1/17/15 Colebrook to Royalton/Middletown PA with Gregg Hudis, Chris "Cupcake" Kroschinski, Darlene Perez, Ariel, and Wilma Vargas.
Group shot along the tracks, Mount Vernon PA
Our next hike would be another point to point, this time between the Pennsylvania towns of Colebrook and Middletown.
My initiatives have always been the same, to try to connect every long hike we do with previous ones, and as of this writing there are only two section hikes that remain unconnected with other previous hikes: one in Harrisburg PA and one in Hancock NY. There were two hikes remaining to connect to Harrisburg, and three to connect to Hancock. This would be the first of the Harrisburg connectors, starting where we had passed through on two different hikes at Colebrook, along the Lebanon Valley Rail Trail, formerly a branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
Historic Cornwall and Lebanon Railroad
The railroad section we would be walking was originally the Colebrook Valley Railroad completed in 1883. The Cornwall and Lebanon Railroad was it's connection on to the east, and the two merged formally to become the same line in 1886. The line was built primarily to serve the ore deposits of Cornwall, though it saw other success for tourists to nearby Mount Gretna. Sections of the narrow gauge spur line were part of our previous hike loop around Governor Dick Hill.
LVRT
The main rail line became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad system in 1918. The line was used extensively to carry National Guard service men starting in 1885. The route was acquired for trail use starting in 1979, making it an early trail connection. 14.5 miles of the route is now the Lebanon Valley Rail Trail, and at the Lancaster County border it becomes Conawego Trail and continues for another 5.1 miles.
We met in the morning in Middletown, at our end point which was Etnoyer's Park along the Susquehanna River, at it's confluence with the Swatara Creek. The sun shone beautifully along the creek when Gregg and I arrived, with ice jams glimmering at the meeting of the two rivers. There was an island in the Susquehanna right there, and few park amenities. It was freezing cold on arrival, but fortunately not a lot of snow cover. Only Cupcake, Darlene, Ariel, and Wilma showed up to do the hike. This was a bit far for some people, and there was another hike going on the same day which pulled people away. Gregg and I were a bit late, but Cupcake and Wilma were both later. We had to wait for a bit for them to show up. I was just happy that my friends were still coming. The hike ended up being very worthwhile, with again more interesting things than anticipated. It was also quite relaxing compared with so many of the other trips.
While waiting at the parking area, a guy came by and chatted with us who lived locally. He worked at some local steel mill and told us there was a dead kid out on the island that they hadn't been able to get to yet. He said his backpack and boat were found, but that he had been trapped fishing on the island, and the river was too dangerous to continue efforts to recover him. Very creepy. The guy seemed surprised we'd be walking so far and tried to give us some direction. He also told us about how he'd had brain surgery and a bunch of other stuff.
Leaving former Colebrook Station site
We shuttled in Wilma's car to our start point in Colebrook, at the former site of the Colebrook train station where we'd looped in the previous area hike, and where I'd backpacked through with Jillane several years ago.
Historic view, Colebrook Station
The station was long gone, and the parking lot was now a large one for Lebanon Valley Rail Trail. We got moving right away to keep warm, following the grade west out of town. I'd already walked this section in the past, until we got to where the Horse-Shoe Trail crosses. The Horse-Shoe Trail heads north to connect with the Appalachian Trail in St. Anthony's Wilderness atop Stony Mountain, and southeast to Valley Forge. There are only a couple of hikes left for me to complete that entire trail as well, and I hope to do that sometime very soon.
Shortly after crossing Horse Shoe Trail, we got some nice farm views to the north and crossed a tributary to the Conawego Creek. The trail would parallel the creek for the rest of the way. We crossed Elizabethtown Road and then reached the village of Lawn, where there was once a station supposedly too. Nothing remains of it save for a wider right of way.
Lebanon Valley Rail Trail
The relaxing route took us over Eckert Road after the crossing in Lawn, and then through a culvert beneath PA Turnpike Rt 76. The trail was coated in ice in many places, making it a little tougher and forcing us to be a little more conscious of our steps, but it was overall alright.
