Chambersburg, PA Birding Trails and Maps

597 Reviews

Looking for the best Birding trails around Chambersburg?

Find the top rated birding trails in Chambersburg, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.

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Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type
28 Results
Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type

Ballenger Creek Linear Trail

4.2 mi
State: MD
Asphalt, Concrete

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park

184.2 mi
State: DC, MD
Brick, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt

Cumberland Valley Rail Trail

15.8 mi
State: PA
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Ed Miller Memorial Trail

2 mi
State: PA
Asphalt

Gettysburg Trail

3 mi
State: PA
Asphalt

Great American Rail-Trail

3743.9 mi
State: DC, IA, ID, IL, IN, MD, MT, NE, OH, PA, WA, WV, WY
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

H & F Trolley Trail

1.1 mi
State: MD
Asphalt

Heritage Rail Trail County Park

27.4 mi
State: PA
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Hollow Creek Greenway

1.7 mi
State: PA
Crushed Stone, Gravel

Huntingdon and Broad Top Rail Trail

12.6 mi
State: PA
Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel

LeTort Spring Run Nature Trail

2.9 mi
State: PA
Cinder, Dirt, Grass

Lower Trail

17 mi
State: PA
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Mount Airy Rails to Trails

1 mi
State: MD
Asphalt, Boardwalk, Crushed Stone, Gravel

Western Maryland Rail Trail

27.5 mi
State: MD
Asphalt

Capital Area Greenbelt

24 mi
State: PA
Asphalt, Cinder, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Gravel

Chambersburg Rail-Trail

1.6 mi
State: PA
Asphalt

Cumberland County Biker/Hiker Trail

2.2 mi
State: PA
Asphalt, Cinder, Crushed Stone

Fielding Belt Trail

4.3 mi
State: PA
Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Gravel

Hanover Trolley Trail

5.5 mi
State: PA
Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Gravel

Harpers Ferry Railroad Bridge

0.14 mi
State: MD, WV
Boardwalk
Accordion

Shuster Way Heritage Trail

3.9 mi
State: PA
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

WV Route 9 Bike Path

10 mi
State: WV
Asphalt

Broad Street Greenway

0.9 mi
State: PA
Asphalt, Concrete

Iron Horse Trail (PA)

10 mi
State: PA
Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt

Gettysburg Inner Loop

1.03 mi
State: PA
Asphalt

East Street Rail Trail

0.8 mi
State: MD
Asphalt

North Gettysburg Trail

0.88 mi
State: PA
Asphalt
Trail Image Trail Name States Length Surface Rating
The Ballenger creek Linear Trail is a 4.2 mile greenway in Frederick County Maryland. Constructed by both local developers and the county government, whose goal was to connect the community, the trail...
MD 4.2 mi Asphalt, Concrete
Overview Following the Potomac River, the C&O Canal Towpath traverses the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park for 184.2 miles between Cumberland, Maryland, and the Georgetown...
DC, MD 184.2 mi Brick, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt
Overview The Cumberland Valley Rail Trail rolls 15.8 miles through a bucolic valley that’s hemmed in by the Blue and South Mountains in south-central Pennsylvania. Running from Shippensburg to east...
PA 15.8 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
Named in honor of the late Ed Miller—a longtime caretaker at Renfrew Park and Museum and member of the Waynesboro Historical Society and Renfrew Institute—the Ed Miller Memorial Trail connects three...
PA 2 mi Asphalt
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...
PA 3 mi Asphalt
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...
DC, IA, ID, IL, IN, MD, MT, NE, OH, PA, WA, WV, WY 3743.9 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
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...
MD 1.1 mi Asphalt
Overview The Heritage Rail Trail County Park (HRT) runs between the Pennsylvania–Maryland state line and York, Pennsylvania. Most of the trail has a crushed-stone surface, although portions of the...
PA 27.4 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
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...
PA 1.7 mi Crushed Stone, Gravel
Overview Stretching 12.6 miles through south-central Pennsylvania, this rail-trail runs between Riddlesburg and Everett. About the Route Tracing a relatively flat path from the community of...
PA 12.6 mi Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel
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....
PA 2.9 mi Cinder, Dirt, Grass
Overview  The Lower Trail runs between Alexandria and Williamsburg, tracing the meandering Frankstown Branch of the Juniata River. The trail, with a mostly crushed-stone surface, is a remote and...
PA 17 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
Overview Mount Airy Rails to Trails (R2T) is currently 1 mile long split into two unconnected half-mile sections. Following a former railroad corridor, it will one day span nearly 4 miles across...
MD 1 mi Asphalt, Boardwalk, Crushed Stone, Gravel
Overview Hugging the picturesque Potomac River and the C&O Canal Towpath, the Western Maryland Rail Trail (WMRT) rolls for nearly 28 miles through Maryland’s narrow panhandle wedged between...
MD 27.5 mi Asphalt
Closure Notice: The Capital Area Greenbelt will be closed south of the PennDOT Building in Phoenix Park for the foreseeable future. The recommended detour uses S. Front, Sycamore, Cameron, and Shanois...
PA 24 mi Asphalt, Cinder, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Gravel
The Chambersburg Rail Trail is a 1.6 mile paved urban trail that connects neighborhoods just a few blocks west of the community's central business district. Starting at South Main Street (Route 11),...
PA 1.6 mi Asphalt
This gently winding trail in Pine Grove Furnace State Park passes along the shores of two lakes and through the woodlands of Michaux State Forest. Pine Grove Furnace began operating in 1764 to take...
PA 2.2 mi Asphalt, Cinder, Crushed Stone
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...
PA 4.3 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Gravel
The Hanover Trolley Trail is currently 5.5 miles in two disconnected trail segments. The trail is being built along the 16-mile corridor of the York-Hanover Trolley Line that ran between the two...
PA 5.5 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Gravel
This rail-with-trail bridge crosses the Potomac River near its confluence with the Shenandoah River, at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. A cantilevered section of the bridge allows pedestrian access...
MD, WV 0.14 mi Boardwalk
Accordion
The Shuster Way Heritage Trail (formerly known as the Bedford Heritage Trail) provides a safe and picturesque connection between a topnotch resort and a nationally recognized downtown. From the Omni...
PA 3.9 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
The WV Route 9 Bike Path follows the busy thoroughfare from Martinsburg to the Charles Town/Ranson area. Note that the path runs through open space with little to no shade. While the southern portion...
WV 10 mi Asphalt
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...
PA 0.9 mi Asphalt, Concrete
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...
PA 10 mi Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt
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,...
PA 1.03 mi Asphalt
Running along N. East Street in Frederick, this very short segment of trail is built on a former rail corridor. There are plans to extend the trail along the former Walkerville Southern Railroad...
MD 0.8 mi Asphalt
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...
PA 1.16 mi Crushed Stone, Grass
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...
PA 0.88 mi Asphalt

Recent Trail Reviews

LeTort Spring Run Nature Trail

Ran the Trail today in a light rain. Enjoyable and easy run through farmland and woods.

November, 2024 by djemmyers

Ran the Trail today in a light rain. Enjoyable and easy run through farmland and woods.

Mount Airy Rails to Trails

peaceful stroll through quaint railroad town

November, 2024 by jim905

Plentiful parking downtown and at Watkins Park on Route 27. East section is picturesque along smooth gravel, decked, and paved sections between interesting rock formations with varied vegetation. Museum in original train station depot is opposite beautifully restored caboose where right of way ends. To reach west section must walk north on Main Street and west on Prospect Road past castle to Hill Street entrance. West section is nicely paved with benches and trees carved with nature scenes. Also can walk up Hill Street, down Baker Street, and ascend stairs behind shops to reach Main Street. This will be a five star trail once the rail connecting east and west sections becomes accessible!

