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Natural Lands' Bear Creek Preserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 342 Google reviews · Running trail in Bear Creek Village, Pennsylvania · Dawn to dusk
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Dawn to dusk
Confirmed from Natural Lands' Bear Creek Preserve's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Nature preserve with hiking trails, a waterfall, and a vista, plus workshops.
What runners say about Natural Lands' Bear Creek Preserve
“The trails were clean, easy to follow, and there were different levels of difficulty and lengths.”
“You can easily go through the woods, skirt by marshlands, take a seat by the falls or at the scenic overlook, and find the clearing and enjoy the bird songs.”
“Trails are as people have been publishing, “very well marked”, even in breaking blazing trail in 6” of snow.”
Needed to get out and be with nature, unload some winter doldrums. We drove an hour plus to get to Bear Creek. The journey was worth the drive. Beautiful hike ( we did the red to green). We really weren’t prepared to do the full red hike, sneakers, no water, no nothing but two old fools wandering!
One of my favorite places to hike in NEPA. Trails are well maintained and have a variety of lengths and difficulties. You can easily go through the woods, skirt by marshlands, take a seat by the falls or at the scenic overlook, and find the clearing and enjoy the bird songs.
I love this place!! The falls, the trail, the many plants and wildlife. This is truly a breath of fresh air if you’ve been huddled inside for too long. They have trails of different difficulties, easy to hard, and I’ve only done yellow (1 mile) and green (3miles) and both were pretty lengthy but fun!
Wonderful place for hiking! Several routes to choose from. Short or longer. We took the green route, at 2 miles. Didn't get to see the falls but still a nice hike!
Trail conditions & character
“You can easily go through the woods, skirt by marshlands, take a seat by the falls or at the scenic overlook, and find the clearing and enjoy the bird songs.”
“A couple of modest inclines, some rocky and rooty sections that made me appreciate my hiking boots.”
“Trails are as people have been publishing, “very well marked”, even in breaking blazing trail in 6” of snow.”
“The trails I chose had a decent amount of elevation gain/loss but nothing a beginning hiker could not conquer.”
“Trails are marked on how to get back to parking lot if you get lost, but bring a trail map ( free at entrance).”
“The Bear Creek Falls may be on the preserve property but I don’t think accessible through trail system.”
Plan your run at Natural Lands' Bear Creek Preserve
The practical stuff
- AccessDawn to dusk — the gates close, so do not plan a run that finishes after dark
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms, water — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Trail mapOfficial trail map
- Websitenatlands.org
- Phone(610) 353-5587
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 7 AM–7 PM |
| Wednesday | 7 AM–7 PM |
| Thursday | 7 AM–7 PM |
| Friday | 7 AM–7 PM |
| Saturday | 7 AM–7 PM |
| Sunday | 7 AM–7 PM |
Running trails near Bear Creek Village
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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