Hike #583; Newtown PA Area Loop

 Hike #583; Newtown PA Area Loop

9/4/11 Newtown PA Area Loop with Rich Pace, Joe Tag, and Rob Creamer (with Bruce)

Rich at the former Newtown railroad station sign

My next hike would be a large loop in the vicinity of Newtown PA. I had not been to the area since September of 2009 when I did a scouting hike during the evening with Wyatt Hassler and "Commando Tom" Petrucci. This time I would plan out a route utilizing some of that route as well as many other nearby places. 

I would meet everyone on the corner of Penn Street and Lincoln Ave where the old railroad station used to be. The tracks from this rail line were still in place, but long unused. It was abandoned by it's last operator, SEPTA, in 1983. The sign at the former station platform was still surprisingly in reasonable shape.

The railroad to Newtown was originally under the operation of many companies. From it's original charter, it was intended to be part of the railroad system that would block the "national railway" that was to take over, and the reason for the construction of the Mercer and Somerset Railroad in NJ which I had hiked. In effect, this line was another piece of the puzzle I did not know existed. Of course, the line was never completed beyond Newtown, to it's originally intended bridge site over the Delaware.The railroad opened to Newtown in 1873. There really weren't many historic looking things around this, the northern terminus. The area had changed quite a lot. There was a CVS on the corner, and it appeared the line served as an industrial spur to a property just north of us, but that was it.

Former Philadelphia, Newtown, and New York Railroad, later Pennsylvania Railroad, Reading Railroad, and then SEPTA, in Newtown PA

Old rail line in Newtown PA

Parallel with the old rail line in Newtown PA

Old rail line in Newtown PA

Old rail line, Newtown PA

We crossed a couple of streets near the beginning. After crossing Sterling Street the line became almost completely overgrown. So much so that we could not walk on it. Fortunately, there was a lawn on the left of some business we could follow. After South State Street we had to cut onto the railroad heading toward the Neshaminy Creek crossing. It was pretty overgrown, but we got a bit of a break where it was up on a high fill. Someone at least was walking it here to keep it somewhat clear. We then crossed a tiny side road and turned onto it. It passed under the Newtown Bypass highway using the same bridge as the railroad. Once under the bridge, we had to return to the tracks because that road ahead was gated off.

Old rail line passing under the Newtown Bypass

It got pretty difficult here. There was obvious washout damage from the section under the Newtown Bypass. Since the rail line went through a cut, it was silting in badly, sometimes right over top of the rails. It was also badly overgrown. The only saving grace about this section was the fact that the course the water took was now a clear enough path to follow.

Abandoned railroad right of way south newtown p a

Old rail line south of Newtown PA

Giant tree along the old rail line to Newtown

The weeds in this section were really heavy, but we could at least pass through. As the cut deepened, and we got under a heavier canopy of trees, the weeds started to relent and gave us some easier walking. There were also some nice large trees in the woods around us. These woods had been left alone for some time. We were now surrounded by the property of the George School.

Old rail line near the George School in Newtown

Several large blow downs occupied the tracks as we moved on. I commented that ATVs must not be very popular in the Newtown area. Most rail lines would be kept quite clear by ATVs, but this one curiously was not.

Abandoned railroed to Newtown PA

Box Turtle

Old tracks just south of Newtown PA

An old signal tower near the George School

Joe from the old signal tower

The old rail line in the lawn of the George School

These old rail line unloading areas are apparently now used by maintenance department at George School

As we walked on, Joe spotted an old signal tower to the left of the tracks. This one looked surprisingly sturdy so I of course had to climb it. Rob and Rich went ahead and missed it surprisingly, because Rich usually notices all of these things.

It wasn't long and we came out of the woods onto the manicured lawns of the George School. Only the tracks had weeds growing out of them. I wasn't sure if we should be out there, so I wanted to hurry through the section. The tracks were still grown over, but much easier to follow on the lawn across the road to the George School. Shortly thereafter they reentered the woods. To the left us us was some sort of old unloading trestle site, maybe a coal trestle, that was now used by maintenance for roads apparently at the George School. Each section was filled with some sort of gravel.

