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Dixon Meadow Preserve

The Dixon Meadow Preserve, located at the intersection of Thomas and Flourtown Roads, is a 14-acre naturalized area created by the Whitemarsh Foundation to manage stormwater, provide natural habitat, and offer passive recreation for the community.

The Preserve is located within the 98-acre Angus Tract, which is part of the working acreage of 450-acre Erdenheim Farm.

Our stormwater-fed wetland is surrounded by peaceful pastures that host grazing Angus cows, making the Preserve a bucolic destination just a few miles outside of the City of Philadelphia. 22% of all bird species in Continental US have been spotted at Dixon Meadow Preserve, along with deer, foxes, coyote and an abundance of insects, small mammals and amphibians. Abundant milkweed feeds the fragile but beautiful migratory monarch butterfly population. 1.4 miles of trails loop through the stormwater-fed wetland habitat, consisting of paved surfaces, mowed turf walkways and an elevated boardwalk.

Whether you are visiting as part of one of our education programs, or taking a quiet walk on your own, we welcome you to enjoy the peace, beauty and rich biodiversity of this special place.

Located on the corner of Thomas and Flourtown Roads in Whitemarsh Township. With its 14 acres repurposed in 2014 and boardwalk measuring nearly two-thirds of a mile, the Preserve is a haven for birders, walkers and those who enjoy the area’s natural flora and fauna.

Physical Address: 548 Flourtown Road | Lafayette Hill, PA 19444

Phone: (267) 521-3082

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 538 | Lafayette Hill, PA 19444

Dixon Meadow Preserve – open Dawn to Dusk

Dixon Meadow House – by appointment only

*No dogs (other than service animals) or bicycles are permitted in the Preserve at any time.

Whitemarsh Foundation

Know Before You Go

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Access

The Dixon Meadow Preserve has an ADA-reserved parking space that connects to the Dixon Meadow Preserve trails via a 6 ft wide paved asphalt trail. Click here for more detailed information about accessibility in Dixon Meadow Preserve.

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Parking

Parking is extremely limited. Carpooling is recommended. If the parking area is full, so is the trail.

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Pets & Bicycles

To protect our habitat and for the comfort of our visitors, no bicycles or dogs are permitted in the Dixon Meadow Preserve on any trail surface. Only official service animals are permitted on site.

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Stewardship

Please stay on trails at all times and help care for the Preserve by leaving nothing behind but footprints.

Flora & Fauna

A destination where birders have spotted over 180 individual species of birds, plus fox, deer and groundhog, the Dixon Meadow Preserve is a gathering ground for native wildlife including the Monarch Butterfly. The Preserve has an abundance of milkweed, the only food the caterpillars eat and where the adult butterflies lay their eggs. The August-September born monarchs make their migration, which can take as long as two months from North America to Mexico. Click here to read more about protecting and supporting butterflies.

Since 2013 the Foundation has participated in the Cornell University Bluebird and Tree Swallow Nestwatch research program conducted by volunteers from The Hill at Whitemarsh. Scroll down to view the live eBird feed of bird sightings at the Preserve.

Moving forward, The Foundation’s goal is to partner with local educational organizations to utilize the landscape as an active community learning center and context for place-based education.

Download the Plant Key

Download the Bird Brochure

The Birds of the Dixon Meadow Preserve

See who is fluttering at the Preserve with sightings and checklists from eBird. Enjoy what’s shared here or sign up for your own eBird account and add your sightings to the mix. Download the Whitemarsh Foundation bird brochure here.