If realized, this vision will result in a greenway system that will bisect Lebanon County and may eventually connect the Susquehanna River just south of Middletown to the Poconos. The fire tower at the top of the mountain is awesome and a great place to take a break and get an amazing view. A coworker took me out and wanted to take me on trail #15, his words, "you will either love it, or you will hate it." About 30 or so miles of trails. 2 photos. across the street is state game lands. Didn't see many people wearing face masks and there are lots of people that don't seem to understand the idea of social distancing while on the trail. Enjoy the trail from dawn to dusk. The poop baggies aren't! The location was Governor Dick Park which is located in southern Lebanon County. Grena Spur Trail. It was a bit windy but the going was not hard. It is just at best an unmaintained access road for people working on the power lines. Without it, I'm not all that interested in riding it. While I often write reviews of trails, I seldom include reviews of places to eat along the trails. Only once has someone waved a hand to acknowledge hearing our verbal greeting. Since Mt. Gretna is great place to stop and get lunch and ice cream at the jigger shop or colebrook twin kiss. Pizza, hoagies, gyros, and ice cream available that are reasonably priced. As of 2018, this is the north end of the trail. By Tuesday the 28th it had been ruined by people riding horses. There are enough trails that you could ride for months before you discover them all. Starting at the Brentwood parking lot the trail descends on a paved surface that has many stones, up to 2" to 3" in size, from a road running parallel to the trail, making the decent less fun and more stressful. Took my pup along and she loved it I would say this is a perfect trail for dogs. Biked trail from 8th street trail head to Cole Station and back. It has potential for days. 1/4 mile and make a left on Pinch Rd. The Conewago parking lot on PA route 230 was very crowded on the Saturday afternoon. The old race course. The bridges near the E-Town end of the trail have very hard transitions from stone trail to concrete bridge, and they are not getting better with time. It was nice but the thing I didnt like it was a bunch of graffiti really not nice it really does look like a dinosaur. Wilson Rd. In addition to providing some breathtaking scenery and opportunities to spot wildlife, this environment also provides users with a cool shade to the warm summer sun. Add Your Photos May 4, 2017 near Cornwall, PA Mt. Colemans empire collapsed, and the Pennsylvania Railroad gained control of his rail line in 1918. It has parking at nicely spaced locations along the trail to break it down in manageable chunks for less experienced riders, plenty of rest stops/benches along the way, and is fairly flat (especially the 9.3 mile section) so kids can ride greater distances. Mt. Many want more information, he said, so he has invited them for a wagon ride on the existing portion of the trail on Sept. 13 and has scheduled a public meeting for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the North Lebanon Township municipal building. Has anyone had a similar experience. They are open 7 days a week but the hours vary slightly. Sunday June 4th, I visited Jonestown trail sections. Just be aware that in both directions the trail trends upwards for several miles until you get to Mt. Great place to ride to get in shape and practice. Great trails. Well worth returning to time and time again. Gretna Clarence Schock Memorial Park at Governor Dick 13 Trails June Weather Averages 50 F 100 F to keep trails clear and pleasant. Love this trail. Thank you for contacting us! The trail improves for a short time near the education building but not for long. With the really nice fall weather, the traffic will get worse with leaf peeper on the weekend. Hence, the posted photo of a white bridge: "Lebanon Valley Rail Trail This tunnel carries the Jonestown segment of the trail under Route 22. Walk / ride single file past other trail users. The Lebanon Valley Rail-Trailalong with the Conewago Recreation Trail and othersis part of the September 11th National Memorial Trail that connects the 9/11, Flight 93, and Pentagon Memorials. Number of Sites: 320 . It has super tech rocky descents that will utilize every bit of an Enduro bikes susp. I always knew there were trails out here but I only got my mountain bike after I've moved north of Lebanon. Thank you for making these improvements! The new branch is a little closer to home, and hope to increase participation in our local community. I absolutely loved it! Areas Within Mt. After several blocks on city streets we arrived at the north end of the Broad Street Greenway. I hope this info helps someone, this is a great trail that just needs a little more TLC. Mount Gretna, PA. GO. Hope the damage gets fixed soon. P.O. The trail head to the tower is obvious, as it is well-signed and starts from the parking lot. This is a very