Bear Creek Preserve

Call Directions Website

The 3,412-acre Bear Creek Preserve is a vast expanse of forests and steep stream valleys. Closed Mondays. Learn more at www.natlands.org.

Bear Creek Preserve is open to the public daily from sunrise to sunset. Bear Creek Preserve is a vast expanse of forests and steep stream valleys in the Lehigh River Watershed. Larger than many state parks, the preserve is a mosaic of diverse, thriving habitats and plant communities, including several rare species. The land provides vital habitat for native wildlife, including black bear, coyote, Bald Eagle, and many species of migratory songbirds. Bear Creek Preserve is part of a larger landscape of protected lands and popular recreation areas, including state parks and gamelands, that spans more than 150,000 acres. Bear Creek Preserve is owned and managed by non-profit conservation organization Natural Lands.

11/11/2026

As winter creeps in, so too does the desire to stockpile goodies and stay huddled up at home...a sentiment we people share with lots of other wildlife this time of year! Here are just a few ways our native critters seek comfort for the cold months ahead:

Raccoons, black bears, chipmunks, skunks, and many other animals enter a state of torpor. This involves a reduction in body temperature, breathing, and metabolic rate, but is not the same thing as a true hibernation. In fact, only a handful of our native critters actually hibernate.

Other animals huddle together to share body heat. Flying squirrels do this in leafy nests, beavers hunker down in their lodges, and snakes (sometimes dozens!) will share the same den.

Many animals also stockpile food stores during autumn. Those crazy squirrels we all see running around with acorns? They can create up to 1,000 caches per year! As a nice little bonus, it is estimated that about 20% of those acorns are never recovered, and thus are left to grow into oak trees. Thanks for the tree plantings, squirrels!

Red-headed Woodpeckers take storing food a step further. They wedge seeds, nuts, and even captured insects into tree bark, creating what are known as granaries.

So how are you prepping for winter? Chances are, there's a critter out back doing the same (or very similar) thing.

📸: Raccoons by John Baxter at Bryn Coed Preserve, Chester County, PA
📸: Eastern gray squirrel by Joseph A. Cirillo at Binky Lee Preserve, Chester County, PA
📸: Red-headed Woodpecker by John Baxter at Crow's Nest Preserve, Chester County, PA
📸: Flying squirrels by Steve Eisenhauer at Harold N. Peek Preserve, Cumberland County, NJ

11/04/2026

Ah, forest bathing. Humans finding serenity in the woods is not a new phenomenon, but it is a relatively new topic of dedicated research. One article* reports that forest bathing can reduce blood pressure, stress hormones, and anxiety. It may also help improve sleep and boost immunity.

Many hikers, gardeners, birders, hunters, and other outdoorsy folks may hear this and think "well, duh!" 😂 But just keep it in the back of your mind...these shorter days can be tough on many. If you or a loved one needs a little pick-me-up, consider spending some time out in the woods, either solo or together. It's good for the spirit.

📸: Alessandra Manzotti

Li Q. (2022). Effects of forest environment (Shinrin-yoku/Forest bathing) on health promotion and disease prevention -the Establishment of "Forest Medicine". Environmental health and preventive medicine, 27, 43. https://doi.org/10.1265/ehpm.22-00160

10/29/2026

Notice: the parking lot will be closed from 11/9 through 11/13 for maintenance. Thanks for your understanding, and see you soon!

📸: Brooke Szmodis

Edit: updated dates.

10/22/2026

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

📸: Kristina Englert

10/15/2026

It's that oh-so special time of year again...time to leave the leaves! Really, the entire food chain benefits from leaf litter come winter. Fallen leaves provide vital habitat to overwintering insects, small mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. Leaf litter also makes for wonderful nesting material and insulation for our den-dwellers like groundhogs. Then, of course, our larger mammals such as foxes and coyotes still need to hunt, and where are many of their go-to meals hiding out? You guessed it, the leaves!

Help a firefly make it to summer. Feed a fox. Do it for the salamanders.

Even if you live in a small space, leaf litter can be fastened to containers, window boxes, and raised garden beds with chicken wire. It's just one of those things where every little bit helps.

Happy fall, all!

P.S. Don't feel too guilty if you still need to mow some...leaves become excellent dirt!

📸: Image designed by hand and in-house by Brittni Hribar, Senior Graphic Designer

10/07/2026

Alert: Deer management season is underway. Controlled hunting of white-tailed deer protects the ecological balance of our nature preserves. Only Natural Lands permit-holders may hunt the preserves.

Natural Lands has operated our controlled hunting program safely for decades. Hunters must apply to participate in the program, complete regular training and proficiency testing, and comply with strict safety protocols.

Preserve visitation and hunting do overlap, though our hunters are generally more active at dawn and dusk and they avoid hunting near hiking trails (as hikers often scare away deer). Some visitors chose to wear blaze orange during their visits. As always, dogs must be kept on leash and stay on trails.

You can learn more about our controlled hunting practice here: natlands.org/hunting

09/23/2026

Did you know spiders can make multiple types of silk? Unlike silk-making insects, spiders have specialized silks for different functions. One spider can usually make at least three different varieties of silk, while some orb weavers can make up to seven.

📸: Brooke Szmodis

09/18/2026

This salamander is still just a baby, and will rely on the shelter, protection, and moisture of leaf litter to survive to see spring. Please keep this in mind as the leaves begin to fall, and make a plan to leave the leaves wherever and however you can this year.

Remember, one person can’t do everything...but everyone can do something 😊 Even just one extra square-foot of leaves in the yard is better than none.

📸: Preston Wilson

09/09/2026

The owls have some competition...this might be one of the most photogenic raptors we’ve ever seen 😍

📸: Red-tailed hawk by Bill Moses

09/04/2026

Catch bugs! Climb trees! Flip rocks! No, these are not new family-friendly curses. They're simple things anyone and everyone can do with their kids to keep them engaged in the outdoors amidst the chaos of the back-to-school season. And let's be honest...you could probably benefit from a little extra time outdoors, too.

Other fun nature-play ideas include:

🗺️ Treasure hunting. Hide a natural treasure, then make a map showing where to find it.

🧚‍♀️ Crafting a magical residence. Fairy house, gnome home, or toad abode, make a tiny house for the other residents of your yard...real or fiction!

⛵️ Building a natural boat. Is it a pirate ship? Vikings? Make two (or more) and race them down a stream.

🪵 Constructing something together. A swing, a shelter, or a simple hammock, it doesn’t need to be grand.

🛶 Kayaking. A classic!

Bonus tip: Just be present. Whether it's the playground after school or the sidelines of a soccer field, nature can be found almost anywhere by those who go looking for it.

📸: Kyle Rose

Address

47 Rabbit Run Lane
Bear Creek Village, PA
18702

Telephone

(610) 353-5587

Website

https://natlands.org/bear-creek-preserve/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Bear Creek Preserve posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.