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French Creek State Park
Two lakes and forested hiking trails amid the picturesque farmland of northern Chester County
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Lush scenery envelops French Creek State Park
Photo courtesy of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
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Outsider Tip
If you are observant while at the park you will see deer, squirrels, raccoons, songbirds, and numerous other small animals and birds. The park sustains good populations of resident birds and animals, but also serves as an important stop for migratory species using the woodlands, streams, lakes, and wetlands for food and cover.
Support Conservation
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has an ambitious program of environmental education that strives to create a more informed citizenry. The activities, which are scheduled March through November, emphasize environmental knowledge, responsibility, motivation and commitment. Find out more at their website.
Anglers and boaters both enjoy the well-stocked Hopewell and Scotts Run Lakes, home to a wide variety of local species of fish. There’s also a swimming pool if you want to get wet. And two disc golf courses that are popular year-round.
You might opt for exploring the extensive trail system, which covers a large portion of the park’s 7,339 acres. Bicyclists are welcome, too, as long as they stick to the designated trails. There's also eight miles of trails for horseback riding.
The hilly, forested terrain is perfect for the burgeoning new sport of Orienteering, which might be why, with two popular courses that wind through the woods by Hopewell Lake, French Creek is affectionately known as the “Orienteering Capital of America.”
COME PREPARED
Trail maps are available by the park office and trailhead parking is available. Fishing and hunting licenses are required. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited and pets must be leashed.
DON'T MISS
After the heavy rains of spring, salamanders “migrate” from the hills to the lower, marshy areas of the park, turning out by the thousands to breed in the shallow pools of water.
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