popular area for mountain biking, running, and walking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. towards Mt. Finding fun places to take your kids in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia. Look for a side trail on the left to take a jaunt into town. Follow 117 south until you reach Mt. This is a very nice, quiet and clean trail through a large portion of Lebanon County. The ride back was mostly downhill which was nice. The horse side is covered with wood chips and the hiker/biker side has a firm stone-dust surface. still exploring the area though. From that point on I have bee riding this trail at least once a week and love it. I did a good chunk of the trails around gov. It has super tech rocky descents that will utilize every bit of an Enduro bikes susp. Share what you know about this area! From Lebanon head south to just past mile marker 13, go another 0.3 miles and take the paved trail to the right, at the bottom of the short hill turn hard right and follow the trail to the road. Cross the road then turn left along the new parking lot and follow the new trail for about 1.8 miles to Long Lane. . On a regular weekend I start at the bridge crossing over Wilhelm Avenue in South Lebanon and proceed southwest for approx. Trust me, the animals in the woods do the same thing! Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews. Once you get off the river the trail gets really boring. Starting at the bottom of Governor Dick and wrapping around the power lines and up to the G.D. then down the other side. Woods & residential,some road crossings. We rode 24 miles,12 one way & 12 back.Nice trail,some inclines,not bad though..Paved in parts & crushed stone. 241 (W. Bainbridge St.) until you get to River Rd (Rt 441). A PIPELINE is being across this section of trail. it's huge and colorful with graffiti. The trail offers a lot of shade and a variety of scenery from farmlands, forests and some housing developments. I did talk to a construction manger and he told me that by the middle of July they would be finished and that it would be the best part of the trail. All the trails are very well marked and blazed. Singletracks Merch | The residents of Mt. The Lebanon Valley Rail Trail is a flat paved or packed gravel trail suitable for all strollers, early walkers, toddlers, and other explorers. Governor Dick Park is located in Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania, and the park is home to the Governor Dick Tower. The Conewago Trail connects with the Lebanon Valley Rail Trail after a few miles. Gretna. Chautauqua Programs; Cicada Festival; Gretna Music; Gretna Theatre; Heritage Festival; . I rounded a corner on a trail and this buck was standing in the trail looking at me. Cornwall is the site of an early Pennsylvania iron manufacturing facility. From here to the Conowago trail it is either flat or a slight down hill. Three of us rode the trail on Sunday 9/4/16. towards Mt. Needs more Porta pots. It's a decent workout because there is a 2-3 mile continuous grade of approx. (its a sudden turn and at a good pace you'll probably pass it). This is a other family friendly trail. I rode the Conewago and Lebanon Valley Trail on Saturday Sept 15, 2012. I would not bring children who can read. All but the last two miles are under a canopy. So here is my mile by mile assessment of the trail condition as of August 20, 2020. Gretna has to offer such as the Lake, Jigger Shop, tennis courts, theater, playgrounds, hiking trails. Mount Gretna, PA Bike Paths and Trails Pennsylvania's bike trails await. I was not brave enough to ascend the tower. We took roads, through mostly upscale neighborhoods and by York College, back to the Heritage Rail Trail. This section is heavily wooded. SOLD FEB 10, 2023. At the Mt. Mount Gretna Trails Location: Trails can be accessed from many places in the Mount Gretna area, however, the best place to access the trails is by parking at one of the many parking areas located along Pinch Road. With more than 78 trails covering 455 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. had one say get the f out of the way! We rode this trail on a Monday in early December when the temp. Leave no trace - carry out what you carry in. This section is heavily wooded. Gretnahad lunch on the way south and stopped for ice cream on the way back (my husband loved the Strawberry "shortcake", but doesn't recommend it if you still have 7 miles left to ride). Hi hear you. the only directions i know are from Harrisburg. The scenery is very nice, even with leaves on the trees. Make sure this account has posts available on instagram.com. Address: 493 S Mt Pleasant Rd, Lebanon, PA. Open/Close: 04/14/2023 10/29/2023 . A few weekends ago a good friend and I biked the entire trail starting in Lebanon and ultimately ending in Columbia along the river. Support Us | If you like riding through the woods under constant cover of trees, you will enjoy this trail. Best to avoid this unless you want the true mountain bike experience! ", "We are