The Friends of Ridley Creek State Park

09/16/2026

Stop by our table on Sunday, October 4 from 11 am to 3 pm. This event is always lots of fun and we love meeting new people. Hope to see you there. Just walk down to State Street.

09/02/2026

Please visit our table on September 13 from 10 am to 3 pm. The Friends of Ridley Creek State Park will be participating in the Edgemont Township Community Day.

09/02/2026

Click on the link below to view our Fall 2026 Newsletter. Learn about an upgrade to a hiking trail, photo contest winners, and our annual January 1, First Day Hike and more. We hope to see you enjoying the Park this Fall and Winter.

https://www.friendsofrcsp.org/newsletters/2026FallWinter.pdf

07/17/2026

The Friends of Ridley Creek State Park has a new mailing address. Please mail donations and other correspondence to our new address. 400 Gradyville Road, Newtown Square, PA 19073

06/22/2026

We want to thank everyone who submitted photographs to our annual photo contest. We had many beautiful photographs to choose from and here are the winners.

First Prize - Kris Morrison
Waiting for Spring

Second Prize - Marissa Noel Jones
Snow Puddle Reflection

Third Prize - Davey Mellado
Tree Maze

06/08/2026

Photo Contest Deadline is Wednesday, June 10. Please join us on June 17 at 6 pm at the Mansion for the Award Ceremony.

06/03/2026

Enter to Win an Award at Our 2026 Photo Contest!
by Paul Mickle, Photo Contest Coordinator
The Friends of Ridley Creek State Park are happy to see another popular tradition live on with the 2026 Photo Contest. Coming this summer, this event will continue to add to the many beautiful park photographs and perspectives collected over the years. It is always neat to see the park through the lens of other park enthusiasts. Two decades of past entries can be seen on this website by clicking on the Photo Contest panel on the left side of the home page. Photos from past contests also appear at various events and make occasional newsletter appearances.
There will be a display of all submitted entries and an award ceremony on Wednesday, June 17, at 6 pm in the ballroom of the Hunting Hill Mansion. Cash prizes will be given for first, second, and third place, and for honorable mention. If there are youth entries (under age 18), prizes will be given for that category as well. If you know or have a child who takes photographs, be sure to encourage them.
The deadline for submitting up to 3 photos is Wednesday, June 10, to allow time for judging. Please bring your photos to the park office, which is inside the Hunting Hill Mansion. The hours of the office are Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4 pm. When the time gets closer to the deadline, we usually set up a box outside the building for off-hour submissions.
You can submit photos as late as Tuesday, June 16 to be displayed, but they will not be available for judging. The rules and entry form are available on this website. Also, flyers have been posted in boxes on the Multi-Use Trail. Please direct questions to [email protected]. Have fun and good luck!

Send a message to learn more

04/20/2026

Special Friends Volunteer Event recognizing Earth Day and the America 250 Celebration
Written by Gary Sawyer

On Saturday, May 2, the monthly Friends of Ridley Creek Trail Crew will kick it up a notch. We have some fun and impactful projects lined up.

Yes, Earth Day was April 22, and we continue to be good stewards for our May project. We will join forces with DCNR Park Naturalist Gary Stolz to remove invasive plants in and around the vernal pool (frog pond), located near Mile Marker 1.0 on the Multi-Use Trail (MUT).

Nearby, we will also be replacing stairs from the Multi-Use Trail up to the Yellow Trail. This project, led by Friends carpenter John Bush, involves disassembling the existing stairs and assembling new ones.

We’ll also have a canopy set up nearby to welcome passers-by with information about the Park and the Friends. Refreshments will be served to volunteers there as well.

Volunteers can assemble at the Mansion, in the walled enclosure on the left side. Please come a little early to sign in, as we will begin at 9 am to walk the nearly half mile on the MUT to our work area. We provide tools but do bring your own gloves and eye protection if you have it - after all, some invasives are thorny! You can bring your own favorite hand tool (loppers, etc.) as well.

And finally, there’s a new Volunteer Registration process this year with DCNR. Go to dcnrvolunteers.pa.gov and be a Volunteer!

04/14/2026

Dear Followers - here is the link to our new Spring Summer 2026 Newsletter. We have many events coming up and we hope you can join in the fun!

01/02/2026

Our First Day Hike was a big success with 33 hikers showing up despite the freezing weather. The two-hour hike was led by Jack Miller and refreshments were provided by Gary Sawyer. Evey year State Parks from around the country hold a First Day Hike on January 1.