Routes & Trails
Adams County
Towns: Gettysburg, Fairfield, East Berlin, Arndtsville, Heidlersburg, Littlestown, Biglerville, Lake Meade, Abbottstown
Places of Interest:
- Gettysburg National Battlefield & Visitors Center
- Covered Bridges … Anderson Farm, Heikes, Jack’s Mountain, Sachs
- Thomas Brothers Country Store (Biglerville)
- Ski Liberty (Fairfield)
- St. Mary’s University
Trails and connections:
- PA Bike Rt S (West Alexander near Wheeling, WV on western border to Washington’s Crossing on the Delaware River)
- PA Bike Rt J (South to York Heritage Trail and Maryland border; North to New York border)
- PA Bike Rt. J-1 (Gettysburg)
- PA Bike Rt. J-2 (Lancaster)
Cumberland County
Towns: Camp Hill, Hampden Township, Lemoyne, New Cumberland, Shiremanstown, Mechanicsburg, Carlisle, Shippensburg, Boiling Springs, Mt. Holly Springs
Places of Interest:
- Battle of Hampden Township (Hampden Township)
- Ft. Washington (Camp Hill)
- Susquehanna River and Bridges … John Harris, Market Street, Harvey Taylor, George W. Wade, Clarks Ferry, CV RR Bridge, Walnut Street (“Peoples”)
- Pine Grove Furnace State Park
- Yellow Breeches creek
- Susquehanna River
- Covered Bridges … Ramp Covered Bridge (Hopewell Township); Bowmansdale Covered Bridge (connects Cumberland and York counties at Messiah College)
- Enola Railroad Yard
- Negley Park (Lemoyne) Overlook … City of Harrisburg, Susquehanna River & bridges
- Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle
- The “bubble” and Children’s Lake in Boiling Springs
- Art galleries, restaurants, and shops in Carlisle as well as Cumberland County /Historical Society
- Molly Pitcher statue, Carlisle
- Carlisle Indian Cemetery & Indian school history, Carlisle
- War College, Carlisle
- Col. Denning State Park,Newville
- Dickinson College and Messiah College
Trails:
- Cumberland Valley Rail Trail … 9.5 miles, Newville to Shippensburg. (to be extended to Carlisle) http://www.cvrtc.org/TrailMap.htm
- PA Bike Routes J (York), J-1 (Lancaster South; Sayre North), J-2 (Gettysburg)
Dauphin County
Towns:
Harrisburg, Pillow, Elizabethville, Millersburg, Hummelstown, Highspire, Steelton, Middletown, Dauphin
Places of Interest:
- PA State Capitol
- Governor’s Residence
- Toll ferry (Millerstown)
- Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant
- Broad Street Market
- Fort Hunter
- Italian Gardens
- PA State Museum
- Bellevue Park
- City Island
- Covered Bridges … Everhart and Henninger Covered Bridges
- John Harris mansion and burial site
Trails and connections:
- Stoney Valley Rail Trail (Dauphin) … originally St. Anthony’s Wilderness … 21.5 miles through Dauphin and Schuylkill counties.
- http://www.stonyvalley.com/rail-trail.html
- Capital Area Greenbelt- the 18 mile emerald necklace that surrounds Harrisburg www.caga.org
- Jonathan Eshenour Memorial Trail (Hershey) http://www.derrytownship.org/resident-services/jonathan-eshenour-memorial-trail
- Bike Route J to York
Franklin County
Towns: Chambersburg, Greencastle, Shippensburg (western tip), Lurgan, Cover Gap
Places of Interest:
- The Conococheague Institute … Rock Hill Farm
- Mercersburg Academy
- Civil War (Chambersburg, Mercersburg); Gettysburg Campaign
- President James Buchanan Boyhood Home (Cover Gap), Buchanan’s Birthplace State Park
- Enock Brown School Massacre
- Covered Bridge … Martin’s Mill Covered Bridge (Greencastle)
- Allison-Antrim Museum (Greencastle)
- Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium (Orrtanna near Gettysburg)
- Wineries … Reid’s (Gettysburg, Orrtanna) Knob Hall (Gettysburg), Adams
- County (Gettysburg), Hauser Estate (Biglerville), Battlefield Brew Works (Gettysburg), Mason Dixon Distillery (Gettysburg)
- Historic South Mountain Fruit Belt
- Caledonia Furnace
- Whitetail Ski Resort
- Frederick Douglass and John Brown (Chambersburg)
- Underground Railroad
- Lurgan Greenhouse (Orrstown)
- Colonial Forts (sites) … Ft. Chamber, Ft. Davis, Ft. Loudon, Ft. Marshall, Ft. McCord, Ft. McDowell, Ft. Waddell, Reverend Steel’s Fort
Trails and connections:
- PA Bike Route S passes through Franklin, Adams and York Counties
- Chambersburg Rail Trail (Chambersburg) … 1.2 mile paved urban trail https://www.traillink.com/trail/chambersburg-rail-trail/
- “Biking and Driving Tour of French & Indian War Sites in Southwest Franklin County” http://cimlg.org/ciblog/tag/biking-and-driving-tour-of-french-indian-war-sites-in-southwest-franklin-county/
Lancaster County
Towns
Lancaster, Elizabethtown, Columbia, Marietta, Lititz, Ephrata, Intercourse, Strasburg
Places of Interest:
- Wheatland … President James Buchanan home
- Middle Creek Wildlife Area
- Covered Bridges … 29 in Lancaster County
- Amish farms and markets
Trails:
- Enola Low Grade Rail Trail … 29 miles – partly finished http://www.enolalowgradetrail.com
- Conewago Rail Trail… 5 miles – Connects with Lebanon Valley Trail http://web.co.lancaster.pa.us/268/Conewago-Recreation-Trail
- Northwest Lancaster County River Trail – Paved. Runs from Columbia to Bainbridge. http://web.co.lancaster.pa.us/1119/Northwest-Lancaster-County-River-Trail
Lebanon County
Towns:
Lebanon, Annville, Palmyra, Mt. Gretna, Cornwall, Colebrook
Places of Interest:
- Cornwall Iron Furnace
- Swatara State Park
- Middle Creek Wildlife Area
Trails:
- Lebanon Valley Rail Trail … 14.5 miles; connects to Conewago Trail http://www.lvrailtrail.com
Perry County
Towns: Marysville, Duncannon, Newport, Landisburg, Little Buffalo St. Park, Shermansdale, Millerstown
Places of Interest:
- Little Buffalo State Park
- Appalachian Trail passes through Perry County
- Doubling Gap and Waggoner’s Gap (Landisburg)
- Covered Bridges … 14
Trails:
- Iron Horse Trail … 10 miles … ballast, crushed stone … starts Big Spring Park, Germantown https://www.traillink.com/trail/iron-horse-trail-(pa)/
York County
Towns: York, Franklintown, Wellsville, Wrightsville, Manchester, Mt. Wolf, Shrewsbury, Glen Rock, New Freedom, Fawn Grove, York Furnace, Goldsboro, Stewartstown
Places of Interest:
- Pinchot Lake
- Susquehanna River
- Lake Marburg
- Capital City Airport
Trails and connections:
- York Heritage Rail Trail…21 miles … Connects with the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail in Maryland https://yorkcountypa.gov/parks-recreation/the-parks/heritage-rail-trail-park.html
- PA Bike Route J (from New York State border to Maryland border)