex County, New Jersey parks. Some sections of the trail are paved, others are unpaved and ready for hikers who want a greater challenge. Volunteers from the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference help maintain the trail with help from Partners for Health Foundation in Essex County. The trail is named for the Lenape tribes of indigenous people who lived on the land that is now known as the Mid-Atlantic region.

Sourland Mountain Preserve offers a short and a longer trail with rocky areas and a little climbing. The trails go through forested areas with gentle slopes. Take the 5.7-mile trail or a shorter loop through the preserve. There are 4,000 acres here to enjoy, in Somerset County, New Jersey. Mountain bikes are allowed at the Preserve, as are horses.

High Rocks State Park in Pipersville, Pennsylvania draws climbers and hikers.

For local news, follow the New Hope-Lambertville Facebook page.

To get your local news by email: Subscribe to Patch.