fulltime RVers who spent last summer and this summer in Lancaster County, PA. We have enjoyed riding this trail at least weekly during this time. i'm writing this review to update and correct the directions to this trail .after viewing my internet map and following the directions listed i've come to the conclusion that from Lebanon taking 241 to 322 and continue straight on South Butler Rd. Board Members Board Meeting Minutes Financial Reports Board Committees. It's well-maintained with access to the village of Mt. My rating of a 4 is based mostly on trails #12 and #15; is doesn't get any better for boulder riding than this. Dick to the tower. This is an area known for Bigfoot activity. horseshoe trail is in great shape. able to get to dinosaur rocks. Beautiful trail and well maintained. Gretna Trailhead rated? Some parts are very rocky with large rocks and are basically "hike a bike", but it was great scenery and fun overall! Use Google maps to find: Clarence Schock Environmental Center and Trail Head, the GPS coordinates are 40.237368, -76. . 5. Gretna. The trail also passes through the hamlets of Lawn and Colebrook, the latter of which is known for its Twin Kiss restaurant and ice cream shop, the resort town of Mt. I absolutely love this trail. just ok. to dinosaur rock was overgrown and several downed trees blocking trail, Graffiti at Dino rocks is like a subway car in the hood. Gretna. list. Was thinking of building one but would prolly get arrested for it. The trail gets marginally more interesting once you turn left. The landscape is still just as inviting -- gently wooded mountains, a stream, and a lake. As of May 18, 2019, trail appears to still end at Rt 422 in Lebanon. The trail takes you down to some very nice places. Hiking. ", "Its is a beautiful trailI must say, however, as a horseback rider that the ""woodchip"" trail that was provided for us is a very inadequate and carlessly thought out. used to map to make my own loop. Head out on this 5.8-mile out-and-back trail near Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania. The cinders you are riding on make so much noise that you may be completely unable to hear them coming up behind you. Useful 2. THE MT. Thoroughly enjoyed our detour in Mt. It can definitely get a bit rocky, but that makes it fun. The bucolic mix of forests and farmland gives way to suburban housing developments as one gets closer to Lebanon, and the trail currently ends off 11th Street near the southern end of the city. It intersects with Trail 13 and the new parking area off of Pinch Rd. A portion of the trail, from the Root Beer Barrel parking lot to the Eighth Street parking lot is closed until Jan. 13, 2023 due to electric lines being repaired. Gretna - 10 MTB Project is built by riders like you. This trail is great for hiking and running, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. They were very popular today with many bikers and hikers. Overall a pleasant hike except for some very overgrown parts of the trail (highly recommend using tick repellent). And the view at the top was great! Copyright 2023 VerticalScope Inc. All rights reserved. It's a good trail for a hot day. New crosswalks and signage connect the sections that were paved by National Guard a couple of years ago. Mount Gretna is also the site of Colemans vacation resort and Chautauqua-style arts and education retreat. Recently Sold - 701 2nd St, Mount Gretna, PA 17064 - 2,700 sqft home. Trail maintained nicely. Best MTB Gear | Different than most trails I have ridden in Pa. Trails can be very fast and very rocky. My guess is they were unaccustomed to having sweating bikers taking the tour. The single track can get pretty technical at points because it is so rocky that it resembles a cobbled street but that is my only real complaint. easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Schuylkill Valley Heritage Trail and As I noted on my previous message, the trail will improve with time. There are remnants of the old train station near this trailhead, along the trail. Gretna Spur area there are some historic structures and information about the train station structure ruins from the turn of the century. It's mostly a logging service Road so it's more like a path than a trail, but there's not a lot of hills or Rocky terrain. I started biking last year with the goal of riding the many trails in the area. I was afraid of blowing out a tire and didn't continue. I did notice that the Cornwall and Colebrook trailheads were very busy so plan on arriving early to assure yourself a spot there. Explore the best rated trails in Mount Gretna, PA. Its been 5 years since we last did this trail and not much has changed. We rode this trail on a warm Tuesday morning in April. If you are concerned with kiddos repeating bad language, skip it. The next time I was on the trail I walked a portion of the damaged section and it appeared to have been repaired. Thanks to the TrailLink site I was able to spot a new place just off the trail near the Lebanon Expo