Happy Trails for You

By Reaghan Grobe

Persevering through the current political, social, and economic climate is mentally and emotionally draining. Wanting to uplift and provide some respite, The Surveyor recommends local walking and hiking trails.

Chester Valley Trail—Recommended by Reaghan Grobe

The Chester Valley Trail is a 13-mile-long trail that goes from Exton to King of Prussia. It has many access points, one of which is only a few minutes from the school. Sometimes it is crowded on this trail, so be safe and bring a mask. The trail is fully paved and travels around local towns, open spaces, and wooded areas with flowers. The trail is great for walking, running, or biking.

Ridley Creek Park—Recommended by Anna Ginelli

Ridley Creek Park has a lot of options for the whole family. There are peaceful trails, pavilions to have a picnic, and playgrounds for younger children. The park also has its own horse stable. Because it is a larger park, you can socially distance and enjoy the fresh air. On a hot day, there is also a stream that runs through the park that you can dip your feet in to cool down. There are supposedly small waterfalls too, but I have not yet seen them. Ridley Creek park is a beautiful place, which is why it is a location for a lot of wedding photography.

East Goshen Park—Recommended by Reaghan Grobe

East Goshen Park is a very open landscape, mostly flat with nicely paved trails. It is perfect for walking and running. There are other things there like tennis courts, basketball courts, a baseball field, and a playground. The park is dog friendly, and I have walked my dogs there many times. They love the park and so do I.

This is a piece of the trail at East Goshen in the evening.

Brightside Trail—Recommend by Nadia Nemeth

Brightside trail is a simple, mile long, paved loop located in a valley about five minutes from the school. I have never seen more than 5 or 6 groups on the trail. It is next to the community gardens, where gardeners from around the area can rent space to plant vegetables and flowers. There is a grass path leading off the trail, so you can go into the gardens and look at everyone’s plantings. It is a dog friendly and bike friendly. Because there are few trees, the trail offers picturesque views of morning skies and evening sunsets.

Because of the open space it is easy to glimpse at the sun rising and setting.

These are some of the flowers found on Brightside Trail.

This is some Great Valley Freshmen walking their dogs (Scout on the left and Moxie on the right) on the Brightside trail. (This photo was taken prior to the COVID-19 lockdown.)

Stroud Preserve—Recommended by Jackson Wolff

Stroud Preserve, located in East Bradford, offers trails that range from casual walking to some hills that provide a bit more of a challenging workout. Also, the natural landscape is varied, with wooded paths, open space, as well as views of surrounding cornfields. During the warm season, weekends attract bigger crowds, but it is still a great place to hike, walk, or run.

Bryn Coed Preserve with trails—Mrs. Iannucci

According to the Natural Lands website, Generosity from public partners at the state, county, and municipal levels; the William Penn Foundation; and more than 650 households from the Chester Springs area and beyond combined to make Bryn Coed Preserve possible. Natural Lands acquired a 1,505-acre mosaic of forest and farmland known as Bryn Coed—which means “wooded hill” in Welsh in 2017. In doing so, we saved one of the largest remaining unprotected swaths of land in the greater Philadelphia region from becoming a housing development.

The preserve includes a Pennsylvania Champion white oak, the headwaters of the Pickering Creek, and several Bald Eagle nesting spots. Miles of hiking trails meander past 19th century stone farmhouses, historical ruins, and other remnants of the land’s agricultural past.

There are varying trails—from easy to moderate. The hiking ranges from 6 to 9 miles.

Bryn Coed can be accessed at 1869 Flint Road, Chester Springs, PA.

Also as part of the Natual Lands trust is Binky Lee Preserves located at 1445 Pikeland Road, Chester Springs, PA. There you can walk or hike a range of 3 to 6 miles.

Both preserves are dog friendly. Now is the time to reconnect with the natural world. Check out their website for events that now are held virtually and eventually live! Learn of the history, wildlife, and other natural wonders!

Thank you to The Surveyor correspondents who helped in arranging this piece! - Reaghan Grobe