Tyler State Park

Hiking  -  Biking  -  Horseback Riding  -  Picnicking  -  Picnic Groves  -  Fishing  - Boating  -  Disc Golf  -  Education   -  Theater  -  Center for the Arts  -  Education  -  Cross-country Skiing  -  Sledding  -  Ice Fishing  -  Ice Skating

Picnicking: Welcome! All picnic areas have picnic tables, restrooms and drinking water and are surrounded by mowed, grassy areas for sunbathing and relaxing.
Please remember:

• Picnic areas are open from sunrise to sunset, on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Park only in designated areas.
• Pets must be controlled and attended at all times and on a leash or otherwise safely restrained.
• Please clean-up dog wastes.

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Boardwalk Picnic Area: This area has easy access to a variety of hiking trails that connect the picnic areas. This area is especially popular with families with young children.

• Children’s playground
• Adjacent to soccer field
• Abundant parking
• Hiking trails

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Upper Plantation Picnic Area: This secluded, quiet area is popular for sunbathing. One picnic pavilion may be reserved up to 11 months in advance for a fee. Unreserved picnic pavilion is free on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Starting point for disc golf
• Sledding in the winter

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Maze Picnic Area: This area has easy access to a variety of hiking trails that connect the picnic areas.

• Large play field
• Hiking and biking trails

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Boat House Picnic Area: This centrally located area is the best place to access the west side of the park and all of its biking and equestrian trails.

• Picnic pavilion and two shelters
• Play field
• Adjacent to Canoe Rental (open summer season)
• Hooded fireplace warming area
• Ice skating when ice thickness permits
• Hiking and biking trails

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Mill Dam Picnic Area: This area is adjacent to a beautiful, shaded trail which overlooks Neshaminy Creek.

• Grass fields
• Bicycle and hiking trails

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Reservable Picnic Groves

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Call toll-free 888-PA-PARKS for information, pricing and reservations.

Make a reservation.

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Hickory Nut Picnic Grove: This area is gated.

• Sand volleyball court (bring your own net and ball)
• Children’s play area
• Horseshoe pit (bring your own horseshoes)
• Hiking and biking trails

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Lower Plantation Picnic Grove: This easy to find area is often used by people who stop in for a quick relaxing lunch.

• Softball field
• Children’s play area
• Hiking and biking trails

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Boating: electric motors only
Neshaminy Creek offers calm, easy boating upstream from the canoe rental. The canoe rental operates daily from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, weather permitting.

Motorboats must display a current boat registration. Non-powered boats must display one of the following: boat registration; launching permit or mooring permit from Pennsylvania State Parks, available at most state park offices; launching permit from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

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

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Canoe Rental: The Canoe Rental is open daily from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day, weather permitting. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 6 p. m. The last canoe goes out at 5 pm. A deposit and driver's license is required. Special rates apply for groups of 4 or more. There are also half day and full day rates.

Fishing: Anglers may fish along the banks of Neshaminy Creek or from a canoe. Warm-water species include sunfish, black crappie, carp, smallmouth bass and other panfish. Neshaminy Creek is also the home of large snapping turtles, eels, frogs, water snakes and muskrats. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission regulations and seasons apply.

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

Go to the U. S. Geological Survey Web site for the water level of Neshaminy Creek Near Rushland. http://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/uv/?site_no=01464750&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060,00010

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Trails

A large portion of the park is interconnected by trails. These trails allow easy access to park resources and facilities.

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Hiking: 4 miles of gravel hiking trails
Hikers are permitted on all trails. Gravel hiking trails to the east of Neshaminy Creek link each picnic area. If you want a longer hike, cross over Neshaminy Creek to the west side of the park via the causeway at the center of the park. There you will find most of the park’s bicycle and equestrian trails.

The trails give excellent views of the park and surrounding countryside. You can take a short walk or a long hike covering many miles. Several parking lots near the outer perimeter of the park allow access to remote areas and trails.

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Biking: 10.5 miles of paved biking trails
If you’re riding a bicycle, remember that nearly all of the trails on the west side of the creek are hilly. Slow down and use caution on hills and around curves. Bicycle usage is permitted only on the designated asphalt surfaces.

The bicycle trails are named at each intersection. Most of the bicycle trails are over eight feet wide, paved and designed for easy two-way travel. The asphalt trails are multiple-use trails. Be a courteous and safe bicycle rider.

Picnic tables are along the bicycle trails for rest stops.

Please stay alert for horseback riders when hiking on the equestrian trails.

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Horseback Riding: 9 miles of bridle trails
Riders enjoy many miles of dirt trails on both sides of Neshaminy Creek. Please stay on established trails that are marked with equestrian symbol marker posts. Horseback riding is not permitted in the picnic areas.

Parking for horse trailers is near Number One Lane Trail in the large parking lot across from the craft center. Limited additional parking is available in the lot on PA 332 across from Spring Garden Mill, and at the Schofield Ford Covered Bridge parking lot off of Swamp Road.

