As the seasons change, there’s no better time to get outdoors. While the Pocono Mountains may be a couple of hours away, you don’t need to travel far from Media to hit the trails.
Whether you’re in search of a nature stroll amid native flowers, a stroller- or wheelchair-friendly walk, or a challenging half-day hike, here are 10 spots to hit the trails in and around Media to explore.
Currently spanning 2.8 miles, this paved trail follows Chester Creek along what was once part of the Pennsylvania Railroad. There are two parking areas to access the trail, a paved one with 10 spots at 249 W. Knowlton Rd., and another gravel lot with about 20 spots at 649 Mt. Alverno Rd.
📍 249 W. Knowlton Rd., Media
Steps from downtown Media, Glen Providence Park offers several connecting and standalone trails that total roughly two miles. Throughout the park, find beech and oak trees, as well as a pond. There’s parking along State Street.
📍 500 W. State St., Media
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Spanning 55 acres, this Natural Lands preserve features meadows with native grasses that attract a number of bird species. Take a quick jaunt along the half-mile Red Trail and Purple Loop, which gains just 52 feet in elevation, or opt for the Hildacy Preserve Loop. The 1.8-mile hike is considered easy, according to hiking website AllTrails, with a total elevation gain of 157 feet. Allocate at least 30 minutes to complete it. There is free parking, including several accessible spaces, but no bathrooms or drinking fountains and the trails are unpaved. The park is open daily from dawn to dusk.
📍 1031 Palmers Mill Rd., Media
Next to Indian Orchards Farm, this 36-acre tract connects to several trails and is home to its namesake Indian Orchard Trail. The nearly one-mile wooded trail passes by meadows as well as over streams and is mostly flat, though it does have some elevation gain. It connects to the 3.5-mile Linvill Trail, a mostly flat route skirting Linvilla Orchards.
📍 25 Copes Lane, Media
Built in 1704, this historic grist mill ground and sold grains for over three centuries before it was purchased and restored by a descendent of the Newlin family in the 1950s. Today, visitors can tour the mill and explore its 160 acres of parkland. That includes 8.5 miles across seven trails, the longest of which is the easy 1.6-mile Industrial Trail following the old Octorara Railroad and passing by old bridges and the site of a former cannery and creamery. Other easy trails include the 1.4-mile Sequoia Trail, the 0.9-mile Mill Race Trail, where visitors can see the dams, gates, and races formerly used by the mill, and the 1.1-mile Creek Trail, which has some stepping stones along the route. For slightly more challenging options, try the Osage Trail (0.8 miles), Beech Trail (0.8 miles), or Forest Trail (1.2 miles). The park is open daily during daylight hours and is free to hike.
📍 219 S. Cheyney Rd., Glen Mills
Spanning 2,606 acres, there’s a trail for every skill level at this park straddling Media and Newtown Square. For those looking for an easy loop, try the one-mile Mansion Gardens Trail. It passes by the Hunting Hill Mansion, its gardens, and a reflecting pool. Another easy option that’s a bit longer is the Sycamore Mills Road Trail. The 4.3-mile loop follows a paved, multiuse trail through the woods. There are plenty of more strenuous options, including the 4.7-mile Bridle Trail, which starts near the stables, or the 3.7-mile Blue Trail, which starts near a picnic area and winds through the woods.
📍 1023 Sycamore Mills Rd., Media
Located on Swarthmore College’s campus, Scott Arboretum is an ideal spot for those looking for a casual walk among lots of flowers. The arboretum is open daily from dawn to dusk and is free to visit. It meanders through much of the north side of campus, where visitors can explore the Scott Entrance Garden with its seasonal containers, perennials and annuals, the Scott Outdoor Amphitheater, the tree peony collection, a pollinator garden, a rhododendron garden, and the Dean Bond Rose Garden, which is home to over 170 types of roses.
Crum Woods’ Valley Walk is another option. The roughly 3.8-mile out and back trail winds along Crum Creek and is considered easy by AllTrails, despite gaining over 500 feet of elevation. Begin the route on Yale Avenue or Wallingford Road. There’s parking and a restroom at the Scott Entrance Garden, which is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m., and additional parking at the Wister Center, Benjamin West, Cunningham, and DuPont Parking Lots.
📍 500 College Ave., Swarthmore
Straddling Nether Providence Township and Springfield, this park is named for the founder of Delaware County’s Parks and Recreation Board. It has playgrounds, sports fields, spots to picnic, and four hiking trails, ranging from the short and easy 0.8-mile Green Trail to the roughly five-mile Springfield Trail. The latter is a loop connecting Smedley Park with neighboring Jane Lownes, Woodland, and Thomson Parks. The majority of the trail winds through the woods and is hilly, though it does venture into neighborhoods and crosses waterways at certain points. The trail is considered a moderate hike by AllTrails, gaining about 400 feet in elevation. The Orange Trail is a shorter, 2.5-mile loop between parts of Smedley and Jane Lownes Parks, gaining about 200 feet and crossing two waterways. For those looking to stay at Smedley Park, the Red Trail loop is a relatively easy 1.8 miles, though it does pass near major roadways. The Leiper-Smedley Trail also picks up near the park, venturing south past Crum Woods and ending at the six-acre Leiper Park in Wallingford. The 2.2-mile paved trail is six-feet wide and is also open to bikes.
📍 20 Papermill Rd., Springfield
With 17 miles of hiking trails, there’s something for all skill levels at this 650-acre arboretum. A paved 1.07-mile Scenic Loop wends its way through the arboretum and is stroller and wheelchair accessible. Unpaved family-friendly hikes include the 2-mile Rocky Run Trail and the 1.5-mile Middle Farm Trail. For those looking for more rugged experiences, try the 7.9-mile Minshall Trail. Allocate about four hours to complete this loop, which gains nearly 1,000 feet in elevation. There’s also the 2.3-mile Painter Trail, which is considered the most difficult thanks in part to stream crossings and elevation gains, or the hilly and challenging 1.9-mile Dismal Run Trail. Tyler Arboretum has parking, restrooms and a water fountain at its visitor center, and is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from April to October, and until 4 p.m. from November until March. Admission is required and is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors, $10 for 2 to 17 year-olds, and free for kids 2 and under.
📍 515 Painter Rd., Media
Situated just off Route 1, this 75-acre Natural Lands preserve features two trails. The two-mile out-and-back Darlington Trail to Rocky Run Trail meanders along — and sometimes crosses — a stream. It gains just over 100 feet in elevation and is generally considered a moderate hike. For an easier outing, the East Rocky Run Trail is 1.1 miles out and back and follows red blazes through woodlands and meadows. The preserve is free to visit, including parking near the trailheads.
📍 127 Valley Rd., Media