Ridley CreekA Pennsylvania Recreational Guide for R

idley C

reekS

tate Park

The primary purpose of Pennsylvania state parks is to provide

opportunities for enjoying healthful outdoor recreation and serve

as outdoor classrooms for environmental education. In meeting

these purposes, the conservation of the natural, scenic, aesthetic

and historical values of parks should be given first consideration.

Stewardship responsibilities should be carried out in a way that protects

the natural outdoor experience for the enjoyment of current

and future generations.

Printed on recycled paper 2015

Pennsylvania State Parks Mission

RIDLEY CREEK STATE PARK

RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Ridley Creek State Park ReservationsDirections

Ridley Creek State Park encompasses over 2,606 acres of Delaware County woodlands and meadows. The gently rolling terrain of the park, bisected by Ridley Creek, is only 16 miles from center city Philadelphia and is an oasis of open space in an urban area.

Make online reservations at www.visitPAparks.com or call toll-free 888-PA-PARKS (888-727-2757), 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Saturday, for state park information and reservations.

Spend the Day

Enjoy the Winter Stay the Night

Park visitors enjoy a variety of recreational opportunities year round. Public use areas are open daily from sunrise to sunset. The restrooms in picnic areas #7 and #17 are open year round.

PICNICKING: There are hundreds of picnic tables in 14 picnic areas. Each area is equipped with modern restrooms and charcoal grills. Several of the areas have large fields suited to sports activities. Areas #3, #8, #11, and #17 have playground equipment and picnic pavilions. The pavilions can be reserved up to 11 months in advance for a fee. Unreserved picnic pavilions are free on a first-come, first-served basis.

FORMAL GARDENS: The gardens by the park office are a popular attraction and wedding site.

HIKING: 13 miles of trailsThe trails pass through a variety of habitats in the central portion of the park.

Tell us about your hike at:

COLONIAL PENNSYLVANIA PLANTATIONThe Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation provides visitors with an accurate picture of life on a Delaware County farm prior to the American Revolution.

The plantation has been a working farm for over 300 years. It is restored to a late, 18th-century appearance complete with animals typical of the period and authentically clothed historical interpreters. On weekends from April to November,

The main entrance to Ridley Creek State Park is on Sandy Flash Drive South at Gradyville Road.

When using a GPS unit or online mapping service, use the address of the house across the street from the main park entrance:351 Gradyville RoadNewtown Square, PA 19073

BIKING/JOGGING: The 5-mile, paved Multi-Use Trail along Sycamore Mills Road and Forge Road trails is designated for bicycles, joggers, walkers, and cross-country skiers. The trail is accessible via parking lots #7, #11, #15, and #17. Bikes are not permitted on unpaved hiking trails.

HORSEBACK RIDING: A 4.7-mile trail begins in Picnic Area #8. A parking lot for trailers is at the trailhead. Hidden Valley Farms operates a stable within the park that provides horse boarding, riding lessons, pony rides, and an assortment of horse related services. 610-892-7260.www.hiddenvalleyhorsefarm.com

HUNTING AND FIREARMS: About 1,200 acres are open to archery hunting for deer during established seasons.

Hunting woodchucks, also known as groundhogs, is prohibited. Dog training is only permitted from the day following Labor Day through March 31 in designated hunting areas. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Pennsylvania Game Commission rules and regulations apply. Contact the park office for ADA accessible hunting information.

This symbol indicates facilities and activities that are Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible for people with disabilities. This publication text is available in alternative formats.

If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a disability, please contact the park you plan to visit.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

Access for People with Disabilities Protect and Preserve our Parks

Please make your visit safe and enjoyable. Obey all posted rules and regulations and respect fellow visitors and the resources of the park.• Be prepared and bring the proper equipment. Natural areas may possess hazards. Your personal safety and that of your family are your responsibility. • Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.• Because uncontrolled pets may chase wildlife or frighten visitors, pets must be physically controlled and attended at all times and on a leash, caged, or crated. Electronic fences and leashes are prohibited. • Do your part to keep wildlife wild! Enjoy wildlife from a safe distance and do not feed or approach wild animals.• Please park only in designated areas and obey all traffic regulations.• Please recycle. Place trash accumulated during your stay in proper receptacles or take it home with you.• Soliciting and posting signs are prohibited without approval from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

For More Information ContactRidley Creek State Park1023 Sycamore Mills RoadMedia, PA 19063-4398610-892-3900email: ridleycreeksp@pa.govGPS: Lat. 39.95065 Long. -75.45175An Equal Opportunity Employer

Information and ReservationsMake online reservations at www.visitPAparks.com or call toll-free 888-PA-PARKS (888-727-2757), 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Saturday, for state park information and reservations.

