Parks & Facilities

Serpentine Preserve includes 49.1 acres of woodland and meadows. Serpentine Preserve is so named because it is an important buffer and open space addition to the 126 acre Natural Lands' Willisbrook Preserve and the ecologically significant Serpentine Barrens located there. The Barrens are designated as a DCNR PA Wild Plant Sanctuary, “the best examples of habitat supporting wild plants of special concern throughout Pennsylvania”, and are listed on the Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory. 

The Township is very pleased to partner with Natural Lands! Serpentine Preserve acts as a trail head providing parking and access to its own trails that link to over 4 miles of trails throughout Willisbrook Preserve.

The Preserve is also an important puzzle piece in a 390 acre recreational and open space network of public and private lands in the headwaters of Ridley Creek, a Cold Water Fishery designated stream.

Park Programming Permits
Park Programming Permits are required for groups of 25 or more people or any entity including but not limited to groups, individuals, organizations, and businesses charging fees (regardless of number of people) for activities or events at Willistown Township parks, preserves, and trails. Please see the applications on  the Park Permits page for further information.

Preserve Acquisition Partnership
22.1 acres of Serpentine Preserve were purchased through funding from the Willistown Township Open Space Fund, the Chester County Municipal Grant Program, and the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Community Conservation Partnership Program.  

The 27 acre meadow which includes the Serpentine Run tributary to Ridley Creek is under a long-term lease to Greater Chester Valley Soccer Association. There is a trail around the perimeter of the meadow which permits public access. This portion of the property is under conservation easement held by Willistown Conservation Trust. The easement permits passive and  active recreation. This meadow was purchased as a part of an open space conservation partnership of the Township, Natural Lands, and Greater Chester Valley Soccer Association, protecting a total of 108 acres. The land was purchased with Willistown Township Open Space Funds which were leveraged to attain grants from the Chester County Preservation Partnership Program and the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Community Conservation Partnership Program to purchase additional lands for the Willisbrook Preserve owned by Natural Lands.

Serpentine Preserve Riparian Buffer Planting 
Willistown Parks & Recreation is grateful to the Chester Ridley Crum Watersheds Association (CRC) for their partnership in acquiring funding to design and plant a riparian buffer in Serpentine Preserve. Many thanks go to CRC for applying for the grants and to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for providing TreeVitalize and Rivers Conservation Program funding to CRC for this project! Find out more about the project here.

Serpentine & Willisbrook Preserves Trail Map

See the Map!
 
Willistown Parkland & Open Space Fund Map
See the Map!
 
Parking
On site

Hours

Dawn to dusk

Willistown Parks & Recreation ~ Celebrating our community and enriching life through people, parks, and programs.