Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center
- Status
- Status not postedDaily sunrise – sunset
- Entrance fee
- Not posted
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Not stated — check with park
- Camping
- None listed
- Official site
- pa.gov(610) 796-3699
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
In Berks County, about 2 miles southeast of Shillington, Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center covers about 1,337 acres.
Things to do include cross-country skiing, winter sports, fishing, picnicking, and hiking. Its trail network totals roughly 10 miles, according to the park.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Daily | sunrise – sunset | — |
| Mon–Fri | 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. | — |
Official wording
The park is open every day of the year, sunrise to sunset. The office and mansion parking lot are open 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., Monday through Friday. Contact the park office for facility seasons and hours.
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/New York).
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- ReserveAmerica (Aspira), Pennsylvania State Parks contract
- Phone
- 888-PA-PARKS (888-727-2757)
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Things to do
Winter sportsCross-country skiingPicnickingHikingFishing
Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Tree Trail | 0.45 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking, snowshoeing recommended Trailhead amenities: none Apple Tree Trail bisects a coniferous plantation. Apple tree Trail is named for a small orchard of apple trees that once grew here along an old homestead that was once here.HikingSnowshoeing recommended |
| Beech Trail | 0.3 mi | Most difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none Beech Trail has steep and wet sections, and is best avoided in Winter and Spring due to ice and/or muddy trail conditions. Beech Trail is named for the a gigantic beech tree that once grew on the ridgetop that the Nolde Family enjoyed visiting. The tree has long since fallen ad rotted--returning vital nutrients back into the soil. Kohout Trail is a nice alternative.Hiking |
| Boulevard Trail | 2.3 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking, snowshoeing recommended, cross-country skiing recommended Trailhead amenities: none Boulevard Trail is a single-lane, gravel trail that ascends through the heart of Nolde Forest. The trail parallels Punches Run for a time, and allows visitors to walk across the point of highest elevation in the park at 860-feet above sea level. The trail winds through both hardwood and coniferous plantations.HikingSnowshoeing recommendedCross-country skiing recommended |
| Buck Hollow Trail | 0.7 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking, snowshoeing recommended Trailhead amenities: none Use Buck Hollow Trail to explore the eastern portion of Nolde Forest. Buck Hollow Trail is generally level, though dips down through a small drainage, (that flows rainwater to painted Turtle Pond). The trail traverses through both hardwood forests and coniferous plantations.HikingSnowshoeing recommended |
| Cabin Hollow Road | 0.6 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking, snowshoeing recommended Trailhead amenities: none Cabin Hollow Road parallels the southeastern branch of Punches Run.HikingSnowshoeing recommended |
| Chestnut Trail | 0.4 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking, snowshoeing recommended Trailhead amenities: none Use Chestnut Trail to walk from the Environmental Education Center to Painted Turtle Pond Trail or connect to Buck Hollow Trail.HikingSnowshoeing recommended |
| Coffee Pot Hollow Trail | 1.2 mi | Most difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking, snowshoeing recommended Trailhead amenities: none Coffee Pot Hollow Trail traverses the western edge of Nolde Forest.HikingSnowshoeing recommended |
| Colliers Way | 0.3 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none Collier's Way is a steep trail that connects Coffee Pot Hollow Trail to Boulevard Trail. Collier's Way is named for the individuals who once made charcoal from trees here to supply local iron forges. Those forges then produced bars of iron used by local blacksmiths.Hiking |
| Deer Path | 0.1 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none Deer Path connects Boulevard Trail to Coffee Pot Hollow Trail.Hiking |
| DeLong Trail | 0.1 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none DeLong Trail is named for Charles Aubrey DeLong, (1883-1974) the second of the two foresters employed by the Nolde Family to plant and manage the forest. DeLong Trail connects Buck Hollow Trail to Owl Trail.Hiking |
| Kissinger Road | 0.8 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking, snowshoeing recommended, cross-country skiing recommended Trailhead amenities: none Kissinger Road bisects coniferous plantations.HikingSnowshoeing recommendedCross-country skiing recommended |
| Kohout Trail | 0.2 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking, snowshoeing recommended Trailhead amenities: none Kohout Trail was named for William Kohout (1858 - 1929), the first forester employed by Jacob Nolde to plant and manage the forest. Kohout was a trained forester from Austria and credited for planting hundreds of thousands of trees, and laying out many of the trails within Nolde Forest. Kohout Trail ascends the ridgeline through a coniferous plantation near the Historic Sawmill.HikingSnowshoeing recommended |
| Laurel Path | 1 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none Laurel Path is a narrow trail that parallels Middle Road. In May and June, see the Pennsylvania State Flower--the Mountain Laurel, in bloom along the trail. Note that there are often many bees in the vicinity pollinating the flowers.Hiking |
| Middle Road | 0.6 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking, snowshoeing recommended, cross-country skiing recommended Trailhead amenities: none Middle Road bisects coniferous plantations.HikingSnowshoeing recommendedCross-country skiing recommended |
| Oak Trail | 0.1 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none Oak Trail connects the EE Center to the network of trails on eastern and southern section of Nolde Forest.Hiking |
| Owl Trail | 0.6 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking, snowshoeing recommended Trailhead amenities: none Owl Trail meanders through pine forest plantations and woodland habitat. Owls including the Barred, Great Horned, and Screech Owl call Nolde Forest home, and help keep rodent and small mammal populations in balance.HikingSnowshoeing recommended |
| Painted Turtle Pond Trail | 0.1 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none Painted Turtle Pond Trail connects Chestnut Trail to Painted Turtle Pond where frogs, salamanders, and turtles thrive.Hiking |
