Explore the best rated trails in Carlisle, PA. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Farmingdale Trail and Heritage Trail (PA). With more than 48 trails covering 282 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Swatara Creek runs through the vast woodlands of Swatara State Park in eastern Pennsylvania. Bear Hole Trail traces the eastern side of the waterway, while the Swatara Rail-Trail runs along the other...
This trail is not offically part of the Lancaster County Park system. It runs next to the Conestoga River at Sunnyside. The one end of the trail is at Lancaster County Central Park. Although there is...
Part of Manheim Township's growing greenway network, the paved, multi-use trail begins at the access road to the Manheim Township Community Park and loops around athletic fields and a playground at...
The Jonathan Eshenour Memorial Trail, named for a local resident who died in a bicycling accident, offers a safe paved route through Derry and nearby communities. It begins in a rural area just south...
The Fielding Bank Trail gives residents of Boiling Springs access to a couple nearby parks without having to travel along local roads. The trail begins at High Street the west end of town and...
The Gettysburg Inner Loop is a network of multi-use trails and signed, on-street bicycle routes, paralleled by sidewalks for foot traffic, currently being built around the perimeter of the historic,...
Northwest Corridor Linear Park is a short paved pathway that winds its way among the city streets just northeast of the city square. The pathway functions as community park for residents of downtown...
The popular Lancaster Junction Trail follows the former Reading and Columbia Railroad, which transported iron ore and coal from Reading to the Chesapeake Bay via the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal...
Part of the Gettysburg area's growing trail network, the North Gettysburg Trail begins at the north end of the borough at the northwest corner of East Broadway and Old Harrisburg Road. The asphalt...
The short, tranquil LeTort Spring Run Nature Trail follows its namesake creek closely, LeTort Spring Run, through a mix of deciduous trees and lowland marshes bristling with tall grasses and cattails....
The Northwest Lancaster County River Trail follows the route of the historic Pennsylvania Main Line Canal, tracing the Susquehanna River northwest from Columbia to Falmouth. The entire trail is paved....
The Broad Street Greenway in York is anchored by the Alexander D. Goode Middle School at one end and Hannah Penn Middle School at the other. The bike-ped corridor parallels Broad Street in the heart...
Lykens Valley Rail Trail is nearly half-way complete with 9 miles of trail open out of 20 miles planned. Those 9 miles are available in three disconnected segments. In Millersburg, a 0.4-mile segment...
Part of Manheim Township's growing network of multi-use greenways, the Manheim Township Bikeway begins off Kissel Hill Road, immediately north of the intersection with Landis Valley Road. Heading...
Constructed as part of the Belmont subdivision/Shoppers At Belmont mixed use development, the Belmont Trail is part of Manheim Township's growing network of multi-use greenways and the latest of...
The Swatara Rail-Trail uses the corridors left behind by a canal and a railroad to snake around an Appalachian mountain in eastern Pennsylvania, passing through the forests of Swatara State Park most...
Heritage Rail Trail County Park (HRT), along with the connecting Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail that continues south through Maryland, are in Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Hall of Fame. Both trails follow...
Named in honor of the late Ed Miller, a longtime caretaker at Renfrew Park & Museum and member of the Waynesboro Historical Society and Renfrew Institute, the Ed Miller Memorial Trail winds through...
Currently about a mile in length, the Lime Spring Trail is envisioned to connect several residential communities to the nearby Lancaster suburb of Rohrerstown as well as to shopping centers, office...
The first section of the Elizabethtown Connector Trail officially opened in May 2015. Although just shy of a mile this trail provides such beautiful scenery that you'll feel like you could stay...
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Included in the seven-mile network of trails in Little Buffalo State Park are two small sections of rail-trail. Together they are called the Newport and Sherman's Valley Railroad Trace. The...
Currently, over 10 miles of the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail are complete. The trail runs between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg, and interpretive signs relate the region's history. The trail is mostly paved...
The Northwest Lancaster County River Trail follows the route of the historic Pennsylvania Main Line Canal, tracing the Susquehanna River northwest from Columbia to Falmouth. The entire trail is paved....
As its name implies, hikers on the Chickies Rock Overlook Trail will be rewarded with a beautiful vista at the end of their excursion. The trail follows an old trolley line route that once took...
Currently about a mile in length, the Lime Spring Trail is envisioned to connect several residential communities to the nearby Lancaster suburb of Rohrerstown as well as to shopping centers, office...
Actually a small network of multi-use trails, the Farmingdale Trail has recently been extended through The Crossings mixed-use development and now connects several neighborhoods in the northwest...
This is a pleasant one mile community trail which begins right at the center of Red Lion, PA. The main trailhead is on Main St. at the restored MA&PA train station, which now is home to the Red Lion...
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Part of the township's ongoing efforts to create a network of multi-use greenways, Manheim Twp.'s Heritage Trail begins at Valley Road and extends south, along the eastern boundary of Landis Woods to...
The Gettysburg Inner Loop is a network of multi-use trails and signed, on-street bicycle routes, paralleled by sidewalks for foot traffic, currently being built around the perimeter of the historic,...
Swatara Creek runs through the vast woodlands of Swatara State Park in eastern Pennsylvania. Bear Hole Trail traces the eastern side of the waterway, while the Swatara Rail-Trail runs along the other...
Every year, tens of thousands of people take to the Capital Area Greenbelt looping around Harrisburg to play, exercise, and commute. The greenway completely encircles Pennsylvania’s capital city as it...
Northwest Corridor Linear Park is a short paved pathway that winds its way among the city streets just northeast of the city square. The pathway functions as community park for residents of downtown...
Heritage Rail Trail County Park (HRT), along with the connecting Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail that continues south through Maryland, are in Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Hall of Fame. Both trails follow...
Not to be confused with the nearby Gettysburg Inner Loop, the roughly 3-mile Gettysburg Trail is a paved walking trail that connects the Visitor Center to important locations on the battlefield, the...
While the Lebanon Valley might be best known for its chocolate and distinctive bologna, iron ore is what put the region on the map in the 1700s. The 18-mile Lebanon Valley Rail-Trail—and the...
Constructed as part of the Belmont subdivision/Shoppers At Belmont mixed use development, the Belmont Trail is part of Manheim Township's growing network of multi-use greenways and the latest of...
The first section of the Elizabethtown Connector Trail officially opened in May 2015. Although just shy of a mile this trail provides such beautiful scenery that you'll feel like you could stay...
Note: During hunting season, Pennsylvania Game Lands Regulations require ALL non-hunters present on game lands between November 15 and December 15 (excluding Sundays) to wear a minimum of 250 square...
Lykens Valley Rail Trail is nearly half-way complete with 9 miles of trail open out of 20 miles planned. Those 9 miles are available in three disconnected segments. In Millersburg, a 0.4-mile segment...
Part of the Gettysburg area's growing trail network, the North Gettysburg Trail begins at the north end of the borough at the northwest corner of East Broadway and Old Harrisburg Road. The asphalt...
The Swatara Rail-Trail uses the corridors left behind by a canal and a railroad to snake around an Appalachian mountain in eastern Pennsylvania, passing through the forests of Swatara State Park most...
The Warwick Township Linear Park Trail is a joint project of Warwick Township and Lititz borough. The pathway extends from Market Street north, following the Santo Domingo Creek, to Newport Road....
The Broad Street Greenway in York is anchored by the Alexander D. Goode Middle School at one end and Hannah Penn Middle School at the other. The bike-ped corridor parallels Broad Street in the heart...
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The Iron Horse Trail follows two abandoned rail beds: the Path Valley Railroad and the Perry Lumber Company Railroad. Originally, the Path Valley Railroad was going to be an extension for the Newport...
Situated near the south end of Lititz borough, the half-mile long Butterfly Acres Park Trail follows a restored wetland and small stream, connecting two neighborhoods. A smaller segment, which is...
Sitting on the corner of East Main Street and Alley 5 in Thurmont is a green and white one-story building. Murals decorate its walls, depicting the history of the famous Hagerstown and Frederick...
Actually a small network of multi-use trails, the Farmingdale Trail has recently been extended through The Crossings mixed-use development and now connects several neighborhoods in the northwest...
Not to be confused with the nearby Gettysburg Inner Loop, the roughly 3-mile Gettysburg Trail is a paved walking trail that connects the Visitor Center to important locations on the battlefield, the...
While the Lebanon Valley might be best known for its chocolate and distinctive bologna, iron ore is what put the region on the map in the 1700s. The 18-mile Lebanon Valley Rail-Trail—and the...
The Northwest Lancaster County River Trail follows the route of the historic Pennsylvania Main Line Canal, tracing the Susquehanna River northwest from Columbia to Falmouth. The entire trail is paved....
The Fielding Bank Trail gives residents of Boiling Springs access to a couple nearby parks without having to travel along local roads. The trail begins at High Street the west end of town and...
A part of Manheim Township's network of multi-use greenways, the mile-long Kissel Hill Commons Trail extends across the mixed use subdivision for which it is named in the suburbs north of...
Every year, tens of thousands of people take to the Capital Area Greenbelt looping around Harrisburg to play, exercise, and commute. The greenway completely encircles Pennsylvania’s capital city as it...
