Explore the best rated trails in Carlisle, PA, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Heritage Trail (PA) and Elizabethtown Connector Trail . With more than 53 trails covering 292 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.
I was in Harrisburg for the weekend and looking for a bike ride on Sunday morning with friends. We greatly enjoyed biking the Capital Area Greenbelt. The ride is paved with short bits of gravel, mainly flat but with some steep but short hills. The trail does cross some busy intersections, but there was always a crosswalk and usually a traffic light. Cars often stopped for us at crosswalks. We rode counter-clockwise, starting at City Island. I agree with other reviewers that this trails is not the best for small children due to crossing these intersections. There was a short trail closure along the river on the southern part of the route, but I found the detour signs easily and we returned to the trail without problem. We biked on roads for a few miles, but we found only 1 road to be remotely busy (it was on the detour), the rest were neighborhood streets. There were walkers along the trail, especially in the parks, so caution was needed, especially at Wildwood Park. The trail was picturesque - both along the Susquehanna river and through several Harrisburg parks. Trail markings were present most of the time, but I agree with others - have a map. Or better, use the TrailLink app on your smartphone or download the route to your cyclecomputer (I found the route on Garmin.com and MapMyRide). We brought water and snacks, there was water along the way but few options for food. The bathroom at Wildwood Park was clean with running water and a water fountain. We are experienced riders, so I did not consider this a strenuous 20 mile ride, but it will be a challenge for beginners. Overall it was a very pleasant few hours exploring the area around Harrisburg, and if you are looking for an urban style bike ride this one will meet your needs.
After being on the back burner for most of the past decade, progress on building a multi-use trail between York and Hanover is moving forward again.
As its name implies, the Hanover Trolley Trail was originally envisioned to follow the route of the York-Hanover Fast Line, a trolley service that connected York City with the southwestern boroughs of Spring Grove and Hanover between 1909 and 1939. Two short segments of the trail, each about 1.5 miles in length, were constructed on sections of the old trolley line, one from Moul Field in Hanover east to Gitts Run Road in Penn Twp., and another from Hosiery Alley in Spring Grove east to Martin Road in Jackson Twp. in the late 2000's/early 2010's.
Unfortunately, efforts to continue building the trail along the old trolley line stalled due to the fact that some sections had reverted to private ownership while others were converted to public roads. To work around this, newer segments of the trail will be routed along an inactive Genesee & Wyoming rail line that closely parallels the old trolley line for most of its length. The first section of trail along this new alignment was built on the east side of Spring Grove from the RR trestle on the original alignment southwest through Spring Grove Community Park to the corner of Main Street and Railroad St. next to the fire station in 2022.
Now, two years later, an additional 2 miles of the trail have been built along the old RR line from the trestle northeast to the Jackson Twp. line, immediately west of an abandoned bridge over Sunnyside Road. The first 1.5 miles of this section parallels an existing segment of the trail and the two alignments are connected via a half mile of Martin Road, giving users the option of riding or walking a loop.
Unlike the segment that it parallels on the trolley line, which crosses rolling farm fields, the new section passes through meadows and woodlands along the West Bank of the Codorus Creek. Observant trail users will note the concrete abutments to a now demolished bridge over the creek and a small family cemetery that sits on the side of a hill southwest of Martin Road. After passing a bucolic hamlet at Martin Road, the trail reenters the woods and follows the creek to a dead end immediately west of the old RR bridge. This bridge is currently barricaded and not open for use, and there is no public access to Sunnyside Road. The most notable features along this section include the clear waters of the creek and old rock cuts that were dug or blasted out to build the RR.
Although it does not yet connect to Bair or West York, this newest section of the Hanover Trolley Trail is a big step forward for the project. Efforts are already under way to extend the trail southwest to Gitts Run Road along the old rail line and to connect with the existing segment east of Hanover. Once that is accomplished, the portion from Sunnyside Road to Bair should be completed, and a feasible alignment through West Manchester Twp. to York City is currently under study.
The trail was nice and enjoyed the bird songs. I had started at the Northern trail head and heading south to MD border. The problem is the trail isn't well marked once I had made York. I had gotten lost and wasted a lot energy and looped around York trying to locate the southern Heritage Rail trail. Decided to head back, luckily my phone hadn't run out of charge.
All that being said I will try it again later this year.
We have been riding on Chestnut St. since the 25th Street trailhead opened to ride to Long Lane. Last year they began working on the Chestnut St. extension of the trail and it is finally complete. It runs from near the VW dealership to Gloninger Woods Park. If you want to the 25th St. lot, turn right at 22nd Street, go straight at the traffic light then follow the parking lot around the Lebanon Valley Mall to right on 25th St. to the trail on your left just after railroad underpass.
We rode e-bikes from 12th and Cumberland down to colebrook trailhead and back on a Tuesday . Very nice ride. Easy going. Pleasant folks. Seemed about 1/4 e-bikes of the bikes we saw.
Very nice trail around a municipal park with ball fields and playground, then continues on mostly through beautiful farms and fields. Sections of gravel and pavement, mostly flat. Good for families with children, either biking or walking with strollers.
It is a very scenic rail trail. It is obviously well maintained and wide for a bike trail. As listed, it is hard packed gravel and dirt. I do not understand the negative complaints about the surface when it is clearly stated in the description. The minimum tire width for this type of trail is 32mm with 50 psi max. pressure. I ride 45 mm tires with 38 psi on this type of trail surface.
Road from Railroad Pa to Ashland and then back to Railroad. Trail is pretty good. Faster than most rail trails. Saturday was very busy. Scenery was nice. A rider coming towards me almost collided with a deer. Few spots were a little muddy.
Brillarts Station to New Freedom and back = a nice ride just over 30 miles. Going south it's a very subtle climb very as you weave through valleys carved by the Cordorus creek. Going back north a little speed bump as you view the scenery from the opposite perspective. Love the variety and interesting features along the way. Road on 35mm tires; about perfect for the champagne gravel. Got back close to sunset and noted PA park police keeping an eye on the lot but also making sure no one on the trail after dark.
My wife and I rode this trail today and we both agree, it’s at the top of our list of rail trails. The views of the farms, the creek (I would call it a river), York College and others make this ride so enjoyable. We are from Maryland and have taken the Torrey C Brown trail several times so we wanted to see how the HRT was in comparison. We parked at Seven Valleys and rode north to York (about 10 miles). The trail is in great shape and with the leaves off the trees, it helped to provide views all along the route. We stopped for lunch at the Iron Horse Restaurant in downtown York where Summer took great care of us. It’s only 3 block up main from the HRT. If we get some more mild weather this winter, we will start in New Freedom and ride north. It will be well worth it.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
Scan the QR code to get TrailLink on your phone