| Pileated Trail | 0.1 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none Pileated Trail is named for pileated woodpeckers that frequent Nolde Forest. The pileated woodpecker is North America's largest woodpecker, though can be difficult to see. Listen for it's drumming on decaying logs, or unique alarm call drifting through the forest.Hiking |
| Pond Loop Trail | 0.4 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none Use Pond Loop Trail to circumnavigate North Pond. North Pond is a learning pond for environmental education program participants. Trees including pines, oak, and walnut grow in this area.Hiking |
| Ridge Trail | 0.6 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none Ridge Trail traverses along the ridge, providing an alternative to a segment of Boulevard Trail. Visitors are asked not to shortcut trails as this causes erosion, can lead to soil compaction, and can create hazardous conditions by causing rocks to fall onto the trails below.Hiking |
| Sheerland Trail | 0.1 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none Sheerland Trail is a narrow trail that connects Watershed Trail to the Pond Loop Trail. Sheerland Trail is named for a word once associated with the area which means "plow land."Hiking |
| Spruce Trail | 0.5 mi | Most difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking, snowshoeing recommended Trailhead amenities: none Spruce Trail traverses through a Norway Spruce plantation planted by Jacob Nolde and William Kohout. Planted as seedlings, the largest of these trees are now more than 100 years old.HikingSnowshoeing recommended |
| Watershed Trail | 1.1 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: modern restrooms, picnic tables Watershed Trail invites visitors to walk along Punches Run from the place where it springs from the earth to it's confluence with the Angelica Creek near the Historic Sawmill. This trail crosses the stream numerous times on narrow foot bridges. As this stream is both monitored and studied by researchers, visitors are asked to please remain on the trail and stay out of the stream.Hiking |
Trail descriptions from the park
10 miles of trails
The trails of Nolde Forest meander throughout the park under tall trees and near creeks. Some trails are footpaths and others are remnants of old gravel roadways used by early settlers and the foresters who planted Nolde’s Forest.
♿ ADA accessible trails are located by the Historic Sawmill and C.H. McConnell Environmental Education Classroom.
Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center Map
Hike Safely and Responsibly
The park is enjoyed by many visitors and students. Please be courteous to other visitors, remain aware of your surroundings, and share the trails while quietly enjoying the sights and sounds of nature. Please restrict your hiking to the trails provided. These trails are used extensively by students for the purpose of discovering the world of nature.
Sensitive habitat, wildlife activity, and the nature of Nolde Forest as an environmental education center and research site prohibits the use of horses, bicycles, motorized vehicles, and radio-controlled vehicles within the park.
- Tell someone where you are going and when you will return.
- Check the weather forecast and sunset time. Storms may roll in quickly. Park hours are 8:00 A.M. to sunset each day.
- Wear sturdy shoes or hiking boots to protect your feet.
- Carry the proper safety equipment, like a park map, first aid kit, and a rain jacket.
- Stay on the trail. If you hike off of the trail, you might get lost, disturb wildlife, or damage the fragile habitat.
- Carry drinking water and a snack. DO NOT drink from streams, springs, or ponds without properly treating the water first.
- Leave the trails and park cleaner than you found them. Dispose of all garbage in appropriate receptacles. Do not carve on trees or leave a mark.
- Be a courteous visitor. Many animals and other visitors enjoy this forest too.
- In the winter, do not use trails without snowshoes or skis. Snowshoers should not walk on ski trails. Also, always yield to trail users forging uphill.
- If you see a problem in the park, contact the park office at 610-796-3699.
Dog Walking
Well-behaved dogs are permitted on hiking trails. All dogs must be on a leash, physically controlled, and attended at all times. Uncontrolled pets may chase wildlife, frighten visitors, or interrupt park programs.
Be prepared to clean up after your pet and properly dispose of waste to prevent the spread of disease.
All park users appreciate a safe, clean park. Be considerate of wildlife, visitors, and school groups. If pets are left at home, visitors will have a better chance to see wildlife.
Leave No Trace
By taking the time to practice Leave No Trace Principles and following responsible outdoor ethics, we can ensure that Pennsylvania state parks and forests remain premier outdoor recreation destinations for generations to come.
- Please stay on trails to protect the life that borders the paths.
- Plan ahead and prepare for your hike.
- Bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited on any trails or roads, except the paved entrance road to the center.
- Enjoy plants and animals in their natural setting. Leave them for others to enjoy.
- Picking, digging, and collecting plants and animals is prohibited.
- All wildlife should be left undisturbed.
- Carving trees or park property is prohibited.
Amenities
Facilities
- Picnic areas
- Nature center or museum
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Accessibility
Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center offers a range of accessibility accommodations to ensure all visitors can enjoy its natural beauty and recreational opportunities.
Environmental Education and Visitor Centers
The McConnell Classroom is ADA accessible and has ADA restrooms. This is the primary indoor classroom for teaching and learning at Nolde Forest.
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 3025 New Holland Road
Reading, PA 19607-9448 - Nearest town
- Shillington — about 2 mi southeast (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 40.2756, -75.9495
- Phone
- (610) 796-3699
- noldeforestsp@pa.gov
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
Nolde Forest is in Berks County, Pennsylvania, on PA 625, two miles south of PA 724 or three miles north of PA 568. The park office is located on Park Office Lane. GPS Decimal Degrees: Lat. 40.2756 Long. -75.9495
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- Pennsylvania State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026; page says updated Aug 14, 2026
- DCNR Find a Park: content-fragment JSON feed used by the pa.gov park finder
- Wikidata
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology