Find the top rated dog walking trails in Ephrata, whether you're looking for an easy short dog walking trail or a long dog walking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a dog walking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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This is a nice trail to bike on a hot day. Lots of shade. There is a covered picnic pavilion right after the covered bridge.
Found nothing scenic or enjoyable on this trail. Rode thru questionable areas, not enough light in the tunnels to see the ground, crossed two busy roads, rode the trail right next to the women's prison.
We just moved to the area and live a half hour from the trail head so I wanted to give it a go. July was the 4th wettest month in recorded history for the area so factor that into some of my comments.
FIRST --- FINDING THE TRAILHEAD
I am an RT member and recently received the 2018 version of the Rail-Trails Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York Guidebook. Please ignore the directions in the book unless you are giving them to someone you dislike very much. Here is how to find it: After you get off Interstate 81 at exit 100 make a left to the traffic light. It is marked route 72. Turn left and continue on 72 until it intersects with route 443. Veer to the right onto 443 and continue on 443 until you reach Gold Mine Road on the left (it is like 9 miles or so to the turnoff). There is a wooden PA sign for Swatara Creek RT & Park directly to the right. Once you are on Gold Mine Road continue over the top of the first mountain (there are two!!). As you descend the mountain (I want to say about half way down) there is a gravel road on the left and a PA State Game Sign just past the gravel road (right now weeds almost have it obscured (see my picture, if RT allows it to be posted. Drive back that road. You will see on the right an extensive pile of macadam road that has been taken up and dumped there. Past it you will find the trail head, although there is no sign noting that this is Stony Valley RT. You have made it there!
THE TRAIL
I did my ride this morning after the very rainy July. There are significant wash outs some as deep as a foot and as long as 30-40 yards. There was a tree across the trail (which they will remove) that required some nifty maneuvering to get around since the trail is elevated at this point. The trail is VERY FLAT and CANOPIED its entire length. As a result there were a lot of puddles in the trail and in some cases extended puddles a 1/20th of a mile or so where the water was over the top of my rims with a rocky and muddy bottom. There were many soft spots causing some sliding and skidding. There were a lot of branches on the trail and they have been there for some time. I jumped a number of them and some were rotten and paths ridden through them. All-in-all the trail is very rough but very beautiful. On my way back to the car there was a porcupine on the trail and all he did was bury his head and extend his quills without moving an inch from the center of the trail. Since it is canopied its entire length I do not recommend sun glasses. I wore mine and it was very hard to see some of the debris, water and washouts on the trail.
DISTANCE
The trail book says it is 21 miles long. I rode 17 miles between the two trail heads noted in the book. I started to ride the dirt road past the trail head and it was laden with mega potholes and since I wasn't even sure I was on the right trail I turned around. Next time I will continue along the access road and report of what I find.
EQUIPMENT
I have read some of the reviews and one noted that doing this trail on a road bike can be fun and successful. I strongly suggest that you disregard that review. I have a full suspension mountain bike and I needed every bit of it. I spent more than my share of time out of the saddle and found myself slipping, sliding, bouncing and jumping the entire length of the trail between the trail heads. I would never even try this on a hybrid or gravel bike even if it is dried out let alone a road bike. It is a very bumpy ride...as someone else wrote, rough.
As noted, cell phone coverage is non-existent. I recommend either riding with someone or certainly wearing a RoadID so you have some help if something happens.
REVIEWER
The context for the reviewer is important for understanding the review. I do 10-15 century rides a year on my road bike and ride my mountain bike many times a week a minimum of 35-40 miles. I travel all over the country with my bikes doing centuries, trails and single track. This is a less traveled trail that is quite spectacular but be prepared when you ride it.
This was my very first Rail Trail I have ever completed since I bought my new bicycle. It was a blast! There was a lot of beautiful country land, farm animals, rock walls, and a creek that looked like it might have some trout in it. The parking spot Google maps had taken me to was a spot right off of highway 743 which I do not recommend. It was too close to the highway and dips down which made it very nerve-racking to back up and out of right into the busy highway. I suggest finding the very beginning of the trail for better parking.
I am also a Pokemon Go fan, and I play when I'm out trailing. There was 2 Gyms, about 3 or 4 Pokestops along the way, and tons of Pokemon spawning.
I highly recommend this trail for beginners. It was very easy.
Happy Trailing!
I don’t recommend for small children. My 13 year old son and I did the whole thing and we liked it. Some places were not kid friendly due to busy roads. It had a nice variety of wooded trails and city. The ride along front street is a nice finish with the river view and flat sidewalk with minimal road crossings. Stick to the river section if you have small ones.
This is my new favorite trail. It is flat, shady and immaculately maintained. Not one rough spot in the paving, not one piece of trash on the entire 14 mile length. There is lots of green space on both sides of the trail so that most of the time you don't realize that you are in the middle of quite a built-up area. We've started at both the Exton end and the King of Prussia end (2 different days) and in both cases rode about 7 miles to Media, where we had lunch, and then did the return trip. The Exton end is very flat while the King of Prussia end has a few not-too-difficult hills. There are a few road crossings but they are well controlled by lights and the drivers in this area seem to be familiar with the trail crossings and often stop before you get to push the button for the traffic signal. The only crossing that is a real pain is going over Route 100 if you want to ride past Main Street at Exton. We won't bother with that again. The trail is well used by walkers and bikers on weekdays but there was not so much traffic to make it feel crowded. (Not sure how busy it is one weekends.) We love this trail!
Liked the fix it stations. This should be on all trails.
Road the trail from the Boulden trail head towards Wilmington and was stopped at the new bridge. Workers there still doing replanking and it is closed. Went south towards Olde New Castle and found the trail blocked at the Suburban Kiosk about .75 miles from New Castle. Did see a deer on the trail. Can't wait until I can do the trail end to end.
Now that the restaurant in Monkton is open, with a delicious healthy menu, my wife and I try to ride this trail once or twice a month. We would ride it more often but its an hour and 45 minute drive to New Freedom just to get to the trail. The scenery is great as the trail follows a creek that is 1 to 2 feet wide near New Freedom and grows to 20 to 30 feet wide by the time you reach Cockeysville. We have seen lots of wildlife including a red fox. The trail surface is in dire need of improvement. Almost as soon as you cross from PA into MD you notice the difference, from a wide path smooth from edge to edge to a rougher surface with lots of pot holes. If you ride a recumbent trike you're in for a rough ride as much of the trail is two single tracks. The transitions from trail to bridges and at road crossings are also very rough.
Well maintained trail, nice scenery along creek, relatively flat, well designed bridge over Chester Creek. I believe there are plans to extend it another mile or so on the Lenni end. Only drawback is its length. Up and back is 6 miles, so if biking and you want a longer ride, you'll need to do trail a couple of times. Great local trail for those who want to walk the dog.
Was on the trail today with my wife for first time since tunnels have been opened. Great connection to go uninterrupted from Christiana River to old colonial New Castle. The lighting in the tunnels was not on and even in the daytime they are dark, so use caution, however it is a big improvement now that the two segments of the trail are connected.
We wanted to ride to the Christiana, but were not able to do so because of crews paving the last half mile of trail. We are grateful for their efforts and to see the trail progress "live." According to an engineer on the site, the bridge and connection to other side and downtown Wilmington should be completed in 6 weeks! Very exciting! Once completed you will be able to start at the northern end of the Greenway north of Wilmington, cut through downtown, hop on the trail on the Christiana riverfront, cross over the river and finish in New Castle. Can't wait!
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