This trail is not offically part of the Lancaster County Park system. It runs next to the Conestoga River at Sunnyside. The one end of the trail is at Lancaster County Central Park. Although there is...
Included in the seven-mile network of trails in Little Buffalo State Park are two small sections of rail-trail. Together they are called the Newport and Sherman's Valley Railroad Trace. The...
Currently, over 10 miles of the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail are complete. The trail runs between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg, and interpretive signs relate the region's history. The trail is mostly paved...
The 7.1-mile Warwick-to-Ephrata Rail-Trail runs from Ephrata west to Lititz in Warwick Township, following the former Reading and Columbia Railroad, which began service in 1863. The Lancaster Junction...
Part of the Gettysburg area's growing trail network, the North Gettysburg Trail begins at the north end of the borough at the northwest corner of East Broadway and Old Harrisburg Road. The asphalt...
Part of Manheim Township's growing greenway network, the paved, multi-use trail begins at the access road to the Manheim Township Community Park and loops around athletic fields and a playground at...
Farms and pastures surround the Conewago Recreation Trail, but it was the discovery and mining of iron ore that led to the development of the railroad that eventually resulted in this trail. The path...
Often cycle the Heritage trail itself and other times in conjunction with the NCR to the south. Plenty of places to enter the trail to satisfy whatever distance you may want to cover and beautiful vistas along the way. York county has done an excellent job with the trail. Definitely worth visiting and riding the HT.
I hopped on this trail somewhere around the mid point and headed towards Lititz. Very nice maintained. I even enjoyed a few alternative routes around a park and a school. I was hoping it would go farther towards the pleasant downtown area in Lititz but feel that the streets are safe enough to travel to all of the shopping attractions in Lititz. I the returned back to the trail and followed it back all the way to Ephrata and was pleasantly surprised to see that that end of the trail leads to downtown. I even caught a glimpse of a small BMX style practice track that I was tempted to try. I also want to mention that there are bike rental options at either end of the trail that makes for a great option for non-owners.
This trail has many nice features such as a gentle gradient and very few road crossings. The trail is popular among pedestrians and cyclists therefore on balmy days traffic on the trail will require care and patience.
I’m handicapped and ride a recumbent trike I am a stroke survivor and my disability is my balance ability. This trail is great for me I used to hike it as a Boy Scout and thought I’d never see it again but my trike made it possible . Love the trail
I've ridden this Trail many times, done the whole thing in stages over the years as far North as New Freedom PA. Very enjoyable, but can get VERY busy in the Summer. Traffic lightens up as you go North, peaceful ride once you get out on the Trail away from of the Busier Parking Areas. Avoid the Monkton Lot at all costs....Particularly in the Summer!
Nice (approx 20 mile) out and back bike ride on a beautiful fall day. Appreciated the well maintained mostly level gravel pathway. Left from Quarryville area parking lot and rode to the Martic Forge closure. Many birds crossed the path as well as woolly bear caterpillars. Nice to know that there are 2 bike stations along the way if needed. We'll be back!
1st time on trail. Very beautiful and calming. Beautiful scenery. Trails are flat with some incline. Only suggestion I would like to see is some extra Porta John's. Lots of benches. Needs more Porta pots. All else is great.
This is one of the most secluded rides in a pristine natural setting I have been on in PA. Absolutely quiet with no crowds or traffic to contend with. Rode a couple weeks after tropical storm Ida came through. There was a great deal of flood erosion damage at the Rausch Creek bridge (Appalachian Trail crossing). Considering this, the entire tail bed was in surprising good condition. No standing water anywhere and very few flies or mosquitoes. Only encountered a couple washouts over its entire length. These were easily navigated around though with little effort. The trail is indeed a little rougher at the western Ellendale end but it was evident that many repairs were recently done. Only a matter of time where these coarse gravel fill-ins will eventually smooth out. Used a hard tail hybrid with 29” x 2.25” knobby tires filled to 50#. Ride tolerable for 90% of the time although I did tire of the coarser stone sections at the conclusion of my ride. Due to its isolation and cellphone signal dead zone, I recommend starting at The Coldspring Road access. Although a very steep dirt road, Coldspring Road is in very good condition and accessible to most cars. I highly recommend this as the ultimate “get away from it all” ride.
Ephrata side of trail is paved and clean. Warwick side has Small crushed limestone that just cakes on chains and bikes. This is the only local trail I ride that I have to wash the bike when done.
Another downside is the 11 road crossing that can be very challenging depending on time of day. With 2 of the worst traffic crossings on the Warwick Side.
My husband and I rode the 7 miles out and back today from the Warwick municipal authority parking lot to Ephrata. A lovely ride. Crushed stone and asphalt. Stopped and at Brewsters. We had the pork sandwich, delicious! Recommend this trail.
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