Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve

Amazing experience! It’s very well organized and everyone is so nice and friendly. I went on a Friday morning and it wasn’t super busy so that was nice as well. There are many trails all of which are really nice! The Gazebo was my favorite visit!

Beautiful plants with a large area of well-kept trails made for a fun walk!The staff is friendly and the preserve is well-marked with signs and maps. I especially liked the two ponds with lily pads, frogs, and turtles. I thought the $12 tickets were reasonable for all-day access. We only spent 1 hr 30 min walking around , but there was enough to do there that a longer day trip would also be worthwhile.

It’s a beautiful preserve with amazing trails by the creek and also some inclination. There are section of wildflowers which may be interesting if you are in this field. You can visit nearby Bowman’s Hill Tower as well.

This is a beautiful, natural preserve. There are lovely walking trails all through the woods. We were there when the spring ephemerals were blooming - truly, a sight to behold! It is definitely a place to visit if you appreciate natural beauty and native plants. Don't miss their plants for sale!

A fall visit 10/5/24 was enjoyable for a few hours to easily walk clean & well maintained trails. Loved the pond turtles and frogs! Butterflies were still around. The garden center has indigenous PA plants reasonably priced. Nice gift shop! We look forward to returning in the spring & summer for a different prospective to their gardens. The staff are kind and helpful.

If you have the impetus and transportation, Bowman's Hill is a gem. Native plants showcased in several ecosystems with so many enthusiastic volunteers and a small but mighty staff. Fab for a naturalistic visit, and ESPECIALLY notable for spring ephemerals. Great mission, beautiful place, great plant museum with an ecological focus.

A great year-round nature area with so many great attributes. There is a fee to enter unless a member although worth it for the trails and educational value. The visitor center has restrooms, water, books for sale and helpful people. There is a defect amount of parking even if you need to pull your car to the side of the entry road. Trails are well-marked and often covered in crushed stone or wood chips. Highly varied areas from open to shaded to waterside. Many signs with information about plant and animal life. Also many structures to view or rest underneath. Definitely worth a visit!

I visited on a Monday in mid-May, hoping to catch the azaleas. Unfortunately I was too late for most but did get to see one still blooming. There is lots to see if you keep an eye out - various bird species, butterflies, bees, turtles, snails, and rodents. The trails are clean and well marked. When paying admission you will get a map that indicates the difficulty level of each trail. I found most to be easy, some have tree roots and stairs while others are flat and accessible. It was very peaceful and quiet as I wandered the Marsh Marigold, Aster, Audubon, Gentian, Azalea, Bucks County and Parry trails to the north and west of the visitor's center. I did not get to visit Penns Woods or the meadow trails but plan to come back later in the summer to see what's blooming. I recommend wearing comfortable sneakers and bringing bug spray and sunscreen. Most of the trails are well shaded and there are plenty of benches throughout but the meadow and some spots are in full sun.

We are so happy we chose Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve as our wedding venue. We were looking for an outdoor venue that was a combination of casual, fun, whimsical, and beautiful, as well as a tribute to where my husband and I met - New Hope, PA. This checked all our boxes. Becca, the event coordinator, was so helpful from start to finish. She addressed all our questions and concerns throughout the planning process, was incredibly informative, and so attentive to our guests on the day of the wedding. The use of the golf cart was hugely helpful for some of our older or less mobile guests and was a lifesaver! We had our cocktail hour in the big front meadow next to the wildflower fields at the bottom, then our reception under the pavilion. Even with our count of 155 guests we were able to fit everyone comfortably under the pavilion, then we had the dance floor setup on the grass at the far end - so when the sun went down, we were dancing under the twinkle lights and stars. It was gorgeous!! Everything we hoped it would be, and more. Thank you Becca and all the team at Bowman's for helping to make our day so memorable and special. We are so grateful!! **Photo credit: The More We See Photography

Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, located in Bucks County, specializes in the conservation and study of flowers and plants. There's even a nursery where you can purchase plants for your garden. There's also a bridge, pond, and many native trees throughout. I went in mid-April and expected to see many of the spring bloomers. However, there were very few flowers, which was a bit disappointing. We did see several bunches of blue bells and enjoyed walking around. The Preserve has lots of short well maintained trails. The entire Preserve can be visited in under two hours.

