Berks: Nature, Art, and History

Blue Marsh Lake stands out for the scale of its trails and water areas. It covers 4,563 acres of land and 1,121 acres of water; its trail network extends for more than 50 miles. The Blue Marsh Lake Trail is a 50-mile National Recreation Trail for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. There is also an accessible fishing platform at the Stilling Basin.

Nature and Landscape

The Nature Place is located in the nearly 100-acre Angelica Creek Park. The park offers dog-friendly walking trails and the active restoration of the Angelica Creek floodplain, with reed marshes and flowering pollinator meadows. The Angelica Creek Trail is one mile long and leads to educational wetlands and wildlife-watching opportunities; it can be used for hiking and biking.

Hikes on Neversink Mountain offer views at the City Overlook and Witches Hat (McIlvain Pavilion). The forest landscape also has special significance: Hopewell Big Woods is the largest contiguous forest in southeastern Pennsylvania. A trail loops around Hopewell Lake and passes through scenic woodland areas with wildlife. The Colliers Trail passes the remains of a historic charcoal burner’s hut and a charcoal pit.

The trail lengths offer a clear comparison: the Angelica Creek Trail is one mile long, while the Blue Marsh Lake Trail is 50 miles long. Hiking and biking are mentioned for both; horseback riding is also listed for the longer trail. The routes described therefore differ both in scale and in the activities listed.

The Schuylkill River Trail offers another way to explore the region. A key section in Berks County helps connect recreation centers and river towns from Valley Forge to Schuylkill County.

Art, History, and Visiting

The Reading Public Museum’s art galleries include more than 1,000 paintings, 12,000 works on paper, and 200 sculptures. The Pennsylvania German Gallery displays 18th- and 19th-century Fraktur works, as well as Pennsylvania Redware from Berks County and the surrounding counties. This brings together works in different media alongside a dedicated focus on regional art.

The Reading Public Museum also includes a 25-acre arboretum with 65 notable specimens. It is open daily from sunrise to sunset. The galleries at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts are open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; art classes and workshops for all ages and skill levels are also offered there.

The Berks County Heritage Center includes Gruber Wagon Works, a National Historic Landmark. Self-guided visits to the C. Howard Hiester Canal Center are available without an appointment. Check operating details for the 2026 season before traveling.

Regional Flavors

The Sweet & Salty Trail is an experience pass for visits to ice cream shops, candy stores, and pretzel bakeries. As seasonal program details may change, check them before planning. The pass complements the nature and culture themes with a food-focused way to explore the region.

Discover more destinations: Bernville, Wyomissing, Reading, Kutztown, Mohnton, Boyertown, Douglassville, Wernersville, Sinking Spring, New Morgan, Macungie, West Reading, Fleetwood, Shillington.

For the overview of the wider region: Pennsylvania.