Binky Lee Preserve, September 2013

Yes, it has an odd name, but the Binky Lee Preserve remains one of my favorite places to hike. The old farm, just off PA Route 113 south of Phoenixville and Kimberton, preserves open space in a part of Chester County undergoing rapid development. (Nearby Exton, for instance, should just have a roof put over the area and call the town a mall.) Numerous trails cross the fields and woods of the hundred acre tract, and one can come up with different loops by switching from trail to trail. On my last visit I stuck to a basic loop around the central meadow, so this time I headed away from the meadow and down the hill toward Pickering Creek. 

My route during this hike took me along the edge of the preserve, next to a neighboring land with horses. I had to step carefully as parts of the trail had seen horse use. Soon enough I was near the base of the hill. The climb back up wasn't difficult, but it was a climb that took some effort. I hiked a pleasant two miles at Binky Lee, and timed my return so I'd reach the parking area at sunset. Parking is on the edge of the meadow and only a few feet from the car was a great spot to shoot from. Pictures are worth a thousand words, so I'll let my camera talk in the rest of the post.