Find the top rated trails in Elizabethtown, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Originally the Reading & Columbia Railroad, this branch of the Reading Railroad was built to haul anthracite coal to Columbia where it was loaded into barges on the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal for...
Maryland's Susquehanna State Park is recognized for challenging hiking and biking trails, camping facilities, rock outcroppings, boating, a museum and restored historical sites. But none of these...
The Angelica Creek Trail, in Reading's suburbs, begins at a scenic stretch of the Schuylkill River Trail, then goes south along the river a short distance before heading northwest toward Angelica...
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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...
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...
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...
Northwest Lancaster County River Trail stretches nearly 13 miles along the east bank of the Susquehanna River between Falmouth (near the Dauphin County line) and Columbia. Along the way, you can...
The JFK Walking Trail is a hidden gem created to be part of the Pottsville Community flagship recreation complex. The paved trail is located behind the tennis courts and pool. A stylish sign complete...
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....
A work in progress, the 2.5-mile Uwchlan Trail currently extends from the Struble Trail off the intersection of Dowlin Forge and Shelmire roads, north along the Shamona Creek and primarily following...
Reading's Neversink Connector Trail is a short paved pathway that branches off the Thun Trail, a 18-mile section of the Schuylkill River Trail. It begins near the Reading Area Community College and...
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Just short of a mile in length, the Mill Creek Trail follows the south bank of the stream for which it is named in the suburbs east of Lancaster. Paved with a surface of compact woodchips, the...
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...
The MA & PA Heritage Trail is found in two segments (about 2 miles apart) through the wooded parks of Maryland's Bel Air and Forest Hill communities. The folksy sounding name actually stands for the...
Located in northern Manheim Township, the Brighton-Reidenbaugh Park Trail is a link in the suburban Lancaster County municipality's growing network of multi-use trails. The trail consists of 3...
The Chester County Parks & Recreation Department opened this trail in 1979 on part of a former Pennsylvania Railroad right-of-way. Today the 2.6-mile trail attracts more than 125,000 visitors each...
Picking up directly across Norwood Road from the Struble trail's south end point, The Lions' trail offers a half mile of paved trail winding through scenic Kardon Park with 10 acres of ponds and over...
The John Bartram Trail (a.k.a. Bartram Trail) is simply one section of the very involved Schuylkill River Trail, which is being developed in sections as funds and capacity permit. Currently 9.6 miles...
The Hollow Creek Greenway follows its namesake waterway through scenic woodlands and valleys, offering a quiet oasis in the suburbs. The trail provides an important link between neighborhoods, schools...
Two small sections of the Schuylkill River Trail have been constructed in Ontelaunee Township immediately north and south of Leesport in southeastern Pennsylvania. Both portions of the trail have a...
The discovery of anthracite coal in the Tremont area of Pennsylvania shaped commerce and development well into the 1800s. The Union Canal was constructed in the 1820s to connect the Schuylkill and...
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...
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...
The Exeter Scenic River Trail follows the north shore of the Schuylkill River. The tree-lined route provides views of the river and runs to the Klapperthal Trail at the base of Neversink Mountain.
The Union Canal Trail parallels Tulpehocken Creek between Stonecliffe Action Park northwest of downtown Reading and Blue Marsh Lake. The original Union Canal ran 79.5 miles from the Schuylkill River...
The Enola Low-Grade Trail (formerly the Atglen-Susquehanna Trail) is open for nearly 29 miles in disconnected segments between the Susquehanna River and Atglen in southeastern Pennsylvania. It follows...
Located in northern Manheim Township, the Brighton-Reidenbaugh Park Trail is a link in the suburban Lancaster County municipality's growing network of multi-use trails. The trail consists of 3...
The Thun Trail (pronounced "tune") is part of the Schuylkill River Trail System. Large railroad bridges, built in 1918, provide impressive views of the Schuylkill River and the surrounding hills....
Note: Per the York County website, "A section of the Heritage Rail Trail County Park will be closed starting March 21, 2016. The closure will begin at the Colonial Courthouse in York, south to...
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....
Originally named St. Anthony's Wilderness by Moravian missionaries who arrived in the colony in 1742 to convert Native tribes, the Stony Creek Valley became the site of five bustling towns after...
