“Summer
afternoon – summer afternoon;
to me those have always been
the
two most beautiful words in the English language.”
~
Henry James
~1843-1916
Colorful
canoes and kayaks of vibrant hues line the shoreline, ready to glide on the
waters of Hopewell Lake on a perfect summer afternoon at French Creek State
Park, Elverson, Pennsylvania.
The
7,526 acre park straddles northern Chester County and southern Berks County
along French Creek and is located in the Hopewell Big Woods.
Set
amidst the old, quaint and picturesque farmland of southeast Pennsylvania,
French Creek State Park offers two lakes – Hopewell and Scotts Run – extensive forests
and almost 40 miles of hiking trails. Adjacent to the park lies Hopewell
Furnace National Historic Site that features a cold-blast furnace restored to
its 1830s appearance.
French
Creek State Park was chosen by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources (DCNR) and its Bureau of State Parks as one of “25 Must-See
Pennsylvania State Parks.”