Bucks 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!** 

Bucks County - Official Visitor, Meeting, Event & Group Site - check out the Things to Do section and you'll find plenty of outdoor activities and everything else from golfing to night life to shopping. 

Bucks County Alive - provides a large listing of parks, recreational areas, gardens, nature centers and other adventures in Bucks County and beyond. Click on the "Things to Do" tab on the top of the page, then select the Outdoor Guide section. There's enough information on this website to keep you busy for quite a while.

Bucks County Parks and Recreation - Provides a list of parks and recreational areas in Bucks County. There are also a few campsites run by Bucks County you can check out if you're looking to have a weekend adventure.

David Hanauer's Photographic Tour of Bucks County, Pennsylvania - not only are the pictures on his website fantastic, there's also a host of information regarding the history of Bucks County and plenty of different landmarks and attractions one could go to throughout. If you're a fan of photography like I am, David Hanauer also has a section of other photographs you can check out here.

Morrisville Alive - has another list of local parks within the Bucks County area.  

Place Names in Bucks County - This may be an old book and a lot has changed since it was published but it contains quite a bit of information as well as the history of locations scattered throughout Bucks County. Thanks to David Hanauer for introducing this book to me!

Scenic Bucks County, PA - this site has a plethora of pictures as well as information on historical landmarks, attractions, parks, etc. My favorite section to check out as a hiker is of course the Bucks County Parks section.

Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association - this covers Bucks and Montgomery Counties. The WVWA was created to protect the land in the watershed from the flooding of the Wissahickon Creek. On the top of the page, go to the Land tab, then Land & Preserves and there are 10 locations along the Wissahickon Creek you can check out.

Bowman's Hill Tower and Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve - I was there this past summer but in my opinion, the best time to visit the wildflower preserve would be in the spring when most of the flowers are in bloom. There are still flowers during the summer but not as many. If you're up for some exercise, Bowman's Hill Tower is about a mile walk from the preserve. The 125 foot tower stands on the top of a hill with a beautiful view overlooking the Delaware River. 

Bowman's Hill Tower

Churchville Nature Center - While there isn't a whole lot for hiking with only 2 miles of trails, this place is still worthy of mention. During the summer, there's a guided tour of a butterfly garden that's well worth the cost as well as exploring the trails and Springfield Lake. While I was there, I noted that there were some side trails looking to lead around the lake but how far remains to be seen since I didn't check them out.

Butterfly Garden at Churchville Nature Center

Haycock Mountain - State Game Lands #157 - Located just northwest of Nockamixon State Park, this mountain, if that's what you'd like to call it (it's really nothing more than a hill), is well worth the adventure. I was there twice this past summer to explore different sections of the mountain. My first visit was to check out the boulders on the top of the hill which are enormous, and my second visit was to a few rock gardens that I discovered while exploring the area on Google Maps. There are over 2000 acres to explore and while I was driving around the mountain, I noted a few other areas to park and that there were trail heads leading to different sections of the mountain. I'll eventually be returning to continue my exploration of the area. Take note that as stated above, these are state game lands and are open to hunting. 

Rock Garden at Haycock Mountain

Lake Towhee County Park - This place is an almost hidden treasure of sorts since it's located directly west of Nockamixon State Park which seems to get a great deal more attention than Towhee due to its size. Of course, there aren't as many opportunities for recreation at Towhee, especially if you're a hiker since there are only a few miles of trails at the most within this park. If you're looking to take a leisure stroll alongside the lake or even do some fishing, this might be a place to go since it's far more quiet than Nockamixon. This park also offers campsites which you won't find at Nockamixon unless you want to rent a cabin.

Lake Towhee

Neshaminy State Park - There aren't a lot of trails at Neshaminy State Park (about 4 miles) but if you're looking to take a walk alongside the Neshaminy Creek or the Delaware River, the park is bordered on both. I've never been to this park and really don't plan on it so I can't tell you if it's worth the effort to go there.  

Nockamixon Cliffs at Delaware Canal State Park - Delaware Canal State Park stretches approximately 60 miles from Easton, PA (Northampton County) to Bristol, PA (Bucks County). The Nockamixon Cliffs are a very small but beautiful portion of the Delaware Canal State Park with cliffs that reach 300 feet in height and overlook the Delaware River. During the summer, the cliffs are closed to the public due to it being a natural habitat for a rare (in Pennsylvania) arctic-alpine plant community and over 90 species of birds. In the winter, ice climbing is permitted. Although I can't confirm, it's said that at one time, there was a spot on top of the cliffs (Top Rocks) you could look down over the Delaware River but has since been either blocked off or is now private property. 

Nockamixon Cliffs at Delaware Canal State Park

Nockamixon State Park -  I hiked here a number of times throughout the spring and summer of 2014, some of which were before I created this blog. My favorite section of Nockamixon by far were the mountain biking trails on the northern end of the park. When I was there, the trails were in excellent condition and well maintained. I think it's safe to say that it was one of my favorite hikes of the 2014 season. Nockamixon also has trails that I likely will not return to anytime soon due to the conditions on the southern side of the park. The trails are equestrian and they get a lot of abuse. Saying they're muddy is an understatement. 

Take note that approximately 3500 acres of Nockamixon State Park are open to hunting.

Emergency Spillway at Nockamixon State Park

Peace Valley Park - I was at Peace Valley Park twice in 2014, once in January before all the crazy winter weather and a second time during the summer. Most of the trails are paved but if you want to get off the pavement and check out some of the other trails, head to the eastern and northern sections of the park. If you just want to hike around Lake Galena, the hike is approximately 6.5 miles. If you'd like to add some more miles, explore the northern end of the park alongside both sides of North Branch Neshaminy Creek. Don't forget to check out the Peace Valley Nature Center while you're there. 

Lake Galena at Peace Valley Park - January 2014

Ralph Stover State Park - if you're looking for some nice scenery, this is an excellent place to go. Within the park, there are 200 foot cliffs you can hike to the top of with numerous areas overlooking the Tohickon Creek and the valley below. There's also a parking lot close to the overlooks if you don't want to park at Ralph Stover State Park and walk to the cliffs (about 1/2 to 3/4 mile). I've been there twice this year, once in July and again in October to get pictures of the fall colors. Once you're done at the cliffs (also known as High Rocks), there are trails that lead either direction on the Tohickon Creek, some of which are not marked on the map of the park. 

Ralph Stover State Park, also known as High Rocks State Park

Tyler State Park - I live about 30 minutes from Tyler State Park so I end up there at least a few times a year to hike or go fishing. Like Nockamixon State Park, I recommend you avoid the trails that run alongside the western side of the Neshaminy Creek since they are equestrian and have some deep muddy spots that are near impossible to avoid unless you walk through thorn bushes, poison ivy and stinging nettle. Also during the summer, I found the trails that aren't paved are not well maintained, especially in the northwestern side of the park. You can still navigate them but be sure to wear long pants.

Covered Bridge at Tyler State Park

Southeastern PA Hiking