New to trail riding in PA

[easystride]

I know about Fair Hill for trail riding. What other trail riding places are in the area. I live in Chester County. I heard about the Laurels, but just called and you have to be a member and we are trail riding tomorrow. Anyy help is greatly appreciated.

BTW, does anyone have a favorite trail at Fair Hill?

[lcw579]

How far south in Chester County are you and how far do you want to travel? These two are in northern Chester County/Delaware County.

You can trailer in to Valley Forge Park which is a great place to ride. I grew up riding in the park and there are lots of wooded trails and fields to go through.

I’ve been to Ridley Park once and that is a nice park to ride in too.

[CoopsZippo]

Ride Pennsylvania Horse Trails, Part 1 is an awesome book which covers trails in Eastern Pa. You can pick it up at Borders.

Also you can ride the State Gamelands, State Parks, and so forth. The Snowmobile trails are awesome this time of year.

[Blue_Bandit]

Blue Marsh Lake…managed by the Army Corps of Engineers has over 30 miles of lovely trails…some hills, lots of varied terrain and beautiful scenery…Blue Marsh is EXREMELY horse-friendly with many large parking areas…it is in Berks County http://www.nap.usace.army.mil/sb/recreation.htm#trail

[matryoshka]

Ooooh, I’d love to ride at Ridley Park. My grandparents used to live there. How do you find the trails there?

[kcmel]

Here’s where I ride. It’s lovely.

http://www.natlands.org/preserves/preserve.asp?fldPreserveId=63

Send me a pt if you want to know where you can park a trailer.

[Dispatcher]

Woodlawn Wildlife Preserve–covers lots of ground around the Brandywine river and parks. Woods trails, open fields --beautiful. Lovely views of a duPont mansion. It’s Wilmington-Chadds Ford area.

I see folks trailer in --sometimes parking at local barns, park entrance and along the roads in parking areas.

I didn’t know Ridley Creek State Park had that many trails. That whole area was Hunting Hill for Rose Tree Fox Hunting Club. Lots of history there. So I guess there is still some good riding.

[JetsBuddy]

Montgomery County has some fabulous places to ride. Someone else mentioned Valley Forge which has absolutely beautiful trails.

There’s also:
Green Lane Park (has 3 definitive trail systems) - one of my favorites
http://www2.montcopa.org/parks/cwp/view,A,1516,Q,26377,parksNav,|.asp

The Perk Trail which goes into Green Lane Park
http://www.montcopa.org/parks/perkiomentrail/Perkiomen.htm

Evansburg State Park
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/evansburg.aspx

I’m very close to Green Lane so that is where we usually ride.

[tabula_rashah]

Susquehannock State Park

Nottingham Park in Oxford area- backs up to my farm almost- would be glad to have you come down and ride anytime

Lake Redman

lots of parts of the Horseshoe Trail

Anytime you want a riding buddy, just let me know:)

[Rebelpaintrider]

Springton Manor Farm is also a good place… Nice and open, but when you get back into the “woods” the trails are wide, enough where a jogger, walker with a dog could pass easy…

http://dsf.chesco.org/ccparks/cwp/view.asp?a=1550&q=616437&ccparksNav=|34716|

[JetsBuddy]

I’ve had more coffee and remembered some more

Nockamixon State Park also has trails
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/nockamixon.aspx

You can get a day pass for Bucks County Horse Park
http://www.buckscountyhorsepark.org/

I can let you know when we plan another ride (walk/trot/canter). PM me if you would like me to e-mail you.

[Creaghgal]

Lake Ontelaunee:

http://www.berkscountyweb.com/LakeOntelaunee.htm

Cheslen Preserve:

http://www.natlands.org/preserves/preserve.asp?fldPreserveId=63

I believe Cheslen backs up to the Laurels but I haven’t found where exactly.
& BTW, I don’t think you have to be a “member” of anything to ride in the laurels…

[Icecapade]

I hear tyler state park is really nice and thats on the PA side, all of us in jersey always talk about taking a jaunt over there, but its really hard to get over there w/ a group of people!

[spook1]

Sorry kinda a Hijack here…:eek:

Are there any trails any where close to Erie,pa?

Thanks

[easystride]

Thanks

Thank you so much for all of your suggestions. This is wonderful. I had forgotten about Ridley Creek which is very close to me. You are the best all!

[SonnysMom]

Marsh Creek State Park and French Creek State Park

[camohn]

Fair Hill
Gettysburg
Valley Forge
Evansburg
Green Lane
Lancaster County Park
the Biiiig city park in Philly
French Creek

also in Lancaster: Valley Lea Riding Club. You do have to join but the fee is minimal, there are many miles of trails, camping sites and a clubhouse with monthly activities (dances, dinners etc.) My daughter is in 4H. She said she wants to quit 4H and use the money to join Valley Lea next year as the VL trail rides and campouts are her favorite part (VL kindly allows the 4H to occasionally use their trails) so she just wants to skip to the trail rides and camping next year.

[JetsBuddy]

camohn - my daughter is in 4H too this year and we pretty much only attend the meetings anymore. Her focus is Buxmont Riding Club and the gymkhanas. She’s Reserve Champion so far this year in points for Youth Division and is hoping to win a jacket. We like the laid back attitude much better. Our main training for gaming is trail riding. It builds muscle and wind plus it’s fun to do. The horses really seem to enjoy it.

spook1 - sorry, no help here for Erie trails. It’s quite a distance from us and we tend to stay local.

[brightskyfarm]

pa trails

atrillery ridge offers overnight stabling/cabins… gettysburg trails
and just 12 miles west is the Michaux State Forest…85K acs… let me know if you ever want to ride there, always a spare stall. ECTRA and AERC both hold rides there.
plus 120K ac’s of orchard ground … how long do you want to ride? :D:winkgrin::lol:

         if you feel like traveling a bit... there is the delaware canal out of easton...and the pa grand canyon (awesome to ride in the fall).

and heres a website to help find even more trails
http://www.trails.com/findarea.aspx?state=PA

heres a link to all the trails around Erie
http://www.trailsource.com/scripts/trails.asp?CITY=Erie&STATE=Pennsylvania&TYPE=HORSE&CITYID=249

[spook1]

Hi
Thanks BRIGHTSKY! I was beginning to think there were no trails close to Erie.