By Jay Lloyd

SCHWENKSVILLE, Pa. (CBS) — There are still nearby spots brimming with wildlife and a pristine environment, perfect for hiking and biking.

Here’s one that gives you an overnight getaway option.

The Perkiomen Trail runs from Philadelphia to Green Lane Borough, in upper Montgomery County.  A central point, like a colonial-era way station, is Spring Mountain and the meticulously reconstructed Woodside Lodge.

(Woodside Lodge, in Schwenksville, Pa. Credit: Jay Lloyd)

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“From Woodside you can really hike up the south side of the mountain,” says Rick Buckman, who operates the lodge and the Spring Mountain Ski Area.  “There’s a lot of boulder formations — and the wildflowers.”

Buckman has noticed in recent months that bicycle enthusiasts have been riding out from Philadelphia and suburban points along the trail, stopping overnight at the lodge, then either hiking or biking to nearby historic sites.

(Bicyclists enjoying the Perkiomen Trail. Credit: Jay Lloyd)

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“You have historic Pennypacker Mills — it was one of Washington’s headquarters. There are gravesites in the woods where Revolutionary War soldiers are buried,” Buckman notes.

The Perkiomen trail offers history, scenery, plus a place to rent a kayak, stop for a beer, and just absorb the tranquility of nature.

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