A Bark In The Park: The 10 Best Places To Hike With Your Dog Around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1. French Creek State Park.Approximately 4045-minute stroll. The Woodlawn trails serve up as
miles of trails visit every corner of French Creek'sfine a mix of open meadow and mature
7,339 acres. There are nine featured hikes onwoodlands hiking as you're likely to find in greater
wide dirt paths of between one and four hours'Philadelphia.7. Green Lane ParkDogs are not
duration. The marquee walk is the Boone Trail, aallowed on the Hemlock Point Trail but there is
six-mile loop connecting all the major attractionsplenty of rich canine hiking on the park's other
of the park. Two large lakes make first ratefour trails to set tails to wagging. The Red Trail,
canine swimming holes.2. Andorra Natural Areadesigned as an equestrian trail but not chewed up
Fairmount ParkAmerica's first public park is thelike so many other such surfaces, winds through
largest contiguous landscaped municipal park in theopen fields and stands of trees for 10 miles,
world, sprawling across nearly 9,000 acres. It isalthough the entire length can be aborted in
the bucolic home to an estimated 2,500,000 treesseveral places. The premier trail at Green Lane
and on weekend mornings it can seem as if therePark is the heavily wooded Blue Trail on the
is a dog for every one. If the communal dogwestern edge of the reservoir where you pick
walking on Forbidden Drive isn't for you, take toyour way across steep ravines and narrow ridges
the hills and try the extensive trail system up thefor 6 miles.8. Ridley Creek State ParkThe park
slopes of Wissahickon Gorge.3. Valley Forgechains water bowls around its benches along the
NHPThese are some of the most historic walks inMulti-Use Trail and your dog will welcome the cool
America and some of the most beautiful indrink after tackling the 12 miles of hilly Ridley
greater Philadelphia - panoramic vistas from rollingCreek State Park trails. features 12 miles of hiking
hills, long waterside hikes and climbs up woodedon four main trails. If the park's four main blazed
mountainsides. If you're not up to mingling withtrails don't tire her out try an unmarked trailhead
the tourists, cross the Schuylkill River and try thejust east of Ridley Creek on Gradyville Road
3-mile linear Schuylkill River Trail that connects theoffers one of the longest creekside walks in
Pawling's Parking Area and the Betzwood PicnicDelaware County.9. Fair Hill Natural AreaLocated
Area. The flat dirt trail hugs the river the entirejust across the Delaware state line in Maryland,
way. Dogs are welcome throughout the historicthis is the Godzilla of area hiking. Traversing its
park.4. White Clay Creek State Park/PreserveThe5,613 acres are over 75 miles of multi-use trails.
Lenni Lenape recognized the great beauty of theFair Hill was formerly owned by sportsman William
White Clay Creek and made their most importantdu Pont, Jr. and was one of the largest private
"Indian Town" along its banks. There are eightland holdings on the East Coast. The trails through
marked trails at White Clay Creek, a state park inthe fields are typically double-track (old dirt vehicle
Delaware and a state preserve in Pennsylvania.roads), although singletrack trails dominate in the
State Park; the Penndel Trail, connects the two asforested areas. Many roll through golden hayfields
it traces the meanderings of the stream. If youas befits Fair Hill's stature as a leading equine
can't get enough of the great hiking with your dogtraining center.10. Wharton State ForestThe
here, two new tracts of land have recentlyWharton State Forest lies at the heart of New
opened nearby under the administration of WhiteJersey's mysterious Pine Barrens, a tapestry of
Clay Creek State Park.5. Scott ArboretumSeveralimpenetrable scrub pine, swamps and bogs. The
area colleges welcome responsible dog owners -main pathway is the Batona Trail, a 49-mile
Swarthmore's Scott Arboretum is the best walk.pink-blazed wilderness trail that begins at Ongs Hat
The collections are integrated with the stonein the north and ends at Lake Absegami in Bass
buildings of the college which dates to 1864.River State Forest to the south. The hard-packed
Leaving the cultivated plantings of the campus, asand trail, which sports some gentle undulations to
variety of hillside trails lead through the 200-acrebreak up a mostly flat walk, is a joy under paw
Crum Woods down to Crum Creek. Dogs are notand boot. The Batsto River through the forest is
only welcomed at Swarthmore, but there arestained the color of tea by cedar sap, adding to
water bowls chained to some of the drinkingthe region's mystique. It makes an excellent
fountains. In the Crum Woods your dog need onlycanine swimming pool.I am the author of over 20
be under voice control, not leashed.6. Woodlawnbooks, including 8 on hiking with your dog, including
TrusteesAdjacent to the popular Brandywinethe
Creek State Park (with 8 trails and 14 miles ofwidely praised The Canine Hiker's Bible. As
hiking of its own) are more than 2,000 acrespublisher of Cruden Bay Books, we
open to the public for hiking and riding. Miles ofproduce the innovative A Bark In The Park
informal trails can be combined to create any kindseries of canine hiking books found at
of day out with your dog. Athletic dogs will enjoyDuring the warm months I lead canine hikes as
romping across the grassy hills above thetour leader for tours, leading packs of dogs and
Brandywine Creek. Walking back and forth on thehumans on
Fire Trail along the water provides an easyday and overnight trips.