A Delaware County Hiking Trail Offers Natural And Urban Settings

The 5.5-mile Springfield Trail (located in Delaware County) is a moderately-challenging hike with 13 trailheads that offers a variety of sights and sounds. It follows several tributaries, travels alongside a highway, through residential areas, and along railroad tracks, while encircling a shopping mall.

We started our hike at the Paper Mill Road trailhead and soon came across a number of painted murals adjacent to the 476 Blue Route expressway. It was surprising how quickly the sounds disappeared and we felt immersed in nature. This trail is different than many in that it dips in and out of civilization, from the sprawling Smedley Park, along various creeks, runs alongside a residential area, to the Springfield Mall Station, and in our case (since we lost the trail) through the Springfield Mall parking lot. (Note: following the same route we did, turn right when you get to Sproul Road.) The trail is not accessible as there are some elevation changes and water crossings. It is however, family-friendly, though it can be muddy in spots, and some sections are on (sometimes quite busy) roads.

The Springfield Trail dates back to 1969, when the Springfield Trail Club blazed the original trail. (The course has changed a little over time, but remains close to its original route.) Smedley Park on the other hand, has grown quite a bit, from its original 10 and a half acres in 1937 to a total of 141 acres today.

Smedley Park also offers three shorter trails for both hikers and bikers, through woods, meadows and along streams. All of these are maintained by Friends of Smedley Park and volunteers who have chosen to “adopt” a trail. Sharp-eyed visitors will see remnants of paper mills and other buildings and maybe even wildlife such as frogs, toads, turtles, deer, raccoons, foxes, and opossum.