A former sand and gravel quarry that sat abandoned for more than 40 years along River Road in Upper Black Eddy, Bridgeton Township, has been transformed into the 107-acre Bridgeton Nature Preserve, which officially opened to the public on May 27 following years of collaboration among Bridgeton Township, the Tinicum Conservancy and the Appalachian Mountain Club. The $600,000 acquisition, completed in 2019, required piecing together funding from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, private philanthropic donors and Bucks County. Volunteers then spent roughly a year and a half constructing a two-mile natural footpath loop through the property, which features scenic ponds, wetlands, freshwater springs and a mature tree canopy. The land has already attracted river otters, coyotes, foxes, salamanders and a variety of migratory birds. Now the largest municipally owned public preserve in Bridgeton Township, the site is open daily from dawn to dusk, with parking off River Road. Long-term plans call for connecting its trail loop to the Highlands Trail network at nearby Ringing Rocks County Park.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 6/9/2026