County marker on Conawego Trail
We soon reached the point where Lebanon Valley Rail Trail became the Conawego Trail. Signs changed and the surface differed a bit as we entered Lancaster County. There was an old stone marker in the ground next to where the tracks would have been reading "Lebanon Co" on one side and "Lancaster Co" on the other. We continued on from here along pleasant wooded and rural backdrops to enter the little village of Bellaire. Our first thing we saw here was a back yard with a sliding board made out of half of an old pipe, and a goat resting beneath it. Rather odd.
Bellaire had an old building on the right side of the rail bed which had a masonry foundation and looked to be an old warehouse of sorts. I thought perhaps it was a staton, because it bore the name "Bellaire" as a station would, but there were historic markers to say so, and it's photo does not appear on an online list of former Pennsylvania Railroad stations in the region still existing
Before reaching Rt 283 underpass, there was a little side trail with a bench off to the right of the trail, with a viewing area of a small pond near the Conewago Creek. We headed over to it for a nice little break. We continued to pass beneath the bridge, and continued along the railroad bed as it began to more closely follow the Conewago Creek.
Conewago Trail
The creek was quite close and little side paths led to spots for good viewing of it. We continued on the rail bed, which went through a narrower cut, which was far different from everything else we'd been on along it for this trip. It then descended to cross Mill Road, Aberdeen PA where there used to be a rail bridge. Only one abutment remained of the bridge.
The trail continued on first through woods, then to a very nice area where all snow had melted and we skirted open fields that were on our left. This was the last segment before we reached North Market Street, just north of Elizabethtown. I had thought of how my good friend Conrad attended college there, and for whatever reason I never got to going and visiting him while there, when so many other friends from our circle had. We were very close to it, but this would have to be the subject of another hike.
There was a couple in the parking lot ready to do some jogging, but then turned back when they realized how icy it was. We took a break here and I went over aerial images on my phone. I had thought we might try to follow parallel roads to trace the former railroad ahead, but then looking at it I figured we might as well try it.
Cupcake checked out the right of way, which was rather overgrown. I opted to take an open field area to the left of it. There was an industrial center ahead that the rail bed went into, and there were still tracks on the other side, used as an industrial spur. After a bit of the field, we cut into the woods to follow the rail bed a bit. When that got too badly overgrown, we descended from it to the right. I noticed a camera on a tree, so I skirted it to the right. Wilma went right up to it, looking it straight on asking "What's this thing?". I told her to get away from it quick. We then climbed a small hill and descended back to the railroad bed. We were now parallel with a building and could see another building straight ahead. We followed the right of way directly out of the woods from there, and there were tracks to our left where one of the spurs ended. We got onto the tracks and continued to follow them between fences and buildings.
The tracks at Mount Vernon
The tracks left the building areas and entered some light wooded area. I noticed a deer standing on the tracks ahead of me. I really liked this section. No one was around and it was becoming even more secluded feeling than the entire trail section was. We passed many other sidings from the main tracks, now all overgrown to a degree that it would take some doing to clear them back off. On the switches read Bethlehem Steel, where they'd have been manufactured.
Bethlehem Steel
This area was known as Mount Vernon, though maps don't really show it any more. There was apparently a station stop here at one time on the line. We continued along, and crossed Zeager Road. The very active tracks were just above us, I believe part of the Amtrack line and formerly Pennsylvania Railroad. I had a look at the maps to determine if we should go down hill on roads yet, or if we should continue on the tracks. We kept to the tracks at first, and reached Bossler Road. The tracks were were following joined with the main line just ahead, and we opted to turn off here. We headed down hill, then turned left on Zeager Road. We immediately passed a beautifully restored old barn, followed by a stately house with a sign reading Moonstone Manor.
Historic Moonstone Manor
The building was absolutely gorgeous, and served as some sort of special wedding and event location now. I found out later that it has an interesting history as well.