Old rail line heading south of George School

Old rail line heading south of George School

The tracks ahead remained remarkably clear. No undergrowth at all. It seemed as though they were walked pretty regularly. We followed them from the at-grade with the road out onto a fill and soon approached the trestle over the Neshaminy Creek I had crossed with Wyatt a couple of years before.

Neshaminy Trestle south of Newtown

Neshaminy Trestle south of Newtown

To my dismay, the trestle was now barricaded off. It was fortified to the point that I had never seen a bridge secured before. There was chain link fence that not only crossed the tracks, it spanned over the edges of the trestle as to inhibit people from climbing around. There was a lot of signage, and on top there was razor wire. I had seen blockages with barbed wire before, but never seen anything aside from a jail or government facility go as far as to use razor wire. Someone was serious here.

Neshaminy Trestle south of Newtown

Neshaminy Creek at the trestle

Neshaminy Trestle south of Newtown

Neshaminy Trestle south of Newtown

This is the tracks where I climbed up out of them

Looking back at the trestle from a hole in the tracks

Old rail line south of Newtown

We descended from the bridge, and I attempted to climb up and around the fences to get on top. I could have pretty easily pulled myself up, but no one else in the group was going to try that, and Bruce certainly would not have made it, so we went down to the creek. I figured wading across was the best option. Even with the recent flooding from Hurricane Irene, it did not look all that bad at all. I began wading across and found it to be quite easy, but no one else in the group was prepared for such a crossing.

I made my way across while the others tried following the Neshaminy up stream. They soon had another small creek to cross that fed into the Neshaminy. They would have to make their way to the next vehicular bridge over the creek and make their way back to the tracks.

After crossing, I took my pack off, made myself a drink, and took a nice dip in the creek, which felt awesome. I then made my way back out and climbed onto the center pier of the railroad trestle to see if I could see the group navigating the weeds down stream near the George School. I couldn't see anything, although I thought I saw Joe coming back at one time.

I decided to make a jump off the pier into the Neshaminy like I'd done with Wyatt years before, which was great. I swam around a bit, and then made my way back to my pack to check my phone. No one had called me yet, which led me to worry, so I started calling them until I got through. I found that they did cross, and they had just about reached the tracks a few blocks to the south of me. I hurried back up to the bridge, where I had to climb up through a hole between the ties at a washout.

On the tracks in Holland PA

Retention pond berm along the tracks in Holland PA

Old tracks near Old Jordan Road

Old tracks near Old Jordan Road

The tracks to the south of me were pretty overgrown, so I had to bully through them in order to get back to the others. We crossed over Stoneyford Road and then passed through another area with really thick weeds. A piece of property to the left of us appeared to be some sort of old overgrown field, and there was sometimes a trail along side of it that provided a somewhat clearer alternative to walking the overgrown tracks.

While walking somewhat close to a residential area to the north, we could hear the hoakie sound of chiming music: it was the sound of an ice cream truck. Rich had really wanted some ice cream, and we were hoping to get to a road to get out to it, but it wasn't to be. The music faded away slowly after tormenting us with false promises of cold sweet foods for over five minutes.

We continued on as the railroad went from a flooded and overgrown cut to an overgrown fill. Before the fill got too high we made our way across the tracks from the field area to the south and into some woods to the north out to Buck Road.

The railroad crossed Buck Road on a girder bridge, and across a paved road paralleled the line, called Spring Ave. We of course opted to follow this one instead of the overgrown tracks. Along the way, Joe found a pair of women's underwear and hung them on a "No Dumping" sign much to the amusement of everyone. He also found a crummy old hat, put it on, and nearly lost the good one he had worn that day.

Near the end of Spring Ave, a dead end street, we cut back onto the tracks. I crossed to the other side to see if there was an alternate way on the other side, but there was not. An old industry building was immediately adjacent to the tracks, with a new cell tower making use of an old smoke stack, and there were homes both east and west of the building. We had to continue along the tracks.