Information and Reservationsi

Call 911 and contact a park employee. Directions to the nearest hospital are posted on bulletin boards and at the park office.

NEAREST HOSPITALRiddle Memorial Hospital1068 West Baltimore PikeMedia, PA 19063

In an Emergency

Nearby Attractions

Information on nearby attractions is available from the Brandywine Conference and Visitors Bureau. www.brandywinecvb.org

Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC)This nonprofit organization provides information and educational programs on a wide variety of environmental issues. The PRC’s Environmental Living Center is located within the park. 610-353-1555

Pocket Ranger™ App by Parks by Nature

WILDLIFE WATCHINGThe park’s 2,600-acres provide important habitat and open space in the urban sprawl of southeastern Pennsylvania. Habitats within the park include old growth and new growth forests, fields and meadows, wetlands, and the creek corridor. The state mammal, the white-tailed deer, is common, along with fox, raccoon, rabbit, and squirrel. Great blue herons frequent Ridley Creek. Many species of songbirds can be seen and heard in the park.

The park is home to many large, old trees, some dating back to colonial times. Oak, beech, walnut, maple, sycamore, hickory, and tulip poplar dominate the tree canopy. Dogwood, spicebush, and witch hazel trees make a colorful forest understory. Many non-native trees and plants in the park were planted for landscaping many years ago.

The most rare and unique tree in the park is the large Franklin tree (Franklinia alatamaha) by the Hunting Hill Mansion. This short tree has large, shiny leaves that turn orange and red in the fall. The large, white flowers bloom in early autumn. In 1765, noted botanists John and William Bartram discovered the species growing in one spot in Georgia. A decade later, William collected seeds and planted them in Philadelphia. By 1803, the last Franklinia was extinct in the wild. All Franklin trees today are descendents of the first trees propagated by the Bartrams, and named for their friend Ben Franklin.

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: Cross-country skiers may use the hiking and Multi-Use Trail when snow cover permits.

SLEDDING AND TOBOGGANING: A large grassy slope by the park office is popular for sledding.

Use extreme caution with firearms at all times. Other visitors use the park during hunting seasons. Firearms and archery equipment used for hunting may be uncased and ready for use only in authorized hunting areas during hunting seasons. In areas not open to hunting or during non-hunting seasons, firearms and archery equipment shall be kept in the owner’s car, trailer, or leased campsite. Exceptions include: law enforcement officers and individuals with a valid Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms are authorized to carry a firearm concealed on their person while they are within a state park.

FISHING: Ridley Creek is stocked with trout and provides excellent angling opportunities. The portion of the creek from Sycamore Mills Dam to the mouth of Dismal Run is a catch and release, fly fishing only area. An ADA accessible fishing platform is on the paved, Multi-Use Trail along Sycamore Mills Road Trail. Vehicle permits must be acquired at the park office. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission regulations and laws apply.

ORGANIZED GROUP TENTING: Qualified organized groups can use the 120-person area from April to October. A restroom with flush toilets, but no showers, is available. Call toll-free 888-PA-PARKS (888-727-2757) for required reservations.

WEDDINGS AND RECEPTIONSThe Hunting Hill Mansion provides an elegant and unique venue for weddings and other receptions. The architecture and décor of the English Tudor style manor house make for an unforgettable setting.

The facility can accommodate an event of up to 150 people. The areas included in the rental package are: Ballroom, ground

floor of the Grand Staircase, Bride’s Room, South Patio, and one outdoor garden site. A commercial kitchen is available for use by approved caterers.

For more information, visit the park website or call 610-892-3908 to speak with the event coordinator.

HISTORYWithin the park boundaries was a small 18th century village, which grew up around the site of a mill. Now known as Sycamore Mills, the area had been previously named Bishop’s Mill and Providence Mill. The miller’s house, the office, library, and several small mill workers’ dwellings are currently used as private residences. The park area has been designated as the “Ridley Creek State Park Historic District” on the National Register of Historic Places.

Park property was purchased in the 1960s with Project 70 funds, and developed with Land and Water Conservation Fund moneys. Park facilities were dedicated to public use in August of 1972.

The park office is in the Hunting Hill Mansion, built by the Jeffords family in 1915. The mansion was built around a 1789 Pennsylvania stone farmhouse that forms the core of the building and serves as the reception center.

visitors can observe the farm family cooking over the open hearth, preserving foods, processing textiles, tending field crops, and performing other chores necessary to survival in the 18th century world.

A fee is charged and group tours are available by reservation. The plantation is closed to public visitation during the winter months. 610-566-1725.www.colonialplantation.org

visitPAparks

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