Berks County

**Please take note that some of the below locations are open to hunting. If you decide to go there during hunting season, be sure to wear the proper safety gear (bright orange) that will identify you as human or go on a Sunday when hunting isn't permitted. You don't want to be mistaken for someone's dinner!** 

As of right now, I have limited information about the parks in Berks County due to the distance it is from where I live. I haven't ventured out that far west...yet! I'll be adding more information to this page once I have some time to research places that are worthy of exploring. 

Birdsboro Preserve and Waters - I've included both of these places into a single post since they're adjacent to each other and really, hiking at one without the other, you'd definitely be missing out on some pretty scenic trails and waterways. I managed to get 10 miles worth of hiking in (with some overlapping) and there were plenty of other trails that I didn't explore. If you're looking to take a day trip and get some good exercise, the terrain is steep enough to give you a challenge and keep you busy for a full day. If you're into rock climbing, check out the quarry at Trap Rock. Make sure to bring plenty of water with you, while it's close to the town of Birdsboro, it's pretty secluded. 

I can't confirm but I believe hunting is permitted on some of this land, please use caution if you decide to hike there during hunting season. 

Quarry at Birdsboro Waters (Trap Rock)

  
French Creek State Park - I've been to French Creek State Park a number of times throughout the years and in 2014, I was there on four separate occasions, one of which was with a friend so it wasn't documented like the others. Some of French Creek State Park is in Chester County but the majority of it is in Berks County so I included it on this page instead of using the one for Chester County.

On my first visit, I explored the eastern side of the park and found that this was the most challenging and isolated section. Once you're on these trails, you will not be crossing any streets like many of the other trails in the park, and some of the terrain can be difficult to traverse. The DCNR recommends that you make sure to bring water and wear proper clothing and footwear for this section of the park which I can attest to as it was quite the challenge. 

My second visit was to hike the Horse-Shoe Trail, or more accurately, some of it. The Horse-Shoe Trail stretches approximately 140 miles from Valley Forge to Stony Mountain in Dauphin County, PA where it meets the Appalachian Trail. This hike ended up being the longest one of the year 2014. I covered a total of 16 miles that day and learned a whole bunch about the history of one of the sections of the park along the way.

My third visit was on a two day camping excursion in September 2014 to explore some more of what I had found during my hike on the Horse-Shoe Trail, namely the Six Penny Day Use Area. The reason I returned to this area was because of the history involved with not only the day use area but also finding out that the Six Penny Creek area was home to a community of African-Americans who had escaped slavery and worked at the local forges and furnaces and that they also had a role to play in the Underground Railroad movement.

Note that over 6,000 acres of French Creek State Park are open to hunting. 

Section of trail on the eastern side of French Creek State Park

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary - Located in Kempton, PA, the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is probably one of the most beautiful and challenging places I've been to since I picked up hiking again in early 2014. For the first time in over 10 years, I hiked there during the fall of 2015. While the colors weren't as brilliant as I had hoped, there's no denying the beauty of this sanctuary. In all, I hiked around 8 or so of the toughest miles of trail I've ever been on and will definitely be returning to continue my adventures on the trails I didn't explore. I'm not sure how many miles of trails there are and regardless, if you go, you won't be disappointed. Note that hunting is permitted at the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and at those times, some or all trails will be closed to the public. Please click here for additional information. 

View from the North Lookout looking northeast at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

Monocacy Hill Recreation Area - Located in Douglassville, PA, the Monocacy Hill Recreation Area has around 6 miles of trails and is approximately 428 acres. For having only 6 miles of trails, this recreation area is worth checking out, just be sure to do so when it isn't too wet out. While it wasn't too bad while I was there, the trails can get pretty soggy. Most of the hiking isn't difficult with the exception of climbing up Monocacy Hill from the southern side which will definitely give you a good workout. Note that Monocacy Hill Recreation Area is open to hunting and that during the season, can be closed to hikers (I found this out the hard way a week before hiking there). Be sure to check out their website before going if it's during hunting season. 

View from the top of Monocacy Hill - February 2016

Nolde Forest State Park - Located in Reading, PA, Nolde Forest State Park (also known as Nolde Forest Environmental Center) has approximately 10 miles of trails on 665 acres of land and offers a good variety of terrain to explore. My one adventure there was relatively short and there are numerous other trails that I have yet to explore but the ones I did were in excellent condition and I look forward to returning. 

Section of the Watershed Trail at Nolde Forest State Park - December 2015