It wasn't too long and we found our way out onto a retention pond berm off to the left of the tracks. This was a welcome walking experience. We followed it to the end, and came to a fence at someone's back yard where a path went around and back onto a cleared section of the tracks onto Old Jordan Road. By this time, we were finished bushwhacking.

Old tracks near Old Jordan Road

Old tracks near Old Jordan Road

Old tracks at East Holland Road

We opted to turn left on Old Jordan Road and then right on East Holland Road. After a ninety degree angle turn it took us back across the tracks, which were still very overgrown. It was awful to have to do long road walking sections, but it beat the undergrowth. We came to an intersection with Holland Road, and turned left to the corner of Elm Ave. This road paralleled the tracks for the rest of the time we would need to be on them fortunately. It was only clear for the short section it was in someone's yard.

Old tracks on the corner of Holland Road and Elm Ave

We continued on down Elm Ave, a straight but relatively quiet residential street until the end of the homes, and there were paths on the left over the tracks. I opted cto climb up and have a look, and sure enough the tracks were now clear enough to walk, and there was a very nice view over to Springfield Lake. The tracks now were between the lake and the road.

Springfield Lake near Holland PA

Railroad near Springfield Lake

Railroad near Springfield Lake

Railroad near Springfield Lake

Springfield Lake

We began to follow the tracks above the road, in a nicely shaded line of trees. There were some nice views through the less dense undergrowth out over Springfield Lake. We continued along to the west side of the lake and found some paths leading down the slope of the railroad fill to the left. We descended and began to follow the shore of the lake on this path out to a clearing, like an old roadway.

Springfield Lake

Old roadway along the shore of Springfield Lake

The roadway led to the right a bit out to a somewhat cleared area, but it wasn't as clear being there as it had looked on the areal images I was looking at on my phone. We crossed over and then sort of bushwhacked for a bit through forest with no undergrowth. We ended up on another pathway, sort of an old road that became more prominent as we walked. It had some wet areas, but was overall easy to navigate. There were some nice views of the lake as we got closer to it.

We went around a sort of cove in the lake, and then continued on the clearer woods road as it made it's way out to Churchville Lane.

Path at Springfield Lake

Old road near Churchville Nature Center

Churchville nature center trails

We turned left on Churchville Lane, and just before the road went out onto a long causeway bridge over Springfield Lake, we turned right onto a narrow path into the woods. It soon went alongside of a fence of a private property and continued. At the end of the fence, it came out onto sort of a roadway, probably for maintenance. The roadway continued along near the backs of yards with dense vegetation separating us from them. We soon reached a fork in the roadway, and I was relieved to see an arrow trail sign. We must now have been within the trail system of Churchville Nature Center, nearby. We followed the left fork and continued.

Springfield Lake

Spillway at Springfield Lake

The roadway/trail stayed pretty close to the lake, but signs along the lake side of the trail forbade anyone from getting close to the water. We soon came to the main dam for Springfield Lake. We actually saw a couple other hikers coming through here. The spillway had no water coming over it, which was surprising for me since we had just had the hurricane. Below us at the base of the dam was a sort of fountain that served as the outlet for the reservoir.

Fountain at the dam of Springfield Lake

Dam for Springfield Lake

Intersection in Holland PA

After crossing the dam, we turned right heading down a pathway, a sort of road, which headed parallel to the outlet of the lake. It wasn't too long before this took us out at Chinquapin Road. We turned left here and soon reached Rt 532 where there was a Wawa market and a pizza place. For whatever reason we stopped in the Wawa to get ourselves some lunch. I had been right by this intersection once before with Wyatt before getting on the Mill Creek greenway. I opted not to follow this route this time because we'd already done more than enough bushwhacking.

Old building along the creek in Holland PA

I believe this is Mill Creek

After our break we headed back down hill on 532 and crossed the creek, I think it was Mill Creek, next to an old building that was probably some sort of mill, at a beautiful section of the creek. We then continued ahead to a left turn on Bristol Road. A clear area to the left of the road led us to the former Pennsylvania Railroad tracks which were still active here.

