Spring flower at Clark Nature Center

60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Philadelphia features over 25 hikes under 3 miles. Mini-hikes help keep the momentum going when time constraints prevent a longer day-long hike, and most of them can be done in less than an hour or two.

You can formulate a mini-hike at almost any park, but some parks are better suited for these less-lengthy jaunts. The Clark Nature Center is one of those hidden parks, and although it lies close to a densely populated residential area, it still offers a small slice of serenity.

Access the driveway to the Nature Center off Durham Road in Newtown Township. The park’s one and only Wilderness Trail takes you in a loop that parallels a small stream on one side. Red-winged blackbirds flit from elm to oak, while bunnies and chipmunks scamper through the bushes, which in July come alive with splashes of wild, red raspberries ready to be plucked and savored.

But my favorite spot at the Clark Nature Center can be accessed from paths that shoot off from the Wilderness Trail toward the center of the park, where wooden benches lie in church-like formation for hikers to sit and clear the noise from their heads, offer up a small prayer, or simply stop and just listen.

But you don’t need a line of benches to put life’s problems in perspective; all you need is a patch of forest, and you have an outdoor chapel replete with dappled sunlight and soft cool breezes. So pack that picnic and visit some of the many mini-hikes available to you in the greater Philadelphia area. Some of these include: The Churchville Nature Center, Graeme Park, Point Pleasant Community Park, Lorimer Park, Binky Lee Preserve, and the Institute Woods. For a more comprehensive list, the book is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and most other major booksellers.

Until next time—Take Care,

Sandra