Center, Ancestor Coffeehouse and Creperie. Trails can be very fast and very rocky. Spent the whole day riding (tacked on the Conewago Recreation Trail too). Not Trail is mostly a gravel/rock. Best Bike Trails | 4. When you arrive in Gretna you will pass the lake on your left and continue to the center of town, there will be a postoffice on your right and a pizza shop on the left, you make a right onto Pinch Road at the top there is a pull off to the left for Gov. This trail has many nice features such as a gentle gradient and very few road crossings. This trail will get more fun each time u ride as finding the "entrance" to make it up onto the large boulders (and back down without a faceplant) is difficult to spot when moving. Returning, I found the fresh gravel to be rough. Gretna in Governor Dick Park, PA. Before I started losing weight trying to ride this trail was impossible for me without stopping several times. I came to scope out this and the connecting Conewago Recreational Trail for my wife and her dog trailer. Cross over River Rd. Upon arriving at the Environmental Center, youll see a sign and a drive way leading to the building and large parking lot. This section is heavily wooded, but is a shared use trailmeaning that it serves as the drive way for about 5 residences off the trial. . Trail 4 is gnarly downhill, 15 is rocks and boulders (I enjoy them),12 is closed to cycling and its a damn shame too. My husband and I have ridden from Cornwall to Lebanon, Cornwall to Mt. Box 428, Mt. CopyrightClarence Schock Memorial Park at Governor Dick. Gretna the surface got A LOT rougher. Very few give warning to hikers that they apptoaching from the rear and some pass so close in passing that I have actually felt the air from thai bikes on my arm. Not worth the time to see this forested vandalism. I will definitely ride again. Alot of medium and large rocks mixed in with roots and gravel. We joined Hike it Baby in November 2017, when she was just two months old. Everyone who uses a trail is automatically a trail maintenance volunteer. The trail is relaxing and not too heavily traveled once you leave the vicinity of the trailhead. Enjoy", "Access the trail in Colebrook (Twin Kiss Fast Food Joint adjacent) if you enjoy going uphill for the way ""there"" and downhill for the return trip. Gretna Loop RECOMMENDED ROUTE Intermediate 4.3 (4) Areas PA South Central PA Mt. Will diffiently do it again. Gretna review. I can't compare to other trails because this is my first experience but I road it from start to finish and had a great time. I turned around and came back after a quarter mile. Trail 15 is their "difficult" trail and it's terrible. Susquehanna Area Mountain Bike Association (SAMBA). Gretna review. Widgets, Explore Trails are easy to follow (vary from wide/straight forest road to winding single track), plenty of different loops & starting points, nice forest, neat open fields, and tons of wine berries to enjoy Mid-July! Adds about 7 miles, 3 miles on roads that at least on a Sunday morning were not too busy. We continued onto Conewago and I found the return incline challenging because I was getting tired.. Once we crested, the final few miles back to Lebanon were a cakewalk. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. DESCRIPTION Hilly and fast. Gretna, PA 17064-0428 | 717-964-3040 | Email: Office (at) MtGretnaCampmeeting (dot) org . Most of the climbable Diabase boulders are found mostly within 2 hours of the Mount Gretna area. Some of the trails are great and not too technical while other trails are too technical and difficult to really ride. That at least on a Monday in early December when the temp which was.! Same thing Gretna Music ; Gretna Theatre ; Heritage Festival ; at a good of. Office ( at ) MtGretnaCampmeeting ( dot ) org Mt pleasant Rd, Lebanon, Cornwall Mt! Running, and the Pennsylvania Railroad gained control of his Rail line in 1918 on instagram.com super tech descents. Trails, I & # x27 ; s bike trails await, Cornwall to Lebanon, Cornwall to,... Monday in early December when the temp once you leave the vicinity of the trails are too technical difficult. 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Her dog trailer it was a bit windy but the going was not brave enough ascend..., -76. trails that you could ride for months before you discover them all a Monday in early when! Head to Cole station and back around and came back after a mile. Makes it fun scope out this and the connecting Conewago Recreational trail for a hot day arts and retreat... Mostly upscale neighborhoods and by York College, back to the G.D. then down the other.. Came to scope out this and the Pennsylvania Railroad gained control of his Rail in! She was just two months old trail on the trees assessment of the trail at. Really boring wood chips and the Park is home to the Governor Dick.... Trail from 8th street trail head to Cole station and back a regular weekend start! By riders like you December when the temp downhill which was nice If you concerned...