Urban Hike: Lederer Park and Thompson Woods Preserve
Details
The next in our ongoing series of occasional urban hikes will take place at 10 a.m. this Saturday at State College’s Lederer Park and Thompson Woods Preserve.
This is an easy 2.5-mile walk/hike along unpaved trails (and even some paved sidewalk) within view of Beaver Stadium. There is a modest total elevation gain of several hundred feet.
Spring is bursting out all over, including the pink – purple blossoms of the petite Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) and the deeply lobed, umbrella-like leaves of that classic deciduous woodland floor species the Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum).
From the website of the ClearWater Conservancy:
“Lederer Park is one of three connected areas that make up a sizeable natural area in the midst of bustling State College. Lederer Park, Walnut Springs Park, and Thompson Woods Preserve provide scenic open spaces for residents while supporting the health of local streams and wildlife and reducing impacts from flooding events. Lederer Park has plenty of leisurely walking trails with an impressive arboretum of labeled trees, the James Evans Oak Arboretum.”
From the website of the Thompson Woods Preserve:
“Thompson Woods Preserve [TWP] is a 43 acre natural area consisting of trails and natural ecological features. This public preserve offers a unique natural setting within walking distance of the surrounding urban environment of downtown State College and the Pennsylvania State University.
“TWP property is jointly owned by College Township and the Borough of State College. The preserve operates under normal municipal park rules in addition to having specific regulations set forth to protect the natural habitat.”