The Perkiomen Trail is a multi-use scenic trail that runs for 20 miles along Perkiomen Creek. It connects Collegeville with numerous parks and historic sites, including Pennypacker Mills County Park to the north and the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove to the south. Within Collegeville proper, the trail links three-acre Community Park with 27-acre Hunsberger Woods, both of which provide opportunities for picnicking, sports and nature watching. The trail is open daily from dawn to dusk. Bicycles are welcome.
Located in downtown Collegeville next to the Perkiomen Trail, Pennsylvania Baseball Academy (pennsylvaniabaseballacademy.com) is an 8,000-square-foot facility that offers year-round coaching and practice sessions for individuals and groups. Children can practice pitching, hitting and catching in training tunnels or batting cages, or sign up for lessons from the academy’s staff of NCAA and pro trainers. As of 2011, the fee is $35 per hour for a short tunnel, or $50 per hour for a long tunnel or batting cage. Professional instruction is an additional $50 per hour. If you make a reservation, note that the academy will not issue refunds for cancellations made less than one day in advance.
This private ranch provides guided horseback tours of nearby Evansburg State Park, as well as weekend-long camping adventures. The Red Buffalo Ranch (redbuffaloranch.com) welcomes riders of all skill levels; lessons are available for children 5 and older. As of 2011, the cost for tours is $35 per hour for each rider. The Red Buffalo Ranch is open every day in summer and on weekends only from September to the middle of June. Reservations are required and credit cards are not accepted.
The first American home of the great naturalist and artist John James Audubon is about 10 minutes south of Collegeville. Built in 1762, Mill Grove (audubon.org/locations/john-james-audubon-center-mill-grove) is now an educational center that displays many of Audubon’s original artworks. Seven miles of nature trails run through the surrounding 175-acre estate and wildlife sanctuary, including the five-mile Audubon Loop that marks the southern end of the Perkiomen Trail. As of 2011, the admission for children 4 to 17 is $2. Mill Grove is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Just 15 minutes south of Collegeville, Valley Forge National Historic Park (nps.gov/vafo/index.htm) commemorates the spot where George Washington and his Continental Army troops spent the bitter winter of 1778-78. In addition to its historical interest, the park features a wide variety of ecosystems, from rivers and wetlands to forests and meadows. Its 3,500 acres are home to abundant plants and wildlife, including 200 bird species. As of the publication date, the park is open daily from 7 a.m. until sundown. Washington’s headquarters and the visitor center are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
