Find the top rated birding trails in Progress, 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.
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!
Rode this trail for a first, 09/03/19 started at Newville and rode to Shippensburg which seemed to be the harder direction to pedal, then back. Found clean restrooms at both ends which is a big plus for this trail. Good sight distance at road crossings and brush is cleared back from the trail itself. A Scenic view is lacking as trail is heavily tree lined or flanked by high embankments which cant be helped and shouldn't discourage users. Passed many friendly folks who smiled and said hello.
So far this was my favorite ride of the summer. Well maintained! Diverse scenery!
Rode this trail today, 42.02 miles in total out to the reservoir and back. Parked at the Ellendale trailhead, fits about 4 or 5 cars. If you continue up the dirt road about 1 mile, there is a bigger trail head that fits a whole lot more cars and is the actual start of the trail.
Couldn't decide whether to bring my mountain bike or gravel bike, decided to go with my gravel bike. If you are a recreational rider, and used to well maintained rail trails on hybrids or road bikes, this probably isn't the place for you. I got by just fine on my gravel bike, but the surface changes ALOT. Hardpack, fine gravel, cinder, bigger gravel, and big rocks randomly. Be prepared to slow down if you are bombing down the trail. Also, there were a few trees down in the middle of the trail, and countless branches all over. Also lots of ruts. You will be just fine if you take it slow.
If you really want to bomb down this thing at a fast pace, I recommend a plus tire mountain bike, with at least a front suspension fork, tubeless tires of course to help soften the ride. It's very rough, especially at the Ellendale end.
All in all, I will definitely ride this trail again, and most likely bring my MTB next time. It's secluded, serene, peaceful, and the scenery is beautiful. I rode almost 4 hours starting at 7am and saw next to no one on this trail. If you need to get away from people for a while, this is your place.
Also, please be prepared and bring hydration, tools, spare tube, tire levers, etc, and know how to work on your bike. Wouldn't want to get caught 20 miles from your car here with a broken bike.
Great trail that goes through the heart of Mifflinburg and takes you through wooded areas, meadows, fields and old farms. Another highlight was stopping at Rusty Rail Brewing Company which is right on the trail. What an amazing restoration of a beautiful old factory. I can't wait to go back.
My wife and I have done many plus 20 mile rides and rank this near the top. Plenty of shade Well maintained surface clean bathrooms. Hanover Junction excellent stopping place with bathroom and museum. Loved seeing train pull in. Ride from York has nice ascent and was a good workout. Even better ride back downhill.
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