Tucked away alongside the Delaware River between New Hope and Washington Crossing is the Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve. I'll admit I hadn't heard of them before and I wasn't sure what to expect as I prefer more formal or botanical gardens, but was pleasantly surprised. It's a smaller attraction and it's focus is on native area plants and nature, so you'll be disappointed if you expect manicured gardens or plants/flowers that aren't native to Bucks County. I visited in mid-April when gardens typically have great blooms, but there really weren't too many plants in bloom and many trees were bare as they hadn't grown leaves for the season. However, there were a few plants in bloom (mainly azaleas) and the riverside setting was great as it felt very peaceful and serene. It was a busy day for the wildflower preserve with many visitors, but it never felt crowded and people you encountered on the trails were genuinely friendly and seemed to all be enjoying themselves. We didn't get to go to the visitor center as the adjacent parking lot was closed off except to those purchasing from the nursery there. The New Pond area was a delight as there were colorful trees, plenty of benches, and quite a few turtles on a log at the pond. The turtles seemed to be hit with visitors. Overall, Bowman's Wildflower Preserve was a short, but enjoyable escape into nature, and one that I'd recommend to others so long as you temper your expectations with regards to blooms and don't have expectations for a traditional garden experience. There are quite a few months out of the year where local plants simply aren't in bloom, so I advise doing a bit of research before deciding whether or not to visit. Regardless, you're in for a serene and peaceful setting if you do decide to go.

Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve is a unique botanical museum dedicated to native flowers in situ.  There are over 20 trails through the preserved habitat ranging from easy to difficult.  Admission is $10 per person, $7 for seniors. Bowman's Hill was a special place for my wife and me when we were dating. We'd bring a picnic lunch and walk along the Pidcock Creek to a favorite spot near the dam.  We returned recently on our visit back to Bucks County and witnessed changes made over time:  our path along Pidcock Creek is closed; the Moore Pavilion at the park entrance now hosts weddings and other events; and there are rest rooms near the Creek not far from the Pavilion.  It is still a special place, well worth a spring or summer visit to see the wild flowers.

Whether you come specifically for the Preserve or you're enjoying the New Hope experience, you will leave happy. Lots of tiny trails that sprawl all over, you can customize your experience for as simple or exploratory as you want. There's ponds, bridges, a dam, along with native trees and flowers galore. Currently they have limited ticketing but there were easily 100 people on a Saturday so just call ahead if you haven't purchased online. I can see why they encourage people to return for each season as the natural landscape reveals itself over and over again. If you're already in the area, it's a waste not to check this out. If you're looking for a special time outside but don't want all the tourist aspects of New Hope- this is perfect.

I've been a member here for a number of years, and I take advantage of the member's discount when purchasing plants as much as I do using the wooded trails. I've planted many native plants in my yard, and buying your plants here supports the preserve along with the wildlife that finds its way to your home. The nursery workers are knowledgeable and helpful, and there are often volunteers about who have a great storehouse if knowledge concerning the native flora. Some of the trails involve a modest amount of elevation change, so visitors with mobility issues should check at the desk for those trails that are more gentle. The best part is that you're very likely to have zero cell phone service in parts of the preserve, so it's a great place to absolutely get away from the outside world.

I used a Groupon for this place. The staff was extremely friendly and overall, it had nice trails. I wish we came at a better time to actually see the flowers but I guess we can do that next time. On a plus note, I got proposed to at the Gazebo here! Thumbs up just for that!

Ok, so maybe a hot and muggy day at the end of August is not the best time to come. But I enjoyed the multiple trails, creeks and small ponds that are enveloped by this nature preserve. We were told the best seasons to visit are spring and very late summer to early fall, this is when you will see the most wildflowers. But we enjoyed meandering through about half of the available trails, and did see some nice flora and fauna . We interacted with a few employees, all of whom were super friendly and helpful. It was evident that they enjoyed working here. If possible plan on spending 2+ hours, and keep in mind that the free guided tour begins at 2. Groupons are available, but locals should consider becoming a member. It would be a nice place to explore throughout the seasons, especially for avid walkers or nature lovers. 4 tree hugging Yelps

I loved this place; however I could see why others might not. It's a wild flower preserve, so while there are trails for humans to walk it's primarily for the conservation and study of flowers. And most flowers do not bloom year round. I can imagine that many times of year it could be downright boring walking around if there's no flowers to see. That being said this place is gorgeous, almost magical even, in the spring. I was lucky enough to catch the blue bell blooming season and the cul-de-sac of the Parry trail was unreal. Pictures will not do it justice, but imagine a forest floor littered with dozens of blue flowers. Yes it can get hot, and yes your allergies will rear their ugly head here. I would still recommend it, especially to an active person or someone interested in botany. There is a relatively small fee to get in, but I'm happy to pay it so that more preserves like this can exist. Just make sure to go in spring.