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park

Rough with Rider-Beware Hazards

October, 2024 by morgan.paul511

I biked from Pittsburgh to DC (GAP and C&O trails combined) 9/8 thru 9/14/24. This review is for the C&O only. Weather – excellent. Scenery- beautiful. Accommodations – very good. Trail surfaces –highly variable from narrow dirt paths laced with muddy holes to relatively smooth, hardpacked dirt to loose gravel (better for a pickup truck than a bicycle!). From 10 miles south of Great Falls into DC the trail/road was especially rough. I was riding an Off-road bike with 40 MM wide tires and momentarily lost front tire stability in MANY spots due to loose gravel (especially on the sloped paths leading into & out of lock areas). My biggest safety concern were the numerous concrete bridges over creeks & culverts that had ZERO guard rails, warning signs or even yellow paint. The bridge widths were narrower than the trail requiring the biker to NOTICE and move more to the center for safety. If a biker went off the side of any of these bridges, I’d expect serious injuries or worse. The worst safety hazard was at Lock 38. Approaching the lock from the southwest side, the (main) trail leads right across the top of the lock wall- that is 3 to 4 ft wide with only an outer rail – very dangerous. The drop off to the grassy floor below was about 7-9 feet straight down. I was in a group of riders that suddenly saw this “tightrope” situation and jammed on their brakes. (Nobody realized we should have diverted onto a narrow, unmarked path that led downward through the lock.) Fortunately, everyone stopped safely; walked their bikes down a slope and on to the safe path through the bottom of the lock. A simple, cheap sign could prevent the near-miss accidents at this spot.
I’m really disappointed that this National Park hasn’t (at least) marked these safety hazards. Considering all the hazards and the rough gravel, I think this C&O Towpath trail merits 2 stars.

Accordion

Great American Rail-Trail

such a beautiful trail!

October, 2024 by sherryschie

We started in Akron and rode about 18 miles north. Loved it!!!

Huntingdon and Broad Top Rail Trail

correction to the review below

September, 2024 by mustang67

That is Red Cut, not Red Rut. My husband says the best part of the trail is Red Cut. If you stand there long enough you can almost hear the trains coming. Make sure you read the plaque there.

Huntingdon and Broad Top Rail Trail

Beautiful Ride

September, 2024 by mustang67

Rode this trail today on our Giant Momentum E bikes. Started at beginning of trail in Everett, ended at Red Rut where the trail ends. 24 mile round trip. Trail was mostly fine gravel with grass in the middle. Some places gravel was slightly thick, but was not a problem for us at all. Goes through two towns towards the end section. Signs are easy to follow there. Follows along the Juanita river. However there is about a 2 mile or so section that is stone road. Would ride again if in the area.

Western Maryland Rail Trail

We love this trail

September, 2024 by scott_music

Since my wife has 2 knee replacements, this spot is perfect. Maintenance is being performed (2024) so it is a little out of the norm. Trail runs along C&O towpath so switching is easy. Also eastern part close to facilities. Western part more remote. We love also the many parking areas available. Geocaches add to the adventure as well. Will return.

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park

Perfect for bikepacking

August, 2024 by scott43243

Rode from Cumberland to a parking area 23 miles outside of DC, camping at four of the campsites along the way. They have been doing a lot of work to improve the condition of this trail and it shows. Weather was perfect, but most sections seemed like they would still be pretty good even after some rain. There was one detour that was a tough push over really rocky roads for a few miles. Other than that, it was perfect.

Great American Rail-Trail

West bound from Ellensburg. August 2024

August, 2024 by tastesbadtobears

We ( recumbent trike & e-bike) headed West from the Kiwanis park. Turned around after 9km as the surface was really tough on the trike. There’s 2 good wheel tracks for bikes, but the trike had to ride partially in the coarse trail ballast. Scenic area with farm views and a huge windmill farm in the distance.

Western Maryland Rail Trail

slightly boring

July, 2024 by t84rxbwmqt

On the way down we rode the rail trail. It’s was 90% trees and concrete path. Hancock was a cute little town tho and we stopped at the Blue Goose Market that was cute. We rode the tow path on the way back and I thought that was slightly better for the scenery. It was a gorgeous day to be out but I’ve been on better trail.

