Happy Summer Trails: Best Places To Get Outdoors Around West Chester

WEST CHESTER, PA — The trail beckons as West Chester-area hikers, bikers, and walkers are ready to experience nature close-up again.

Across Chester County, situated along the Schuylkill River, you'll find miles of trails dedicated just to hiking, with miles of mixed-use trails and even more for biking. Here are a few of the best places to check out around West Chester and the rest of Chester County, and regionally, as well.

Chester Valley Trail winds around the Exton and Malvern areas for nearly 15 miles. It's paved and good for biking, hiking, and inline skating and it's ADA compliant. You can bring your dog on the trail, on a leash. Trail entry points and parking are at: Chester County's Exton Park, 132 Church Farm Lane, Exton; Battle of the Clouds Park, 125 N. Phoenixville Pike, Malvern; the East Whiteland Municipal Building at 209 Conestoga Road in Malvern; 1055 Westlakes Drive in Berwyn, and the West Whiteland Municipal Building at 101 E. Commerce Drive, Exton.

The Chester Valley Trail has been planned to encourage commuter use, as seen below, in the social media post for Bike to Work Day May 19.

Hiking In Neighboring Counties

Horsham Powerline Trail just over the county line is a 5-plus-mile trail in Montgomery County beginning on Dresher Road. You can walk, run, bike, and bring a leashed dog on this trail.

Schuylkill River Greenways is a system of trails between Philadelphia and Reading in Berks County. You'll never get tired of the discoveries these trails have waiting. A recent addition to the trails is Fricks Lock Trailhead and a new 4-mile section of the Schuylkill River Trail in East Coventry Township. It connects the Lock to Pottstown at Route 422.

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.

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 Luxemborg. 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 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 forest 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.

Chester Valley Trail was designed to accommodate commuters, and this week a Bike to Work Day will encourage that:

For local news, follow the West Chester Patch Facebook Page.

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