| 1. French Creek State Park.Approximately
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| | 45-minute stroll. The Woodlawn trails
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| 40 miles of trails visit every corner of
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| | serve up as fine a mix of open meadow and
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| French Creek's 7,339 acres. There are
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| | mature woodlands hiking as you're likely
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| nine featured hikes on wide dirt paths of
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| | to find in greater Philadelphia.7. Green
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| between one and four hours' duration. The
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| | Lane ParkDogs are not allowed on the
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| marquee walk is the Boone Trail, a
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| | Hemlock Point Trail but there is plenty
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| six-mile loop connecting all the major
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| | of rich canine hiking on the park's other
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| attractions of the park. Two large lakes
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| | four trails to set tails to wagging. The
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| make first rate canine swimming holes.2.
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| | Red Trail, designed as an equestrian
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| Andorra Natural Area/Fairmount
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| | trail but not chewed up like so many
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| ParkAmerica's first public park is the
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| | other such surfaces, winds through open
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| largest contiguous landscaped municipal
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| | fields and stands of trees for 10 miles,
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| park in the world, sprawling across
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| | although the entire length can be aborted
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| nearly 9,000 acres. It is the bucolic
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| | in several places. The premier trail at
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| home to an estimated 2,500,000 trees and
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| | Green Lane Park is the heavily wooded
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| on weekend mornings it can seem as if
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| | Blue Trail on the western edge of the
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| there is a dog for every one. If the
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| | reservoir where you pick your way across
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| communal dog walking on Forbidden Drive
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| | steep ravines and narrow ridges for 6
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| isn't for you, take to the hills and try
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| | miles.8. Ridley Creek State ParkThe park
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| the extensive trail system up the slopes
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| | chains water bowls around its benches
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| of Wissahickon Gorge.3. Valley Forge
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| | along the Multi-Use Trail and your dog
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| NHPThese are some of the most historic
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| | will welcome the cool drink after
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| walks in America and some of the most
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| | tackling the 12 miles of hilly Ridley
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| beautiful in greater Philadelphia -
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| | Creek State Park trails. features 12
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| panoramic vistas from rolling hills, long
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| | miles of hiking on four main trails. If
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| waterside hikes and climbs up wooded
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| | the park's four main blazed trails don't
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| mountainsides. If you're not up to
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| | tire her out try an unmarked trailhead
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| mingling with the tourists, cross the
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| | just east of Ridley Creek on Gradyville
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| Schuylkill River and try the 3-mile
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| | Road offers one of the longest creekside
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| linear Schuylkill River Trail that
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| | walks in Delaware County.9. Fair Hill
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| connects the Pawling's Parking Area and
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| | Natural AreaLocated just across the
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| the Betzwood Picnic Area. The flat dirt
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| | Delaware state line in Maryland, this is
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| trail hugs the river the entire way. Dogs
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| | the Godzilla of area hiking. Traversing
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| are welcome throughout the historic
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| | its 5,613 acres are over 75 miles of
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| park.4. White Clay Creek State Park
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| | multi-use trails. Fair Hill was formerly
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| PreserveThe Lenni Lenape recognized the
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| | owned by sportsman William du Pont, Jr.
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| great beauty of the White Clay Creek and
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| | and was one of the largest private land
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| made their most important "Indian Town"
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| | holdings on the East Coast. The trails
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| along its banks. There are eight marked
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| | through the fields are typically
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| trails at White Clay Creek, a state park
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| | double-track (old dirt vehicle roads),
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| in Delaware and a state preserve in
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| | although singletrack trails dominate in
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| Pennsylvania. State Park; the Penndel
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| | the forested areas. Many roll through
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| Trail, connects the two as it traces the
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| | golden hayfields as befits Fair Hill's
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| meanderings of the stream. If you can't
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| | stature as a leading equine training
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| get enough of the great hiking with your
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| | center.10. Wharton State ForestThe
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| dog here, two new tracts of land have
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| | Wharton State Forest lies at the heart of
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| recently opened nearby under the
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| | New Jersey's mysterious Pine Barrens, a
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| administration of White Clay Creek State
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| | tapestry of impenetrable scrub pine,
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| Park.5. Scott ArboretumSeveral area
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| | swamps and bogs. The main pathway is the
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| colleges welcome responsible dog owners -
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| | Batona Trail, a 49-mile pink-blazed
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| Swarthmore's Scott Arboretum is the best
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| | wilderness trail that begins at Ongs Hat
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| walk. The collections are integrated with
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| | in the north and ends at Lake Absegami in
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| the stone buildings of the college which
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| | Bass River State Forest to the south. The
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| dates to 1864. Leaving the cultivated
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| | hard-packed sand trail, which sports some
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| plantings of the campus, a variety of
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| | gentle undulations to break up a mostly
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| hillside trails lead through the 200-acre
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| | flat walk, is a joy under paw and boot.
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| Crum Woods down to Crum Creek. Dogs are
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| | The Batsto River through the forest is
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| not only welcomed at Swarthmore, but
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| | stained the color of tea by cedar sap,
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| there are water bowls chained to some of
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| | adding to the region's mystique. It makes
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| the drinking fountains. In the Crum Woods
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| | an excellent canine swimming pool.I am
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| your dog need only be under voice
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| | the author of over 20 books, including 8
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| control, not leashed.6. Woodlawn
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| | on hiking with your dog, including the
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| TrusteesAdjacent to the popular
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| | widely praised The Canine Hiker's Bible.
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| Brandywine Creek State Park (with 8
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| | As publisher of Cruden Bay Books, we
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| trails and 14 miles of hiking of its own)
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| | produce the innovative A Bark In The
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| are more than 2,000 acres open to the
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| | Park series of canine hiking books found
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| public for hiking and riding. Miles of
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| | at
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| informal trails can be combined to create
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| | During the warm months I lead canine
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| any kind of day out with your dog.
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| | hikes as
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| Athletic dogs will enjoy romping across
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| | tour leader for tours, leading packs of
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| the grassy hills above the Brandywine
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| | dogs and humans on
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| Creek. Walking back and forth on the Fire
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| | day and overnight trips.
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| Trail along the water provides an easy
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