Boulder-Hopping at St. Peter's Village

Driving along Route 23 in Warwick Township, Chester County, it is easy to pass by St. Peter’s Village. Although there is a sign displaying the name of the site, the road into the village, which was once an industrial mining town, is narrow and doesn’t appear to lead to anything out of the ordinary. However, beneath the shade of the canopy of trees that lines St. Peter’s Road is a small historical village complete with a Victorian-style inn and ice cream shop. Owned and maintained by the St. Peter's Condominium Association, the quaint appearance of St. Peter’s is enough to attract visitors throughout the year, but the natural setting nestled behind the main road is where I head for a day of outdoor leisure.

Running parallel to the town is a creek, a tributary of French Creek, filled with massive boulders spilling down the length of the stream. This spot offers both a quiet retreat and a playground for the adventurous types. On any given day at St. Peter’s, I can find families with small children climbing on the rocks or having a picnic along the creek’s edge, while teenagers spring from boulder to boulder over the fast, rushing waters, pulling out their best Spider-man moves mid-air. I prefer to do more of a small hop to each boulder to avoid landing in knee-high water, as a companion of mine once demonstrated. When I go to St. Peter’s, I wear athletic sneakers and loose-fitting clothes, as I may choose to play among the boulders or hike in the woods alongside the creek. Or, if I'm looking for a pleasant spot to read, write, or reflect, many of the boulders are large enough to lie down on, so I can bring a blanket and a good book and relax.

After I am finished jumping, climbing, or resting on boulders, I always head to Warwick County Park, which sits directly across the street from St. Peter’s. There I find pavilions, a volleyball court, and two playgrounds, which I admit to playing on from time to time. I can also head into the woods surrounding the park and walk along one of its many trails, such as the Horse-Shoe Trail, which extends from Valley Forge National Historic Park to the Appalachian Trail at Stony Mountain. I have just one warning: watch out for snakes! I accidentally scared a gray Northern Water Snake that blended in with the gravel trail and both the slithering reptile and I jumped about two feet into the air.

Both St. Peter's Village and Warwick County Park are free and open to the public from dawn till dusk, and I can get from Philly to St. Peter's is about an hour's drive.

Aimless Exploration at French Creek

Spanning across both Berks and Chester counties, French Creek State Park is just an hour away from Philadelphia in Elverson, Pa. Its 7,474 acres of protected land offers nine trails and several lakes that serve as ideal settings for hiking, fishing, and canoeing. On my first visit to French Creek, I found a large, free parking lot right alongside Hopewell Lake, providing easy access to both water activities and trails. I was pleased to find about 10 canoes lined up outside of a boathouse, presumably available for rent. Unfortunately, there were no park employees stationed here to which I could inquire about rentals, so I meandered around the lake on one of the trails instead.

Looking for a rigorous day of hiking? Well, many of French Creek’s wooded trails may be too tame and not provide the exercise expected since they consist of mainly flat, worn ground or minor inclines. If you’re the kind of person who arrives at a state park wearing flip flops, such as myself on this day, many of the trails, like those encircling the lakes, are perfect for a relaxing stroll in the woods. You can also play the ever-popular game of disc golf on these trails, and according to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources site, several are specifically marked for biking. I should mention, however, that I returned to French Creek a second time to try out some of the biking trails, but even after an hour of driving through the park and picking up a park guide and map at the main office, which was closed even on this summer day, I could not find an entrance to a bike trail.

While French Creek State Park is clean and well-maintained, if I plan on visiting again, I will contact the office first (contact information is listed at the bottom of the DCNR page) to find information about canoe rentals and biking so I can take full advantage of the park’s offerings.