Tyler State Park can be found in the suburbs of Philadelphia in Bucks County. The park is only 33 miles from Center City and is located in Newtown, PA. Here you will find many things to do when trying to escape the city or even the densely packed surrounding suburbs.
Tyler State Park is 1,711 acres and is full of things to do. From hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails, to Fishing and even boating in the Neshaminy Creek. There is even a very popular Disc Golf course within the park.
While I doubt you will find Tyler State Park on anyone’s list of Top 10 PA State Parks. The park is a great place to enjoy nature and spend the day outdoors. You can even make it a day by visiting the shops in Newtown.
Things to Do
Sadly, there are no campgrounds in Tyler State Park and the closest one is around a half hour away. Even though you can’t spend the night at the park, you can spend the entire day here.
Tyler State Park is one of my favorite parks to take a walk around on a nice spring or summer day. It is close to where I live which adds to my love of this amazing parks. There is just so many things to do to pass the time.
Hiking, Biking, Horseback Riding
You can find 25 miles of trails all around Tyler State Park. Most of the trails can be used by hikers and bikers. Around five trails are recommended for equestrians. However, most of the trails are for everyone. Just look out for the signs.
Many of the trails around the park are also paved and are relatively flat. The trails will take you through most of the different scenery of the park from forested areas, marsh land, agriculture fields, historical buildings, and a covered bridge.
Hay Barn Grass Trail is listed as one of the more difficult hikes and covers around 4.5 miles. The Covered Bridge Trail is a much shorter(1.1 miles) and easier hike and covers a lot of the various scenery found around the park including Schofield Ford Covered Bridge.
Disc Golf
Did you know that the 36-hole Disc Golf Course at Tyler State Park is one of the top ranked courses in the country. Established in 1994, this course is still going strong. The course is mostly wooded but offers a wide variety of holes. From wide open fields to elevation changing, wooded holes.
Fishing and Boating
Neshaminy Creek flows throughout the park and offers many great locations to cast a line. From the dam at the fisherman’s parking lot or under the covered bridge. There are miles of shore line for you to choose from.
Each year the creek is stocked with trout in early March. On opening day it isn’t uncommon to see the banks of the creek lined up with fishermen trying to catch their first trout for the season. Currently (2024) there is a “DO NOT EAT” advisory for the Neshaminy Creek due to PFOS from a pollution source at a military site upstream. It sounds like they may stop stocking the creek until the pollution levels go down.
You will also find sunfish, carp, smallmouth bass and other species of fish throughout the creek.
You can also bring your kayak or canoe and spend the day floating up and down the creek. In the summer you can rent a canoe or kayak. Upstream from the boat rental offers a very calm flowing creek. It makes for the perfect opportunity to try out a kayak or a canoe if you never have done it before.
Picnicking
There are many areas around the park that are perfect for an afternoon picnic. Most are first come first serve but two of the areas can be reserved for large groups of people. Many of the areas have either a pavilion or are located under a thick canopy of trees.
Schofield Ford Covered Bridge
Schofield Ford Covered Bridge was originally built in 1874. It burned down in 1991 due to arson and was rebuilt in 1997. The bridge is 170 feet long and is the only covered bridge in Bucks County that is not painted.
The “new” bridge sits at the same site as the old one and also uses local wood when it was reconstructed.The only thing that is different from this one from the one that was burned down was the addition of two windows in the middle of the bridge. Thankfully, they added them. It makes for a great spot to look out over the flowing creek below.
Local Area
Tyler State Park is located only .5 miles from many of the stores and restaurants in Newtown. Be sure to check out Naked Chocolate, Oishi, Jules Thin Crust, or the Green Parrot. The Newtown Farmers Market is another great place to check out when it is open.
Washington Crossing Historical Park is located 7 miles away. Or stop off at Bowman’s Hill Tower which is only eight and a half miles away. Nockamixon, Ralph Stover, Delaware Canal, and Neshaminy State Parks are all located a short distance away from Tyler State Park as well. You can reach all of them within 30 minutes.
Visiting all five Bucks County State Parks would be a fun weekend or day road trip. Have you ever visited Tyler State Park in Bucks County, PA? Are you planning on visiting as many PA State Parks as you can this year like we are? Let us know in the comments down below.
Kozmo Photos 