Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center

Picnicking   -  Fishing   -  Hiking   -  Dog Walking   -  Cross-country Skiing  

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Picnicking: Visitors are welcome to bring picnic lunches to eat at the center, but fires are prohibited, including charcoal fires.

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Fishing: Angelica Creek is stocked with trout by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Complete information on fishing rules and regulations in Pennsylvania is available from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.

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Hiking: 10 miles of trails
The trails of Nolde Forest wander throughout the center under tall trees and near creeks. Some trails are footpaths and others were gravel roads used by the original owners of the mansion. A short, ADA accessible trail is by the mansion.

Listed below are the main trails. Numerous connectors join all of the trails into many loops.

Boulevard Trail: 2.3 miles
This old fire road provides easy walking under hardwood trees in a loop in the middle of the center. The trail begins and ends at the mansion.

Kissinger Road: 0.8 mile
This old fire road provides easy walking through a conifer plantation planted for Jacob Nolde.

Kohout Trail: 0.3 mile
This short trail in the northern corner of the park has a few steep inclines. In the spring it is a good trail to see wildflowers.

Middle Road: 0.6 mile
This old fire road provides easy walking through a conifer plantation planted for Jacob Nolde.

Watershed Trail: 1.1 miles
This hiking trail follows the scenic creek bottom along Punches Run. The trail begins and ends at the mansion.

• Please stay on trails to protect the life that borders the paths.
• Bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibitted on any trails or roads, except the paved entrance road to the center.
• Enjoy plants and animals in their natural setting. Picking, digging and collecting plants and animals are not permited. All wildlife should be left undisturbed.

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Dog Walking: Pets are permitted on hiking trails. All pets must be controlled and attended at all times and on a leash or otherwise safely restrained. Be considerate when walking your dog and carry a container to clean up after your pet. Also, please be considerate of the many organized school groups that frequent the park.

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Winter Activities

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Explore the Winter Report for the current snow depths.

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Cross-country Skiing: With adequate snow cover the trails of the center can be showshoed and cross-country skied.

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Access for People with Disabilities

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If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a disability, please contact the park you plan to visit.

 

The forests of Nolde Forest are home to many deep forest birds.

When hosiery baron Jacob Nolde acquired this area in the early 1900s, a single white pine grew amid meadow vegetation. Inspired by this tree, the German-born Nolde hired an Austrian forester to create a coniferous forest. As the plantations grew they formed a “luxury forest,” a source of family pleasure and pride.

In 1926, Hans Nolde, a son of Jacob, initiated work on the Tudor-style mansion. When this year-round home was finished, it overlooked the sawmill pond and the lights of Reading.

The Nolde Forest continues to provide outdoor opportunities for visitors. The Commonwealth purchased the property in the late 1960s with Project 70 funds. The Project 500 bond issues provided the funds necessary for the center’s development. In 1970, federal program grants and the Berks County Intermediate Unit helped establish Nolde Forest as the first environmental education center operated by the Bureau of State Parks. Since the center’s conception, the Bureau has maintained an enduring commitment to environmental education and interpretation.

A Single White Pine, a book on the history of Nolde Forest, may be purchased at the center.

Keep in Touch

Add yourself to the DCNR's online community to receive info on this park, or parks in general.

Volunteering

Like to spend time in the outdoors, meet friendly people and help make Pennsylvania State Parks great? Volunteering at a park might be for you.

Becoming a Conservation Volunteer is easy.

• Sign up to be a Conservation Volunteer
  OR
• Contact your local state park directly and ask for the Conservation Volunteer coordinator - you'll be hooked up with an interesting and appropriate project in Pennsylvania's natural resources.
   

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation

Believing that each generation is responsible for leaving behind a better legacy of good conservation, the Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation (PPFF) was created in 1999 to give supporters and users of Pennsylvania's parks and forests a positive way to contribute to the conservation of our publicly-owned properties. The Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation welcomes the support of individuals and businesses who share a commitment to conserving, protecting, and enhancing the natural, scenic, and recreational areas of this commonwealth. www.paparksandforests.org

Make a Donation

To a park - find this park's address below

To a park or the Bureau of State Parks - Pennsylvania Parks and Forestry Foundation www.paparksandforests.org

Through a purchase at a park gift shop

Thank you for your support!

Education Programs

We love when young people ask us how to get involved!

DiscoverE has programs for young people ages 4 to 17, provided by Pennsylvania State Park educators. By combining recreation and education, we hope to motivate children to learn more and return often, leading to a lifetime of outdoor enjoyment and conservation leadership. 

In Watershed Education, teachers and students assess water quality of a local stream on a quarterly basis and develop strategies to solve local water quality problems. 

ECO Camp - Exploring Careers Outdoors - is a week-long residential camp for a cross-section of high school youth from across Pennsylvania, sponsored by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). Participate in action-packed, hands on activities and recreational adventures in Pennsylvania’s state parks and forests that expose youth to conservation, recreation and careers in natural resources. Learn how people make a living working in the outdoors.

Explore education for more information on these and other programs.

Explore the Calendar of Events to find a program near you.

iConservePA

Do you take conservation personally? iConservePA is a Web site managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources whose vision is to inspire citizens to value their natural resources, engage in conservation practices and experience the outdoors. Take conservation personally.

Come Work with Us

Pennsylvania State Parks and the Department of Conservation and Natrual Resources offer a wide range of civil service and non-civil service jobs, from foresters, to rangers, to engineers, to educators, to botanists and so much more. Learn what is currently available.

Tell us What You Think

Contact this park with compliments, concerns and issues about the park.

Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center

Nearby Attractions

Information on nearby attractions is available from the Greater Reading Convention and Visitors Bureau. www.readingberkspa.com

Maps and Downloadables

Below are many of the maps and publications for this park. You can read them or download them and might need special software (all free) to view the publications.

You must have the free Adobe Reader to view the maps and brochures that are in pdf format (.pdf).

Alternate versions of the text of the brochures are in rich text and text formats. Click on the files to view them. To download (.rtf) files:
For Windows users, right click on the link then left click on "Save target as" to download the file to your computer. For Mac users, hold down the "Options" button and click on the link, then select "Save" to download the file to your computer.

Recreational Guide

Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center Map (.pdf) (452 kb, 3/11)
Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center Recreational Guide (.pdf) (775 kb, 3/11)
    large print version of the guide text (.rtf)

Interactive GIS Map

The Interactive GIS Map uses Geographic Information Systems to create a map that does not need to be downloaded and features driving directions, searchable park amenities and customizable maps. Please note that the background maps are maintained by a variety of public sources and driving directions usually go to the nearest large road.