Black Rock Offers Sanctuary on the Schuylkill River

You may be familiar with the Schuylkill River Trail, but have you looked over and wondered what’s across the river? Could there be another trail, on the western bank? Why, yes, there is: the Phoenix Iron Canal Trail, and it’s easy to access via a Chester County park – Black Rock Sanctuary.

The trail (and nearby town) gets its name from the Phoenix Iron Works (originally the French Creek Nail Works), which was the first and for a time, also the largest nail factory in the United States. The path begins at the Black Rock Boat launch and follows the river toward Phoenixville. It ends where the French Creek meets the Schuylkill. If you’d rather hike a loop than an out-and-back, you can hike a relatively easy (with a couple steep hills) 2.2 miles by combining this trail with the park’s Interpretive and Basin Trails.

Black Rock Sanctuary’s Interpretive Loop Trial is worth visiting on its own. This ADA-accessible trail that starts and ends at the main parking lot loops around the Black Rock Lake. Educational displays provide details about the flora and fauna of the park, as well as information about the region’s geological history. The park also offers the 1-mile Meadow Trail that highlights, meadows, forests and seasonal pools. The 120-acre Black Rock Sanctuary is a popular stop for migrating birds. Fish passages built into the nearby dam allows shad to make their spring migration upstream.

Seasonal changes have a greater impact on Black Rock than many surrounding parks, making it well worth a repeat visit. The landscape can vary greatly, depending on the time of year, which also impacts potential wildlife sightings.