The land was originally that of Miller and Indian trader Samual Smith, and it was known as Conewago Manor Farm. The land was acquired by Smith in 1742, and the original house must date to some time around then.
Moonstone Manor
The land was sold to Henry Bates, ironmaster at Hopewell Forge in 1800. Major renovations to the main stone portion of the building occurred in 1811, and the estate was renamed Mount Vernon. In 1899, the estate was sold yet again and used as an experimental vacccine laboratory. In 1913 it was again sold to the Zeager Family who operated a pig farm for two generations. The house has also served as a United States Post Office, a railway ticket office for lines including the Pennsylvania Railroad, an Inn, and now a bridal rental estate.
Historic Moonstone Manor
We passed by the buildings and then crossed the Conewago Creek on a bridge. There are apparently ruins of a grist mill on the property but they were not apparent from the road vantage point. We turned left on Locust Grove Road through a light residential neighborhood and gradually made our way up hill. Once we reached the crest of the hill, we could see the stacks of the Three Mile Island nuclear facility.
Three Mile Island is know for the partial meltdown that occurred in March of 1979. It was the worst nuclear accident in US history and was the cause of much of the anti nuclear power sentiment that continues to this day. I'd seen the facility from other vantage points before; from a trail Rocky Ridge near York PA backpacking, and from Governor Dick Hill on the Mt. Gretna Narrow Gauge railroad right of way. I'd never seen it this close up though, and we were getting closer.
We descended along the road for a bit, and soon we were parallel with the former Pennsylvania Railroad again. We passed a nice stone culvert to the left of the road on it, then went by a very old cemetery on the right hand side. The graves in it dated back to the mid 1800s, and the whole plot was lined by a stone wall. We continued down Locust Grove to Hillsdale Road, and turned left. This took us under an old railroad culvert where we turned right again on Gingrich Rd.
Rail underpass, Hillsdale Rd
We continued on Gingrich, which was parallel with the former Pennsylvania Railroad to the south. We passed another old culvert underpass, and then a scenic farm along the left, at the top of a hill. Billowing steam was visible behind it which made the farm appear as though it was on fire or something. As we continued to walk and gain some elevation on Gingrich Road, the stacks of Three Mile Island once again came into view, and appeared to loom over the farm in an unnatural way.
Three Mile Island looms over a local farm
Gingrich Road changed names to South Geyers Church Road, and the stacks became even more clear. We passed power lines with connections to the plant and descended past an intersection and down to River Road. There was another old culvert carrying a stream under more tracks there, another Pennsylvania Railroad branch (the two lines come together in Royalton just to the north). I though to continue to the left, to the near bridge over to Three Mile Island to see if I could get on the other side of the tracks. On the other side was the former route of the Susquehanna Canal, which I wanted to walk.
Historic view, Conawego Station
Somewhere in this area was the historic site of the Conawego Station as well, though there was nothing we saw on either of the railroad lines that showed evidence of it.
I went left on River Road briefly while the others waited. I could see through the culvert under the tracks that there was no bridge across, so we opted to just go right on River Road. We made our way down to the river at a boat club area which had no signs reading "no trespassing".
Ice jams on the Susquehanna
The sun shone beautifully over the ice jammed water in both directions. The Susquehanna looked as though we could walk right across it. We probably could at some point or another.
There were no visible remnants of the old canal here. This canal was part of the state canal system, the Main Line of Public Works. This Susquehanna Canal was actually the Eastern Division Canal of the Pennsylvania Canal system. This was a 43 mile stretch completed in 1833, between Columbia PA and the mouth of the Juniata River at Clark's Ferry, Duncans Island near Duncannon where the Susquehanna Division and Juniata Division began.
