Richard Nixon Park

Richard Nixon Park, located in Springfield Township, features a 14,000-square-foot Nature Center.  Nestled on 213 acres of meadow, woodland and aquatic habitats Nixon Park supports a wide variety of plant and animal life.  Donated in 1968, through a gift of land from the Bob Hoffman family, the park was named after the newly elected President Richard M. Nixon. 

The original Nature Center, which highlights Pennsylvania natural history was constructed in 1978 and open to the public in 1980.  This part of the center features amphibians of PA display, insects of the world and insects of York County displays, live reptiles, birds and mammals of PA, a children's touch room and much more.  An addition was built in 1992 to house a worldwide collection of specimens donated by William Koller.  The exhibits include an Arctic Display, African Savannah, and Northwest Territories of the United States. 

Click here to visit our events page to learn more about programs offered by the Nature Center.

Directions: 

From York, follow S. George St. through Jacobus to Valley Rd. Turn right, follow road .8 mile to bottom of hill; turn right onto Nixon Dr.; go one block and turn left onto Nixon Dr. and follow to park.

Park Information: 

Click here for the park brochure and trail map.

Nature Center Hours: 

Tuesday - Saturday: 8:30am - 4:30pm                                                                                                                                                Sunday: 12:00pm - 4:30pm                                                                                                                                                                                  Mondays and Holidays: CLOSED                                                                                                                                                                       Park Grounds and Trails: Open daily from dusk to dawn

Features: 

  • Hiking Trails: There are over six miles of trails. Since Nixon Park is designed primarily for quiet observation of nature, you are asked to keep other activities to a minimum and observe our special rules. Bikes, horses and pets are not allowed on the trails. 
  • Nature Center: Full-time Naturalists staff the center and offer guided nature walks and programs to pre-scheduled groups. If you would like to schedule a program for your group visit the education section of the website for more information.  The center is ADA accessible.
  • Sunday Walks/Programs: Most Sundays April to October there is a program at the Nature Center featuring natural history and related topics.  View the parks events calendar for the current offerings. 
  • Themed Programs: Throughout the year different theme programs occur focusing on different nature topics such as Maple Sugar Weekend, Great Backyard Bird Count Weekend, Reptile Week, and more.