Lower Trail

Lifts my soul

June, 2024 by cfbaggett

I've lived in Boalsburg, PA for 10 of the last 13 years and have probably ridden the full 32 miles, there and back, of the Lower Trail nearly 100 times. It's because of this trail and the Pine Creek Rail Trail that I have fallen in love with rail trails and Pennsylvania. I won't repeat everything that has been said in other reviews, but I want to say a few things that have not been said and/or emphasized. These things are not necessarily unique to the Lower Trail by any means, but I promise you they can all be experienced on its path.

1) The Lower Trail is very remote, and this revives the soul! To get to any of the trailheads you are "forced" to drive through fertile farm fields, surrounded by majestic, ancient, and time-worn ridges. There's not a city in sight! It doesn't matter if you are coming from Altoona, State College, Huntingdon, or afar, you can't help but relax and let it all go on the drive there. Roll down the windows and enjoy Central Pennsylvania in all of its glory.

2) It's history, and this inspires! Native Americans forged this trail along the Juniata; the Main Line of the Pennsylvania Canal channeled its way through the ridgelines here; the Pennsylvania Railroad took a shortcut through the gorges to bypass Tyrone when traffic was heavy; Amelia Earhart spent her weekends in Williamsburg; there are hidden locks, loading docks, and long lost railroad bridges over the Juniata with only a few stacked stones of abutments left. Just think, Charles Dickens spent time on this trail as he was pulled upstream on a canal boat by a team of donkeys. He wrote fondly about this trail!

3) There's a river, and you can kayak it! It's called the Juniata! Leave your bike at Alfarata or Mount Etna Station, drive your kayaks to Williamsburg, kayak downstream along the Juniata back to your bike, and bike ride back to your car. You get the drift? You can spend a whole day biking and kayaking along this magnificent corridor. There's something incredible about paddling your boat under ancient railroad viaducts while navigating occasional rapids and waving to bikers on the trail as they ride by!

4) Human diversity abounds! Infants to retirees frequent this trail all year long. There are strollers, tricycles, gravel bikes, mountain bikes, street bikes, electric bikes, scooters, one-wheeled skateboards, recumbents, horses, and folks using their good old-fashion two feet. But, it's never too crowded, and everyone is so kind and courteous. The trail is wide enough to pass safely with a soft ding of a bell or a quick verbal cue of on your left. You can ride fast or slow, lazily or with determination. There is an in fact an 11 mile stretch with zero road crossings. Imagine the time trials one could ride! Or you can slow down and take it all in.

5) Natural diversity envelops you! Foliage and fauna, marmots and birds. My most memorable moment with nature occured while kayaking and a bald eagle on July 4th stayed with us for about a mile. Continually swooping past us, about 10 feet over our heads, gazing at us as he passed, perching in a tree just in front of us, and performing this dance over and over again.

My apologies if this review is a bit personal. The Lower Trail is truly a hidden gem. It's shaped me and my family - kept us sane and whole, and I give so much thanks to those who had the vision to make this trail a reality. There's nothing that gives me greater joy than when I ask my teenage daughter each spring if she'd like to go on a bike ride with me on the Lower Trail, and her eyes pop open and she enthusiastically says yes.

Lower Trail

June 2024

June, 2024 by jpcvt135

Rode this trail on a Tuesday morning in June, starting in Alexandria. The parking area is easy to find and has a bathroom. I encountered maybe 10 or 15 other people/groups in about 2 hours, mostly cycling with an occasional runner/walker. Lots of benches along the way with an occasional bathroom at other parking areas. The first 11 miles is all shaded with no road crossings, flat, and very peaceful once the trail veers away from the road after a mile or so. It is well maintained (didn’t see a single piece of trash), the surface is nice for cycling, and while the asphalt section had some bumps from tree roots, they were well marked. I turned around shortly after Williamsburg (about 12 miles) due to the heat, but will absolutely be back to do the entire trail. HIGHLY recommend.

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