Located off of Butler Pike in Ambler (Whitpain Township), Willow Lake Farm is a year-round hiking destination. The 108-acre park was formed from a partnership between landowner Jane O’Niell and Wissahickon Trails when O’Niell donated conservation easements to the organization in 1993. Willow Lake Farm features four different trails which wind through meadows and forests over grass and packed dirt surfaces.

The 1.3-mile Old Farm Trail is the longest of the four and travels around a private farm. The landowner permits visitors to pass through on the path but discourages them from wandering onto private property. Trails and private property are clearly marked to avoid accidental trespassing.

The Old Farm Trail and Pasture Trail wander through horse pastures. Though visitors can watch the horses from afar, Wissahickon Trails asks that hikers do not feed or harass them. The presence of horses can attract flies, so visitors may find a can of bug spray handy! Past Willow Lake Farm, hikers can walk down a connector trail to continue on to Highlands Preserve.

The park’s mixed environment also allows for a variety of wildlife sightings. Tree swallows and turkey vultures can be found swooping in the pastures, while deer and rabbits hide enjoy resting in wooded areas. Though fawns like the ones pictured above may look abandoned, the Pennsylvania DCNR says they should be left alone. Young fawns do not have a scent that possible predators can detect, so their mothers hide them safely while they search for food nearby.

Willow Lake Farms is accessible through the CVS parking lot at 7000 Butler Pike in Ambler (Whitpain Township). The lot and intersection of Butler and Skippack Pike can get busy during rush hour, so hikers are advised to use caution when entering the park. Willow Lake Farm is open from sunrise to sunset.

Photos – Suzanne McNaughton