Pennsylvania Canals map
We turned to the right to follow the river up stream and look for canal remnants. No one was around to bother us. The stacks of Three Mile Island were just down stream. I didn't think we would get quite this close to see it. We stayed on the shore along some sort of a road, which seemed to end. We cut then to the right where there was a Winter boat storage area. I stepped between two boats onto a rather level grade. I thought this must be the former canal with the prism filled in.
Three Mile Island along the Susquehanna
The others followed a bit behind me, and I made my way to the tree line at the end. I could see a definite dip in the land and I knew pretty much right away that this was the former canal. I wasn't sure if we'd easily be able to follow it, but I headed past the weeds off to the left on a steep slope and made my way to the towpath. The towpath was badly overgrown, but the prism was still holding a bit of water, which was now frozen. I could walk right in the canal prism and continue north.
Former Eastern Division Pennsylvania Canal
Everyone followed me and made their way onto the frozen former canal. I was delighted to see that any of these remnants were still here. We continued walking them out to a parking area with a grassy swath beside the river. We continued through or beside the parking lot, which was the canal, to the north side where Water Street turns left off of River Road. Just beyond here was the former Lock #8. No wood was still in place, but the stone walls were in great shape. The craftsmanship here was quite a bit different than what I'd been used to with the canals of NJ.
Lock #8
The stone was so perfectly cut, and showed no mortar unlike the canals in NJ. I'd seen similar construction while hiking parts of the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal further down the river in the past. We walked up and checked out the view looking into the former lock area before moving on along Water Street. The canal would have paralleled this, and we could see the towpath berm in people's back yards.
Sun setting over the Susquehanna
We walked along the road and many of the yards to the left offered great views of the Susquehanna. A guy came out of his house to the right to chat with us a bit while we were on our way. He told us about the flooding, how high he'd seen the water get, and about the strange sounds it makes as the ice jams begin to break up.
We made our way a bit further and the road turned to the right to parallel the Swatara Creek from where it joined the Susquehanna. It was nice to see this bit of creek, as I'd been along several other pieces of it. Jillane and I had crossed it near Hershey PA, and had a much needed, relaxing swim. I'd crossed it also on the Appalachian Trail in Swatara Gap, and hiked a section of it on the Swatara Rail Trail and Union Canal.
We could see the cars directly across Swatara Creek on the Middletown side. We continued along the Royalton side heading north along the creek. I found what I believe to be the former site of the aqueduct that would have carried the Eastern Division Canal over the creek. There was a rather obvious prism headed toward the creek. The creek would of course had been much lower when the canal was in service, because this section is slack water known as Lake Frederick, from the dam just below Three Mile Island.
Sun setting over the Swatara confluence
The canal would have crossed almost parallel with State Street in Middletown. In addition, this was the junction of the Eastern Division Canal with the Union Canal. The Union Canal is one that I'm very interested in tracing the entire route of, because much of it is an over land canal, not just one following a major river the entire way.
Canal boats being manufactured
Swatara crossing in Middletown
I didn't realize it coming to this hike, but this point was apparently quite a major port because of these canals. Boats would have been made here and such. It was a real canal hub, however short lived it may have been as a result of the railroads that came shortly after. Even trolleys once served the town.
We crossed the bridge on New Canal Street, and from it we could see the stacks of Three Mile Island. We turned left on South Union Street, apparently named for the canal (though many towns named streets "Union" within the north during the Civil War to show their support), and headed to Etnoyers Park again. The sun was just disappearing over the horizon with it's last light glimmering on the ice of the Susquehanna. We all headed up town to get some delicious Taco Bell, which will likely be along the way of the next hike in this series.
Only a few more miles along the Susquehanna would connect with the previous Harrisburg hike. That looks as though it will be a very promising section as well. 2015 is going to be a year to tie these loose ends and finish things I've dreamed of doing. I will have completed the entire perimeter of NJ, connected every hike I've ever organized, and continue with countless other series' that only continue; on this hike alone we made connections with the Susquehanna and Union Canals, former Cornwall and Lebanon Railroad, and Horse Shoe Trail. The trips are bound to only get more interesting as the year progresses.
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