Only in Bucks County: High Rocks and Ringing Rocks

High Rocks, Steep Rocks, Ringing Rocks... I just wanted to see lots of rocks!

And High Rocks State Park and 'Ringing Rocks" had been on my Bucks County Bucket List FOREVER. They are about 20 minutes apart in Upper Bucks, so I planned to visit them both in one day.

We started at High Rocks. Most people, especially rock climbers, enter High Rocks (aka Ralph Stover State Park) at ground level, where there are huge sections of 200 foot high rocks available to climb.

 

We wanted to find the Vista section of Ralph Stover Park. We parked in a tiny lot which led to a hiking trail that boasted beautiful vistas of treetops and the open sky, studded with fenced in lookout pavilions above the Tohickon Creek along the way.

 

 

 

 

Selfie stick pic ;)

 

 

 

 

This will be breathtaking in the Fall!

 

 

 

 

 

A peaceful country road on the way to Ringing Rocks.

 

 

Approaching Ringing Rocks Park.

 

Ringing Rocks is a smaller county park in located in Upper Black Eddy, PA.

It is a very wooded area that offers something wonderfully unique; a field of boulders, probably eight acres in size. But this geologic wonder isn't all, the reason this park is a famous day-trip destination is because the rocks... ring.

 

On the path to the boulder field. It's too difficult to explain the ringing rocks and all the theories as to why they ring, so if you'd like to learn more about these musical mysteries, click here - it's the best article I've found.

 

 

Ringing Rocks! Bring a hammer!

 

 

You'll notice that many of the rocks are chipped from being hammered away at.

 

 On the way to another wonder of Ringing Rocks Park - a natural waterfall:

 

 

Stopped at Tohickon Park on the way home and got our grill on!

Our reward for hiking two parks in one day.

SUNDAY FUNDAY

Only in Bucks County: Blazing a New Trail

It was muddy.

It was the warmest day of the year so far and we went home hot and dirty. 

We got scratched by thorns when we ventured off the path.

But, today's walk was worth all that for its change of scenery, and the reward of watching the sun set by river's edge.

I didn't intend to write another "Where Am I" post, but does anybody have a quick guess?

 

 

 

 

 

I'd been to the visitor's center at Churchville Nature Center at least a dozen times for various events, but was unaware of the trails out back or Lenape Village, a legitimate replica of how the Lenape Indians lived here in the 1500’s.
The Lenape (len-AH-pay) or Delaware Indians lived in an area they called “Lenapehoking,” which means  “Land of the Lenape.”  Their land included all of what is now New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, southeastern New York State, northern Delaware and a small section of southeastern Connecticut.  As part of the Eastern Woodlands, Lenapehoking had many rivers, streams and lakes and was densely forested and rich in wildlife.               

 

 

 

The trails were twisty, well maintained, and magical. 

Meadows, marsh, tall trees, small ponds and a lake were all within our 45 minute walk. 

 

 

There was an impressive raised boardwalk that led to a clearing. Unexpectedly to me, beyond the clearing there was a lake. 

 

Nothing like being at the waters edge during rush hour!

 

 

This was an easy hike as far as hiking goes, but I reccomend visiting Churchville Nature Center if you need a quick change of scenery. The trails are open sunrise to sunset daily, and make sure to check their website for tours, bird-watching, and special events.

 

 

 

"Treat the earth well.

It was not given to you by your parents,

It was loaned to you by your children."

~Indian Proverb