Came here in September but didn't see too many flowers. Nonetheless, this is a beautiful place for a relaxing hike/stroll. Keep driving past the pavilion until you see the Visitor's Center on the left. There is a small parking lot area and you can also park on the main road. You pay for a ticket in the visitor center and get your map. They offer discounts for full time students. They offer guided tours but we didn't take one. Make sure you check out the pond - it was lovely.

This was a place that was an oddball find on Groupon and quite honestly for the very low admission price even for a family of four I figured that even if it stinks there was very little invested so who cares? Everything that Veronica K. said is truth. If you don't come in Spring you won't see squat in terms of flowers. We came at the end of June and other than one or two flowers there was nothing in bloom. The trails through the Penn's Woods area are nice, the trails along Pidcock Creek are nice and the pond area is wedding perfect (which makes sense as one was taking place that same day) but to me the overall impression I'm left with is a take on something I saw another Yelp friend of mine write about the former aquarium that use to exist in the Department of Commerce building in DC. He wrote that they don't charge you money when you visit the pet store yet this place does. To apply it to Bowman's Hill is more like, they don't charge you money when you visit a PA state park yet this place does. It feels like you are in a small PA state park yet you had to pay money to visit and the thing that they're known for preserving is apparently only visible for a very short time each year which the rest of the year will leave the clientele (especially those not already drunk on botany) going "what am I here to see"? If you go: Most of the Preserve (the roads, the cabin and the stone bridge) were built as a Depression era works project via the WPA in 1935. The visitor center is open 9-5 Tuesday-Sunday year round although they are open on Memorial Day and Labor Day but are closed the week of Christmas. The VC also has a water fountain and restrooms. In terms of time, we walked every trail except for the Ecology Trail and had it all covered in around 90 minutes. Parking is kind of ugly if an event or wedding is happening as the lot by the visitor center is no more than a small dirt and stone pad without lines and cars will park along the side of Continental Drive with people also walking along the same road which equals a very narrow pass. In terms of wildflower tours there is one regularly scheduled tour that occurs daily at 2pm. We ran across the group over I think by the Gentian Trail and it was awesome that they camped out across the trail and wouldn't move to let us or another family pass and based on the material/way the tour was being delivered it would be a big stretch to even remotely call it family friendly or appropriate for children (i.e. ZZZZZZZZZ). Admission is currently $5 per adult, $3 per senior & full-time student and $2 for children ages 4-14. As I said earlier, they are on Groupon (nod, nod, wink, wink) use one if you can, it's the best way.

My family had a wonderful time walking the trails and taking in the sights and sounds of spring. Relaxing and beautiful space. Easy trails, even the hard ones. I wore Birkenstocks and managed well.

Hot, humid, and just gross weather in the woods. I wouldn't mind coming back here perhaps in the fall or even the winter when the weather is cooler. When I came here last weekend, it was blazin hot and mosquitoes were have a field day on my legs. Parking lot here is kinda small, the roads are bumpy, and there's like nobody in sight. There's no paint marks on trees or signs for people to have a sense of direction in this place. After 10 minutes of walking into the woods, it got too creepy so we left. Verdict - Place was deserted. Not very family friendly or much fun. A bit boring, nothing very scenic in here.