The Chester County Parks & Recreation Department opened this trail in 1979 on part of a former Pennsylvania Railroad right-of-way. Today the 2.6-mile trail attracts more than 125,000 visitors each...
The Hollow Creek Greenway follows its namesake waterway through scenic woodlands and valleys, offering a quiet oasis in the suburbs. The trail provides an important link between neighborhoods, schools...
The Angelica Creek Trail, in Reading's suburbs, begins at a scenic stretch of the Schuylkill River Trail, then goes south along the river a short distance before heading northwest toward Angelica...
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...
The Cumberland Valley Rail Trail runs down the middle of its namesake: the Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania, between the South Mountain and Blue Mountain ridges on the eastern flank of the...
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...
Less than an hour west of Philadelphia, the East Branch Brandywine Trail begins south of Downingtown and continues south along its namesake river. The paved trail passes through meadows and wooded...
The Springlawn Trail travels on what was once Springlawn Road, connecting Chesterville Road (Rt. 841) and Strickersville Road. The 2-mile trail is comprised of dirt and gravel and makes for a good...
A work in progress, the 2.5-mile Uwchlan Trail currently extends from the Struble Trail off the intersection of Dowlin Forge and Shelmire roads, north along the Shamona Creek and primarily following...
Currently a 1.75-mile section of the trail is open from 8:00 am to dusk. The trail runs parallel to Rosedale Avenue in Laureldale Borough on the former corridor of the East Penn Branch Railroad. The...
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....
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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...
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 Schuylkill Valley Heritage Trail passes through the rolling green hills of the Schuylkill River Valley, from just outside of Tamaqua to Middleport. The trail runs immediately adjacent to US...
Forming the eastern side of a triangle with Elders Run Trail and the 130-mile Horseshoe Trail, the short, charming Middle Creek Trail is contained within wooded Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area...
Just short of a mile in length, the Mill Creek Trail follows the south bank of the stream for which it is named in the suburbs east of Lancaster. Paved with a surface of compact woodchips, the...
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 Blue Marsh Lake Multi-Use Trail loops around a manmade reservoir just outside of Reading in southeastern Pennsylvania. The trail has a mixture of surfaces (hard-packed dirt, grass, gravel and...
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....
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...
Reading's Neversink Connector Trail is a short paved pathway that branches off the Thun Trail, a 18-mile section of the Schuylkill River Trail. It begins near the Reading Area Community College and...
Less than an hour west of Philadelphia, the East Branch Brandywine Trail begins south of Downingtown and continues south along its namesake river. The paved trail passes through meadows and wooded...
The John Bartram Trail (a.k.a. Bartram Trail) is simply one section of the very involved Schuylkill River Trail, which is being developed in sections as funds and capacity permit. Currently 9.6 miles...
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...
Maryland's Susquehanna State Park is recognized for challenging hiking and biking trails, camping facilities, rock outcroppings, boating, a museum and restored historical sites. But none of these...
Note: Per the York County website, "A section of the Heritage Rail Trail County Park will be closed starting March 21, 2016. The closure will begin at the Colonial Courthouse in York, south to...
Northwest Lancaster County River Trail stretches nearly 13 miles along the east bank of the Susquehanna River between Falmouth (near the Dauphin County line) and Columbia. Along the way, you can...
A work in progress, the 2.5-mile Uwchlan Trail currently extends from the Struble Trail off the intersection of Dowlin Forge and Shelmire roads, north along the Shamona Creek and primarily following...
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...
Hard to believe that this was a road, the trail has many large stones, might be okay for mountain bikes. On the plus side the scenery is wonderful. We rode this trail in mid to late September and the leaves that had already fallen made seeing the rocks difficult.
I was concerned about riding on wood chips but the trail surface was smooth and not too soft. The scenery is very pleasant, only drawback is that the trail is so short. Lancaster County has many short trails, most of them very nice scenic rides. If you don't loading and unloading your bikes why not try to ride them all, we did, its fun.
