Last updated: March 31, 2025
Thing to Do
Go Birding at New Philadelphia
NPS photo.
A place to dream about freedom – and flight.
Imagine the flash of a feather. Symphonies of bird song. And small bursts of air as wings push upward into the sky.
According to his daughter Helen McWorter Simpson, John E. McWorter (Free Frank’s grandson) spent hours of his childhood watching birds at New Philadelphia. Despite economic and educational setbacks, his dream of flying never faded. John, a natural innovator, worked late into his nights on “new and useful improvements on aero planes.” In 1914, John received the first of three U.S. patents for his flying machines. Each was designed to take off vertically and hover like a modern helicopter. Perhaps it all goes back to the years of his youth, watching birds and dreaming in New Philadelphia.
Today, you can experience the same birds that serenaded and inspired John! Located on major migration routes, New Philadelphia is home to many bird species. The augmented reality trail is a prime location for spotting sparrows, meadowlarks, and raptors like hawks and kestrels. The Burdick House grounds provide sudden changes between field and forest. That makes it ideal for finding woodpeckers and songbirds. Bald Eagles are also a common sight at New Philadelphia!
So, bring your binoculars and your ears! Look, listen, and wonder. What will you dream?
Learn more about birding in National Parks!
Imagine the flash of a feather. Symphonies of bird song. And small bursts of air as wings push upward into the sky.
According to his daughter Helen McWorter Simpson, John E. McWorter (Free Frank’s grandson) spent hours of his childhood watching birds at New Philadelphia. Despite economic and educational setbacks, his dream of flying never faded. John, a natural innovator, worked late into his nights on “new and useful improvements on aero planes.” In 1914, John received the first of three U.S. patents for his flying machines. Each was designed to take off vertically and hover like a modern helicopter. Perhaps it all goes back to the years of his youth, watching birds and dreaming in New Philadelphia.
Today, you can experience the same birds that serenaded and inspired John! Located on major migration routes, New Philadelphia is home to many bird species. The augmented reality trail is a prime location for spotting sparrows, meadowlarks, and raptors like hawks and kestrels. The Burdick House grounds provide sudden changes between field and forest. That makes it ideal for finding woodpeckers and songbirds. Bald Eagles are also a common sight at New Philadelphia!
So, bring your binoculars and your ears! Look, listen, and wonder. What will you dream?
Learn more about birding in National Parks!
Details
Duration
1-4 Hours
Activity
Birdwatching
Age(s)
All ages.
Pets Allowed
Yes
Pets are welcome but must be leashed. Waste must be bagged and removed from the site.
Activity Fee
No
Entrance fees may apply, see Fees & Passes information.
Location
Burdick House Grounds
Park at the information kiosk and walk down the gravel road to the Burdick House. Grounds around the Burdick house include mowed grass that is uneven and muddy in places.
Reservations
No
Season
Year Round
Time of Day
Day, Dawn, Dusk
Dawn and dusk are the best times to find birds.
Accessibility Information
- Paved parking is available at the kiosk. There is no ground level change or threshold from the parking lot to the kiosk.
- The kiosk floor is level concrete and provides wide views of the site’s field habitats.
- The 1/4-mile walking trail is a level natural surface with mown grass. It is uneven and sometimes muddy in places.
- You may walk or drive the quarter-mile crushed gravel road from the Information Kiosk to the Burdick House. The road grade is level.
- The Burdick House grounds are natural terrain with mown grass. Areas can be muddy during wet weather. Parking is permitted on the grass in front of the house. However, paved parking and walkways are not available.