When we found Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, we knew immediately it was the perfect location for our dream boho wedding. We wanted a venue that felt natural and outdoors-y, but not TOO rustic or country feeling. We had been seeing a lot of barns or country estates, both of which were not our style, on separate ends of the spectrum. Bowman's offered us that perfect combination of lush greenery, rustic woods, and well-maintained grounds. As many reviewers have noted, this is a wildflower preserve, not a garden... so it does feel more like a pretty state/national park feel than a royal rose garden. I do think some of our guests expected the latter, but either way the scenery is stunning and we preferred the more natural look. We also knew we wanted a DIY-wedding so we could make sure each detail was unique to us. That being said, if you aren't ready for a truly DIY wedding, you may want to look elsewhere or if not, be prepared to spend a good % of your budget on a full scale caterer. Bowman's only offers the physical space - all catering/rentals/ceremony chairs/etc/etc need to be arranged separately. They do have nicely updated bathrooms at the Pavilion area (with rugs/chandeliers) and 14 picnic tables available for use, but all other items would need to be rented. We had our ceremony and cocktail hour at the nicely manicured "New Pond," which our guests raved about. The lovely landscaping and paths offer just enough polish for a wedding without losing any of the outdoorsy-feel. We added cocktail tables, seating, a tent and bar. The highlight for us was having our reception at the Captain Moore Pavilion. We had seen many photos of outdoor/rustic weddings where it looked like the entire party happened in a big white tent and that seemed so impersonal. The Pavilion has awesome stone/wood details and a fireplace. We used the provided picnic tables and added vintage furniture stations, string lights, lanterns, and lawn games. Our catering was done by a few food trucks (Mama's Balls, Nina's Waffles), a local restaurant (Bitter Bobs), and serving/bartending by Swig Events - they were all top-notch and super accommodating, look them up if you go with Bowman's! The coordinator at Bowman's was also very helpful through the entire set-up process and answered all our many questions. It did occasionally take a day or two for her to respond, but given it's a non-profit organization, we didn't mind that at all. I could go on and on... feel free to message me with questions if you're considering having your wedding here! Bowman's truly helped us create our perfect day!!!

Stunning, peaceful preserve. Short trails but all equally as calming & serene. Take a walk up to the pond to hear the frogs croaking & take a walk by the creek to see the wildflowers in bloom. Beauty in all seasons!

I rented out the Pavilion for a Wedding Shower and I got great feedback from the guests. The shower was held on a sunny June day, but under the pavilion it never felt uncomfortable and got a very nice breeze. It is kept very clean (I was sure to leave nothing but footprints after our party too) There were picnic tables that were set up already for us. These tables are HEAVY and nearly impossible to move, so if you have an idea of how many guests are coming to your event you could give them an idea of how many tables you need. Many of the guests had never been to the Preserve and were looking forward to returning and seeing the grounds. Overall I'm happy with my experience working with the events people at BHWP and would suggest it to anyone who is looking to plan a party in the area.

I was expecting to see full blooms of flower but there was barely any on their trails. The trails were properly marked so you won't get lost. We went through most of the trails but did not have enough time because we were in a rush to go to Boughman's tower. Btw, drive to the tower. DONT WALK EVEN IF THE RECEPTIONIST AT THE PRESERVE TELLS YOU! We drove there and dang, it is very hiiiighghhhghghghg with many hills.

Stumbled upon this pace while browsing Groupon and decided to give it a try, as my friend and I were well overdue for an escape from the city to connect with nature. We combined the preserve with a stop at Bowman's tower (about a mile or so down the road and a must see while in the area) and it turned out to be the perfect fall day trip. The trails were well marked, flat and scenic. Through the whimsical forest, you'll learn about native trees, plants and, of course, flowers. There's a babbling creek that leads to a pond where you can sit on benches and bask in the beauty of nature. It's the perfect place to enjoy the fall foliage. Look forward to returning in the Spring to see all the wildflowers in bloom.

Our friend had her wedding ceremony here and it was the PERFECT place for them. Suited the couple perfectly. They were married under a small gazebo, a short walk from the visitor center. Really pretty area. We didn't explore too much, but seems like a great place to learn about wildflowers, trees and other nature-y things from what we saw. If I wasn't so allergic to flowers, trees and everything else in the Spring I'd want to go back and walk another trail. Maybe next time we're in or near New Hope...

I've been enjoying Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve for many years. It's a very natural setting, not a manicured garden. Wear comfortable walking shoes and enjoy the trails. Blooms, flowers, leaves and buds all depend on what time of year it is. Seize the moment!

I had the pleasure of photographing a lovely small wedding at Bowman's Hill Flower Preserve at the end of September with Hazel Photo. It was a gorgeous sunny day. The couple's family's decorated the wooden structure by the pond with flowers tied up. The children played by the pond. We did our wedding portraits on the other side of the road, in the shade by the gazebo. It was a lovely quiet and lush place for a wedding!

