Hiking Ridley Creek State Park, Pennsylvania

Located only 16 miles from center city Philadelphia in Delaware County, Ridley Creek State Park offers the hiker over 2,500 acres of woodlands and meadows. The gently rolling terrain is dissected by the meandering Ridley Creek, which first attracted settlers to the region over 300 years ago. Several small mills were established on the creek and a small 18th century village grew up within the modern-day boundaries of the park. Now known as Sycamore Mills, the area has also been known as Bishop'

s Mill and Providence Mill through the years.

Ridley Creek State Park opened in 1972 on land that had been a working farm for over 250 years, part of of an original land grant from William Penn'

Ridley Creek State park features 12 miles of hiking on four main trails. The White Trail visits most of the areas of the park and the Blue, Red and Yellow trails all intersect this loop trail at many junctions on its route. At its southern end the Yellow Trail connects with the trails of the adjacent John J. Tyler Arboretum, a private, non-profit sanctuary. The arboretum is open to the public and includes several miles of hiking trails, horticultural collections and historical buildings.

The hiking trails at Ridley Creek State Park wind up and down the hills and move mostly through dense woodland. Although hilly, none of the climbs is of the sort that trigger gasping for breath and a grabbing of ones pants while doubled over. The trails through the woods and field tend to be narrow in many places and the area is known for hitchhiking ticks.

Also available for hiking is a 5-mile paved multi-use trail that is designated for bicycles, joggers and walkers. The trail is cut along Sycamore Mills and Forge roads. Ridley Creek State Park also features a 4.7 mile equestrian trail that hikers can jump onto in the western area of the park. A stable is operated as a concession to provide riding horse.

Horses are an integral link in the area's heritage. Man o' War, considered by many to be the greatest race horse of all time (he won one match race by 100 lengths and lost only once in a two-year racing career), was owned by Samuel Riddle who owned part of this land as a horse farm. When Man o' War died in 1947 at the age of 30, the large chestnut colt was embalmed and lay in state for two days. As many as 2,000 people attended his funeral and the burial service was broadcast nationally.

Ridley Creek State Park is animal-friendly to not just horses but dogs as well. Water bowls are chained to some of the benches along the multi-use trail to provide a welcome canine refreshment break on hot days.

The hiking trails at Ridley Creek State Park are blazed and easy to follow, except through the parking areas - keep an eye on the pavement for trail clues here. A trail map is available from the park office which is located in the ÒHunting HillÓ mansion, built by the Jeffords family, who consolidated many of the farms in the area in 1914. The mansion was built around a 1789 Pennsylvania stone farmhouse that forms the core of the building and is serves as the park reception area.

Some of the best hiking at Ridley Creek State Park is not shown on the trail map. The extremely scenic Ridley Creek is a relatively minor player on the formal hiking trails. The White Trail travels along the serpentine banks for only the briefest of time and the multi-use trail hugs the water for just slightly longer. Most of the hiking at Ridley Creek is done out of sight of the namesake brook. But an unmarked trail follows the contours of the creek for nearly an hour's walk on the opposite bank from the formal trails, stretching from a three-car parking area just north of the Ridley Creek on Gradyville Road to the Sycamore Mills Area on Bishop Hollow Road. This trail can also be reached by fording the shallow water of the stream.

While hiking through the park don't be surprised to wind up in an unexpected backyard or two. When the commonwealth of Pennsylvania purchased the property in the 1960s they maintained 35 historic residences, including the Miller's house, the office and library and several small mill workers' dwellings from the mill village as private residences. These coveted shelters are rented out from a long waiting list.

Ridley Creek State Park can be accessed from Route 3 in Media, Pennsylvania, 2.5 miles west of Newtown Square and also from Gradyville Road, east from Route 352 or west from Route 252.