With 2025 in full swing, now is the time to start working on this year’s resolutions. Begin your fitness journey and get moving in the great outdoors with these winter hikes and trails in and around the Main Line area.
Wissahickon Valley Park
Chestnut Hill
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The Wissahickon Valley feels stuck in time, a relic of Pennsylvania’s idyllic countryside and sharp inclines before the surrounding land was developed. Its 2,000 bucolic acres will take you across the gurgling Wissahickon River and past scenic outcrops that are perfect for observing this beautiful landscape.
Ridley Creek State Park
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Ranked as one of the top state parks in Pennsylvania for its secluded nature and unspoiled beauty, Ridley Creek State Park is a Delco tradition for winter hikes. Our favorite trail in the park is the moderately challenging full white loop. For 4.2 miles, it will take you up and down rolling hills and across frozen streams. It’s popular for bird watching, so keep your eyes peeled for colorful feathered friends that stand out against a snowy backdrop.
Binky Lee Preserve
Chester Springs
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The 112 acres of Binky Lee Preserve are great for spotting wildlife. They’re so great, in fact, that efforts are currently underway to diminish the local deer population via hunting through January 25. During this time,` be sure to stay on the trails and keep furry pals on a leash. With over 50,000 trees planted in the park over the last two decades, there are sure to be at least a few spots of untouched serenity.
Newlin Grist Mill
Glen Mills
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This early 18th-century mill is an iconic Glen Mills landmark and a great place to kick off your year with some exercise. The trail takes less than an hour to circumnavigate at exactly two and a half miles, but you’ll find rushing waterfalls and chilling woodland as you take this trek through rural Delaware County.
John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge
Tinicum
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Lying just off Delaware County’s borders, the myriad lakes and ponds of John Heinz make it a brilliant place to spot wildlife or go fishing during a winter hike. Walk along the preserved marshes and lakes that once pockmarked the region before colonization. The lake loop is 3.5 miles long and gives you access to some of the best bird-watching anywhere in the state. The trail sticks to relatively flat ground for most of the hike, making it great for those less physically inclined.
Cheslen Preserve
Coatesville
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Like at Binky Lee, parts of the Cheslen Preserve are currently closed for deer management through January 25. That said, with nearly 1,300 acres of public land at your disposal, the possibilities for hiking are nearly endless along the beautiful trails of Coatesville.
Marsh Creek State Park
Downingtown
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A walk along the glistening shores of the Marsh Creek Reservoir is the perfect way to kick off the new year. Find blissful peace as you stroll through meadows along the lake and winding trails that head deeper into the state park. Though our hiking choice here is the main Marsh Creek Trail at 7.7 miles long, there are other less challenging hikes, but none will get you the same balance of lake and woods.
Valley Forge National Historic Park
King of Prussia
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It’s undeniable that Valley Forge is a little eerie in the winter, especially with its cabins and colonial ruins draped in a blanket of fog. The Mt. Joy to Mt. Misery trail loop takes hikers along nearly four miles of rocky terrain through woodland and past crumbling stone buildings. The season adds a whole new layer of atmosphere to the vibe.
Rolling Hill Park
Gladwyne
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Like the name implies, Rolling Hill Park has its share of peaks and valleys and is perfect for hikers looking for trails with steep inclines and dips. Mill Creek, at the bottom of the park, is a quiet place to catch your breath and observe the beauty of the bluffs above and the bubbling river below.