I really enjoyed taking the walk up the historic tower. It was really cool to climb up the spiral staircase built hundreds of years ago. The view is breathtaking. For those afraid of heights, there are plenty of guardrails at the top, but that also makes it difficult to take a nice landscape photo. $6 to take a trip up.

A great place for birdwatching, and of course, wildflower tours for adults and kids. This is a great treasure in Bucks County. GORGEOUS. Must go here.

What a wonderful, sacred place. We have just become members and are thankful that we did, so much to do and see there. The office staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. The Pond is a very nice place to have lunch and meditate. All the trails are well maintained and well-marked. We enjoyed the Labyrinth and left a stone there. I would recommend a visit there to anyone who enjoys communing with nature.

We didn't see too many wildflowers but it is a nice forest/park with a lot of paved and unpaved trails to explore! You can also hike up a pretty steep hill to Bowman's Tower ($6) and climb to the top where you can see great views of PA and NJ. Overall it took us about 2-3 hours to walk around but you can definitely spend half a day here.

Bowmansville wildflower preserve is a wonderful place to visit. They have guided tours on certain days and there is a donation fee but it is well worth the price. It is all native plants of Pennsylvania and the education and beauty of the preserve is well worth the trip. Visiting Bowman's hill wildflower preserve at any time of the year is exciting and an adventure. There is always something new going on at the preserve. Whether it is in the spring when something has just started to bloom like the skunk cabbage or in the summer when you start seeing the cardinal flowers in the fall when the Asters are starting to come out in all their purple glory or in the winter when you can see the tracks of the various animals in the snow. I like visiting the preserve year-round it is a wonderful place for families or the individual traveler who just likes to take a small hike on the various trails. The preserve also offers classes at various times during the year please look into their calendar for the season you won't want to miss this beautiful preserve.

A beautiful preserve with excellent and well-educated staff. The area is well maintained and beautiful without being too finicky and overdone. I love that they stick to only native flowers. Everyone working here is so kind and friendly that, coupled with the beauty, it makes for a lovely time.

Anything on the menu is delicious. We recommend anything from salads to burgers even the entrees. The service is impeccable. Drinks are outstanding!!

We have been to New Hope dozens of times, yet this was my first visit to Bowmans Hill. Stephanie, a volunteer at the front desk, ($5 per person, $3 senior) set us up with maps and a list of sights not to be missed. Beautiful, well marked trails take you through ferns, bogs, past creeks and ponds. There are also places for a picnic. We spent about an hour and a half and definitely didn't see it all. Many wild flowers to be seen in the sunny meadow. I look forward to visiting again, especially in the fall.

In love! Sooo happy I was able to make a visit here. What a beautiful place, and I learned so much. We took the 2pm guided tour and our guide was amazing! She was very knowledgeable and it just astounds me how much can be learned in a volunteer program. How rewarding. She shared how she has taken what she learned and uses it to decide what to plant in her own garden, taking care to focus on native plants. It was really wonderful. My one "complaint" would be that we spent a lot of time standing right in front of the visitor's center rather than walking on the tour, but throughout that whole time, our guide was expertly educating us. I would have minded the staying in one spot a little less if the tour was longer, but we spent about half of it in front of the visitor's center, and I know there was so much more to see! Not a major complaint though, because it was still time well spent- just that my preference would have been to have the chance to see and learn more. It's okay though- it will just be reserved for my next visit! I could see myself wanting to come back for a lot of the programming and just to go on other tours. Great place, I'm thrilled with this find and will be recommending it to many friends. I learned about different butterflies, magnolias, and the paw-paw. It was truly magnificent! PS- got a Groupon deal for this place too but I would pay full price in a heartbeat.

Check the web site for guided tours, there is something almost every day in season. A great place to learn about wildflowers, native trees, environment.

The wildflowers this time of year are amazing. The trails lead you past numerous landmarks, e.g., a pond, log cabin, stone bridge, gazebo, and thru beautiful flowering woodlands. Our trail guide (tour is everyday at 2) was just ok - too much personal info and not enough about the plants - also he was hard to hear. Nice gift shop and happy to see they offered woodland wildflowers for sale. It would be good if they could step up their volunteer efforts and get rid of more invasive plants.