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Disc Golfing: A 27-hole course begins by the Upper Plantation Picnic Area. Much like regular golf, but using a “Frizbee” or golf disc, the object is to complete each hole in as few strokes as possible. Course maps with rules and scorecards are available at the park office and at the Upper Plantation Picnic Area parking lot. For more information contact the Bucks County Disc Golf Alliance. www.bcdga.com

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Winter Activities

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Explore the Winter Report for the current snow and ice depths.

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Cross-country Skiing: The equestrian trails, hiking trails and bicycle trails are unplowed and great for skiing.

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Sledding: Slopes below the Upper Plantation Picnic Area parking lot and the slopes west of the covered bridge are great for sledding and tobogganing when conditions permit.

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Ice Fishing: Neshaminy Creek sometimes freezes and ice fishing is permitted on the creek outside of the ice skating area. Ice thickness is not monitored. For your safety, be sure the ice is at least four inches thick and carry safety equipment.

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Ice Skating: Neshaminy Creek sometimes freezes and ice-skating is permitted near the boathouse warming area. Ice thickness is not monitored.

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Theater

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The Spring Garden Mill, once a grain and feed mill, is leased to the Langhorne Players, Inc. The players have converted the mill into a small theater for recreational and cultural events. www.langhorneplayers.org

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Tyler Park Center for the Arts

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The Tyler Park Center for the Arts occupies a building that was once an equestrian and hay barn. The Arts Center converted the barn and surrounding buildings into artist dwellings, workshops and studios. They offer classes and workshops. www.tylerparkarts.org

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Environmental Education and Interpretation

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The park offers environmental education and interpretive programs which explore a wide variety of ecological, historical and environmental topics.

School group programming and teacher workshops can be arranged. Scout, church, civic and private groups can also arrange for special programs. Advanced scheduling for group programming is required.

Programs are available from September through May. For more information, contact the park office.

Explore the Calendar of Events for a listing of events from today forward.

Explore environmental education and interpretation for more information.

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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.

 

Wildlife Watching

Three main habitats dominate Tyler State Park, forests, fields and wetlands. The mixed hardwood forests are composed of oaks, maples and walnuts and are great habitat for forest birds like warblers, tanagers, thrushes and vireos.

Besides the many mowed fields and agricultural fields, the park recently planted fields with native, warm-season grasses. These grasses provide habitat for many animals and hopefully will encourage the return of field birds like bobolink, grasshopper sparrow and meadowlark.

The richest and most diverse habitats of the park are the wetlands. Neshaminy Creek and the land it borders are riparian zones. The creek is home to fish and turtles. The stream north of the Spring Garden Mill Dam is a popular spot for turtles and wood ducks. The land bordering Neshaminy Creek are wetlands, which have unique plants that can survive in the perpetually moist soil.

Agricultural Leases

Farming has been a tradition here for more than 300 years. About one quarter of the park is still under cultivation using modern conservation practices. With the changing of the seasons, field crops like winter wheat, grains, corn, soybeans and hay provide a breathtaking pastoral landscape.

Several fields were planted with native grasses in 1999. These fields will provide habitat for a variety of wildlife.

History and Park Development

Before becoming a state park, the land was owned by Mr. and Mrs. George F. Tyler who purchased the land between 1919 and 1928. Their first purchase was the Solly Farm, currently leased to Hostelling International at the north end of the park. The Solly House served as the Tyler’s country home until the mansion was constructed. The mansion is now a part of the Bucks County Community College.

The Tylers developed one of the finest Ayrshire dairy herds in the county. In addition, they raised poultry, sheep and pigs, and had a stable of about 25 fine riding horses. The productive croplands were mainly used to supply feed for the livestock.

Old original stone dwellings in the park stand as fine examples of early farm dwellings of rural Pennsylvania. Some structures date back to the early 1700s. Ten original farm dwellings are currently being leased as private residences.

The park land was acquired by Project 70 funding and has been developed using funds from Project 500, the Pennsylvania “Land and Water Conservation and Reclamation Act.” This act has provided for the planning and development of many public outdoor recreation lands including Tyler State Park. The park officially opened on May 25, 1974.

Schofield Ford Covered Bridge

Built in 1874, the Schofield Ford Covered Bridge is the longest covered bridge in Bucks County. In 1991, this county landmark burned. Using authentic materials and methods, a group of concerned citizens from various parts of the county undertook a united effort to rebuild this historic 166-foot, two-span bridge. After five and a half years of planning and fund-raising, the Schofield Ford Bridge Committee organized a partnership of over 200 volunteers, many DCNR employees, skilled construction workers, equipment operators, and Woodhouse Inc. (timber framers) to rebuild the bridge in the summer of 1997.

On September 6, 1997, the bridge was dedicated to the volunteers and contributors who made the reconstruction possible. Thanks to their generous efforts, the Schofield Ford Covered Bridge rests on its original stone abutments and center pier, three quarters of a mile from Swamp Road.

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.

Tyler State Park

Nearby Attractions

Information on nearby attractions is available from the  Bucks County Conference and Visitors Bureau. www.buckscountycvb.org

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

Tyler State Park Map (.pdf) (167 kb, 3/11) 
Tyler State Park Recreational Guide (.pdf) (458 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.