Find the top rated birding trails in Colonial Park, 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.
So much fun! Just decided to pick a new trail to explore last weekend and drove to Columbia. Terrific scenery, paved, beautifully maintained, nice people, very well used with a park in-between, and all the “stuff” that makes rails to trails biking enjoyable. Plenty of opportunities to leave the trail to explore the charming town of Marietta—even drove back for dinner.
My husband, dog and I use this trail system at least 5 times a week. It’s longer than the map shows. If you are familiar with the area, this trail extends out to Lancaster Ave in Shillington. There are 5 places to park. Near the beginning of the trail @ the West Reading Fire House, the Reading Museum, the ponds, the field trail, and one at the Lancaster Ave end next to the soccer fields. From open fields to wooded areas, there are plenty of scenic spots around for everyone. This is my happy place!
Went from turkey hill to dam. Not a soul on the trail. And no trains on the active line either! When the conestoga bridge is completed, this will be some ride. However, at the first creek crossing, the air smelled like a dead animal in the brush. Then on the return trip, a large pile of bear poop was on the trail. Bear must have been taking a mid day snooze in the near woods and we woke him up! Never saw him, but we sure smelt him!
Went south from new freedom for about 12 miles. Nice path, not single track like other rider wrote. Lots of people on trail. Wide enough for everybody. Nice to see the old rail and ties still on the trail. Gives it authenticity. Would like to see more mileage signs though. State line kiosk was cool.
Decent trail of mostly crushed gravel. I started in Quarryville and headed west. The bridge at the Pequea Creek (sp?) is closed but you can use surrounding roads to join up with the trail further west. However, the next bridge at Safe Harbor is closed and the trail abruptly ends. I turned around but still got in 30 miles overall. Nice day.
Love this trail. Easy to run and very well maintained.
Mt. Gretna is very long, shady, hill, but with a tolerable grade ... which is great highlight. Most of the trail is crushed stone, with some paved sections in Cornwall & Lebanon; lots of shady sections. Unfortunately it dead ends at rt. 422 (read reviewer joelkring's comments about the sections north of rt. 422, but it means riding the streets).
Have made it as far south as Prospect Rd on the Conewago Recreational Trail. In Lebanon, there is an offshoot trail, just south of Wilhelm Ave. It leads to South Hills Park & the VA Medical Center. And South Hills Park has a 9.5% grade, which dwarfs Mt. Gretna.
Trail heads: Only Lawn & Cornwall have port-a-johns, so those are the best to park the car.
Bad road crossing, from a trike's perspective: Butler Rd. Bikes & pedestrians will have no problem, but trikes & wide strollers need to duck under the crossbar.
Chester Valley Trail & the Perkiomen Trails are also nice riding.
Wish list for this trail: 1) Connect it to the NW Lancaster County River Trail, 2) Connect the northern sections in Lebanon, and 3) Get rid of that stupid narrow gate at Butler Rd.
I’ve been on portions before without knowing! As the previous post from a few years ago signage on the east side of Hershey is poor. GPS or good ole fashioned pen and paper to make turn by turn easy!
I grew up in the outskirts of Bainbridge, just two houses away from the Haldeman Mansion on the river side of Locust Grove Rd, and as a young girl spent hours reading at the mouth of the Conoy Creek, rafting down the Creek to the river, swimming under the railroad bridge if the water was high enough. We went to the annual Strawberry Festivals at the Haldeman mansion for fresh pie. Our property bordered on the railroad tracks which were flanked by the overgrown empty canal, and my dad and I would descend one bank and climb out the other to fish in the river.
What a great use of nature to fill the abandoned canal and pave a trail! Now I wish I still lived in the area--I would be on the trail every weekend!
The trail is ideal for walking or biking, and there are great parks to stop for a view or snack, plus benches periodically for walkers who need a rest. Biking the trail is a great half-day workout. The trail is mostly flat and well paved, and the only slightly difficult part is the detour through Marietta.
I highly recommend to anyone traveling to Lancaster County in any season of the year.
My first trail since coming back to PA late this summer. Nice crushed gravel mostly tree lined trail along the Swaty. Took a quick 6.5 mi out and back on a smooth and relatively empty weekday morning. Nice parking and access from the state park. I didn’t see the marked parking on the south side near the KOA so drove further up. Will definitely come back and explore the other improved trails in and around this area!
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