Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain
1,800 acres — 12.0 miles of trails
What’s to love
The land that makes up the Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain has cycled through many uses over the years, from a 1900’s farming community called Honey Hollow to a family property owned by a prominent Trenton family, to a potential quarrying location turned potential luxury housing development turned actual nature preserve.
Echoes of the area’s past can be found along the many hiking trails here, which guide you past the ruins of old farming buildings, spring houses, and the repurposed Strawberry Hill Mansion. Reach the clearing by the mansion and you can picnic in a meadow while enjoying an expansive view of the Delaware River.
The real charm of hiking the Ted Stiles Preserve is its variety of natural environments. One large loop might take you through deep woods, open fields of wildflowers, and up rocky climbs. Choose your own adventure!
Tips and quirks
- Although plans to convert this area to a quarry never came to fruition, there is an active mining operation nearby. This results in a hilarious overabundance of DANGER: BLASTING signs along some of the preserve’s western trails.
- The Strawberry Hill Mansion features a garden of native plants, new stone patio with expansive views, and toilets. Score!
- The switchback trail here has been voted “Most Aerobic Walk” in the county, climbing 425 feet in around 6/10 of a mile. It’ll make you work for it.
- There’s also an open trail under a series of power lines. Stretching for miles, the powerline trail is a great place to spot birds, from goldfinches to turkey vultures.
Spotted here recently (via
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Last updated: April 16, 2021
A small disclaimer: This website is not affilitated with the City of Philadelphia, its parks department, local non-profits, or any state or federal organization. Opinions reflected here are solely the author's: a regular person who happens to enjoy hiking. Like all outdoor activities, hiking carries some risks (including medical and personal safety risks) and requires preparation and supplies. Routes and conditions may have changed since this post was written. Make sure you follow all posted rules and local laws, as certain activities (like off-leash dogs or leaving marked trails) are frequently prohibitied.
