Airport Trail
(1.5 miles) - Opened 2019. New Garden Township’s Airport Trail
offers a range of unique features complimenting the community’s desire
for fitness, hiking, and birding. Tall oak, beech, sycamore, and tulip poplar trees provide shade with minimum
undergrowth. Hawks, warbles and other song birds populate the woods. Ferns cover the understory. A combination
of hard surface and packed earth trails provide an easy hike ending with a picnic in the large pavilion
along the woods edge overlooking the airfield.
Features:
• Length: 1.5 mile, mostly wooded
• Side paths
• Uninterrupted view of airport activities
• Large picnic pavilion with tables • Beautiful mature woodland
• Highest public view in New Garden (480 ft.)
• Open Field paths
Difficulty Low to moderate. 170 feet elevation drop to lowest point.
Surface: Sections of packed dirt, woodchips and cinders.
Parking Gravel parking area at trail head.
Mill Race Trail (1.0 miles) - Completed October 2011. Meandering flat trail along the banks of the White Clay Creek. Part of the trail follows the abandoned Pomeroy and Newark Railroad bed which offers a gentle wide path for walking or running. At the northern end, the trail curves off the railroad bed and loops around the inside of a wide bend in the creek. It passes a tree stump 3’ in diameter a beaver toppled and skirts an old dam used to power a mill a mile downstream. A long-term plan exists to build a bridge across the creek at the northern end and connect to emerging trail systems in Franklin and London Grove Townships. The trail is packed dirt along the creek and a mix of cinders and dirt on the railroad bed.
Difficulty:Low - moderate. Short section from the parking area to the old railroad bed is steep.
Surface: Sections of packed dirt, woodchips and cinders.
Parking: Reserved spaces off Lavender Hill Lane
Laurel Woods Trail (0.9 miles) - Completed September 2009. A beautiful walking loop with over 200 feet of total climbing and descending. The western half of the trail winds through the mature forest east of Penn Green Road with views of the White Clay Creek. Near the southern end, the path cuts through a rare patch of Mountain Laurels, the Pennsylvania State flower. It emerges at the top edge of the abandoned Pomeroy and Newark Railroad cut through the rocky hillside. An interpretive sign provides information about the area's significance. Much of the eastern portion of the loop follows the early 19th Century road into Landenberg and an old logging road from the mid-20th Century. The path is mostly packed dirt with sections of wood chips and includes multiple sets of stairs and bridges, one of which is over 35 feet long and eight feet high.
Difficulty: Moderate, elevation climb 100ft
Surface: Sections of packed dirt and woodchips. Multiple sets of stairs and bridges
Parking: Gravel lot off Laurel Heights Road.
Landenberg Junction Trail (0.4 miles) - Completed September 2015. Located in Historic Landenberg Village. The shortest and most historic trail encompassing both the Pomeroy & Newark and Wilmington & Western Railroad beds along the beautiful Wild & Scenic White Clay Creek. Highlights include:
• Small amphibian ponds
• Hendrickson homestead rain garden
• Creek side picnic area
• Trout fishing accessibility
Difficulty: Easy.
Surface: Section of packed dirt, wood chips, gravel and stairs.
Parking: Gravel lot off Landenberg Road.
Township Park New Garden Township Park is located in Landenberg near the intersection of Route 41 and Newark Road. The playground, paved trails, work out loop, baseball and softball fields, Lyceum Hall and pavilions can be accessed at 8934 Gap Newport Pike. There is also parking for the soccer fields and nature trails at 299 Starr Road. The park was established in 1997 and has been steadily growing in size and activity ever since. (Phase 2 expansion planned for 2020.) It is a beautiful park to watch the action or just take in the Southern Chester County quiet. There are designated bike and roller blading trails as well. Two pavilions with electricity and grills may be reserved for $60.00 to house family reunions, parties, and other occasions. Call the office at 610-268-2915 to reserve your pavilion.
• Length: 1.5 mile, mostly wooded
• Side paths
• Uninterrupted view of airport activities
• Large picnic pavilion with tables • Beautiful mature woodland
• Highest public view in New Garden (480 ft.)
• Open Field paths
Difficulty Low to moderate. 170 feet elevation drop to lowest point.
Surface: Sections of packed dirt, woodchips and cinders.
Parking Gravel parking area at trail head.
Mill Race Trail (1.0 miles) - Completed October 2011. Meandering flat trail along the banks of the White Clay Creek. Part of the trail follows the abandoned Pomeroy and Newark Railroad bed which offers a gentle wide path for walking or running. At the northern end, the trail curves off the railroad bed and loops around the inside of a wide bend in the creek. It passes a tree stump 3’ in diameter a beaver toppled and skirts an old dam used to power a mill a mile downstream. A long-term plan exists to build a bridge across the creek at the northern end and connect to emerging trail systems in Franklin and London Grove Townships. The trail is packed dirt along the creek and a mix of cinders and dirt on the railroad bed.
Difficulty:Low - moderate. Short section from the parking area to the old railroad bed is steep.
Surface: Sections of packed dirt, woodchips and cinders.
Parking: Reserved spaces off Lavender Hill Lane
Laurel Woods Trail (0.9 miles) - Completed September 2009. A beautiful walking loop with over 200 feet of total climbing and descending. The western half of the trail winds through the mature forest east of Penn Green Road with views of the White Clay Creek. Near the southern end, the path cuts through a rare patch of Mountain Laurels, the Pennsylvania State flower. It emerges at the top edge of the abandoned Pomeroy and Newark Railroad cut through the rocky hillside. An interpretive sign provides information about the area's significance. Much of the eastern portion of the loop follows the early 19th Century road into Landenberg and an old logging road from the mid-20th Century. The path is mostly packed dirt with sections of wood chips and includes multiple sets of stairs and bridges, one of which is over 35 feet long and eight feet high.
Difficulty: Moderate, elevation climb 100ft
Surface: Sections of packed dirt and woodchips. Multiple sets of stairs and bridges
Parking: Gravel lot off Laurel Heights Road.
Landenberg Junction Trail (0.4 miles) - Completed September 2015. Located in Historic Landenberg Village. The shortest and most historic trail encompassing both the Pomeroy & Newark and Wilmington & Western Railroad beds along the beautiful Wild & Scenic White Clay Creek. Highlights include:
• Small amphibian ponds
• Hendrickson homestead rain garden
• Creek side picnic area
• Trout fishing accessibility
Difficulty: Easy.
Surface: Section of packed dirt, wood chips, gravel and stairs.
Parking: Gravel lot off Landenberg Road.
Township Park New Garden Township Park is located in Landenberg near the intersection of Route 41 and Newark Road. The playground, paved trails, work out loop, baseball and softball fields, Lyceum Hall and pavilions can be accessed at 8934 Gap Newport Pike. There is also parking for the soccer fields and nature trails at 299 Starr Road. The park was established in 1997 and has been steadily growing in size and activity ever since. (Phase 2 expansion planned for 2020.) It is a beautiful park to watch the action or just take in the Southern Chester County quiet. There are designated bike and roller blading trails as well. Two pavilions with electricity and grills may be reserved for $60.00 to house family reunions, parties, and other occasions. Call the office at 610-268-2915 to reserve your pavilion.