Peace Valley Park

Peace Valley Park

View of Lake Galena at Peace Valley Park, sunset
Type County park
Location New Britain, Pennsylvania
Nearest city Doylestown, PA
Coordinates 40°19.61′N 75°11.33′W / 40.32683°N 75.18883°W / 40.32683; -75.18883Coordinates: 40°19.61′N 75°11.33′W / 40.32683°N 75.18883°W / 40.32683; -75.18883
Area 1,500 acres (6.1 km2)
Operated by Bucks County Parks and Recreation
Open Year-round, 8 AM to sunset[1]
Status Open
A sailboat on Lake Galena in Peace Valley Park

Peace Valley Park is a 1,500 acre (6 km²) park located near Doylestown, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Bucks County Park System. The park surrounds Lake Galena, a 365-acre (1.5 km2) lake created by the damming of the north branch of the Neshaminy Creek.

Activities

The park provides numerous recreational opportunities including playgrounds for children, facilities for hiking, biking and fishing, and sail- and paddle-boat rentals.[1] Barbecue and picnic areas are also available throughout the park. The park has over 14 miles of maintained biking and hiking trails,[2] many of which (including those around the lake) are paved.

Although most of the park is open to the public, access to some areas is restricted in the interest of wildlife preservation.

Lake Galena freezes over most winters; ice-skating and ice-fishing are also popular during the winter months.

Nature Center

Located at the northeast end of the park (immediately on the lake) is the Peace Valley Nature Center, a facility maintained by the Buck County Department of Parks and Recreation. The Nature Center has educational, bird-watching, and recreation facilities. The Center has a staff of 5-10 people and is partially powered by a photovoltaic system.

Ample parking is available immediately adjacent to the Nature Center, which also includes a small gift shop.

Wildlife

Park facilities are dedicated to both the preservation and observation of wildlife. The Nature Center has a bird blind open to the public year-round.[2] Access to some areas of the park is restricted in the interest of wildlife protection.

The park is filled with hundreds of species of flora and fauna. Over 250 bird species have been sighted at the park,[2] ranging from common sparrows to bald eagles and other birds of prey. Other common and oft-sighted fauna include white-tailed deer, groundhogs, various species of fish, rabbits, and turtles.

References

  1. 1 2 "Peace Valley Park (1500 Acres)". 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 "Welcome to PVNC". 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/13/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.