This is a very nice trail, although it is a bit confusing past the Furnace Museum/Furnace road. One need a to use the "Downtown trail" and go through local streets, as the "trail" between the river and the railroad tracks is very rough (large loose stones) at this point. Other than that, it is a very nice and easy ride all along the path. Some of the sharp turns are blind, so make certain to stay to the right. Plenty of places to stop and rest, and nice historical interpretation signage not to be missed. Make sure to check out the ruins of the Furnace complex next to the old canal.
Have been on this trail twice this summer, from Newville all the way to Shippensburg. A great trail, well-kept up and scenic. Lots of Amish on bikes and carriages (I saw my first Amish convoy!). Park about 1 mile from Shippensburg end is a great place for a rest or lunch break. Nicely kept up bathrooms.
We tried to ride this section of trail last year but got turned around when we came upon deep mud. This year we had a plan. I used the satellite view on the TrailLink map to determine which roads we could use to access the trail. We started at Quarryville and rode east, the trail is in great condition, smooth fine stone from edge to edge. Shortly after crossing under State Street (PA 372) the trail becomes 2 slightly worn single tracks over very large (for a rail trail) stones. Between Mt. Pleasant Rd. and Lamparter Rd. we came upon deep soft sandy soil. A truck had left 9 inch deep tire ruts in the trail. Even with 1 1/2 inch tires the sand was too soft to ride through. We returned to our car and drove to Lamparter Rd. to continue our adventure. From there we rode west about half a mile to the sand pit then headed east toward Atglen. The trail surface varied greatly, sometimes very smooth more often rough. Most of the road crossings were steep descents to the road then steep climbs back to the railroad grade. One crossing, I think it was Orchard Buck Rd. was a steep rough climb, lifting bikes over guard rails on both sides of the road then a steep rocky descent back to the trail. There was a short section near the end of the trail where the weeds were waist high, but we kept going. So we can now say that we did the entire Enola Low Grade trail. We give the trail a low grade, but it was an adventure.
I loved it. I'm new to riding bikes on the trail rails and this trail was good for me to start
I have biked, walked and xc-skied this trail many times in all seasons in all weather. yes, the Dauphin/Ellendale end is a bit rough but it offers some solitude and shady peace and quiet only a few miles from what has become the major trucking and warehouse hub of the northeast. Its 10 degrees cooler than the city and very quiet. Because of the shade and elevation, it stays snow covered and wet after surrounding areas have warmed up on the spring.The Stoneycreek is a great little trout stream if you're willing to slow down and be patient, and there are lots of quiet little spots to cool your feet on hot days. This place is a gem of wilderness surrounded by a noisy, busy world. Enjoy !
Walk the trail daily. Great trail, but I have noticed that with the increase in traffic, many bikers pass walkers at fairly high speeds and with no warning. Bikers please let walkers know you are passing. Also, there is a sign on the new bridge stating that bikers are to dismount if there are pedestrians on the bridge. I don't think most are aware of this. Not a real issue on a dry bridge, but could be when the bridge is wet, as the wood is very slippy.
I cant believe I passed this trail by. This is a beautiful region. The forest road passes by 3 reservoirs. The trail is actually a forest road. There are parking areas at either end of the trail with very clean restrooms. There is even a restroom around the halfway point. There are also non-motorized boats allowed on 2 of the reservoirs and numerous trails in the surrounding area. There are picnic tables along the way, and the forest is quiet and peaceful. The road isn't flat, but not too strenuous either. I plan to go back in the fall. I'm certain the color will make this ride spectacular. I highly recommend this ride to everyone. It's a gem.
This Trail is great for short and long walks and also short and long bicycle rides! Portions of the trail at the Columbia end give people the opportunity to rock climb or hike up to Chickies overlook. Going toward Marietta and Bainbridge, there are multiple historical signs telling you what the area used to be along with the sites from the quarry and an eagle's nest watch area. It's great to see everyone out and enjoying the river as well. It is a clean trail with paved paths.
We did the Rudy trail round trip north of York on Aug 6 and a portion south to the Howard tunnel starting at Brillhart station that same day.Today, Aug 27, we started at Hanover Junction and turned around at the York College. Next season, we will bike south from Glen Rock towards and thru the towns of Railroad and New Freedom. Joe Nolt. Lanc. Pa
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