Former Pennsylvania Railroad tracks, Holland PA

Former Pennsylvania Railroad tracks, Holland PA

Weird pile of plush toys along the rail bed

Rail right of way near Playwicki Park

Neshaminy Creek from atop the viaduct, view north

We turned left and began following the tracks east. I had never walked this section, but had done all of it out toward Sesame Place further to the east. We followed this for a bit and then came to the former junction site where a parallel track on a separate fill broke off to the left. This was the line I had followed to Playwicki Park from the east on a Halloween costume hike years before. We followed this clear right of way which was also a utility line route out to the large stone viaduct over the Neshaminy Creek. Along the way there were several stuffed animals laying along the path. There was a creepy looking guy up there, and I commented to him how creepy the plush toys laying there were, but thought the fact that he was hanging around them was a bit creepier.

Neshaminy Creek from atop the viaduct, view south

Old railroad bed atop the Neshaminy viaduct

Playwicki Park

Neshaminy Viaduct from Playwicki Park

We checked out the views from the top of the bridge down to the Neshaminy Creek, and then continued across. We climbed down along a very narrow and washed out path on the north side of the fill down into Playwicki Park. The park was completely dead. No one was to be found anywhere. I figure it must have been closed off due to the recent flood damages. We walked over to the creek where there was a nice view of the viaduct, as well as a great giant tree. Quite a nice spot for a break. Rob didn't realize it at the time, but he had forgotten to pick up his radio collar for Bruce at this point when we started off again.

Old railroad bridge over the Neshaminy Creek

We began following the creek across the grounds of the park. There were all sorts of branches and such laying everywhere. The flood had very obviously overtaken the entire span of the park which was entirely in the flood plain.

Big tree along Neshaminy Creek in Playwicki Park

Neshaminy Creek from Playwicki Park

We continued alongside the creek through the mowed section of the park, until that ended and the path continued along through the woods.

Someone went to the trouble to paint this way up in this Beech tree.

Giant Beech in Playwicki Park

Trail in Playwicki Park

Trail in Playwicki Park

Neshaminy Creek near Playwicki Park

Trail along the Neshaminy near Playwicki Park

Another giant Beech Along the Neshaminy upstream from Playwicki Park

Crossing a log along the Neshaminy in Langhorne PA area

Neshaminy in Langhorne PA area

Culvert at Langhorne PA

Descending from the rail bed to Rt 413

Old Pennsylvania Railroad culvert

Old Pennsylvania Railroad culvert

The next section was really beautiful. I had walked it once with Wyatt and loved it then, and remember commenting to him how I'd have to bring a group there. It was unfortunate that I didn't have a bigger group for this one, but I credit that with the fact that it was Labor Day weekend and most everyone was either going away for a longer time, already having plans.

Along the trail were a lot of large impressive trees, including a lot of impressive Beeches. There were many blow downs along this section of trail, but we were able to navigate by them pretty easily. Since it had recently flooded, the ground was also very slippery. Joe took one fall, and I don't even know how many I took, but fortunately there were no serious injuries.

The trail way became less and less recognizable as we continued on; we had exited Playwicki Park, but the trails continued. We had a couple more difficult crossings, including one that Rich tried on a fallen log. I did a running jump off of one spot I had seen Wyatt do in 2009 and had been wanting to try.

I watched my GPS with the areal images closely and saw when homes began to appear along the creek, so then we bushwhacked on up hill to the old railroad bed we had been on before. When we arrived, Rob realized that he had forgotten Bruce's remote. The thing cost several hundred dollars, and so he really needed to go back for it. I told him to head back, and then try to catch up by taking the tracks.

The remaining three of us continued on the tracks in Langhorne PA area out to a culvert over Rt 413. Just east of here the abandoned right of way rejoins the active one. There was a nice view of the active line culvert from the top of the abandonment. We crossed and then descended on the other side down to Rt 413. It seemed like no time passed by when Rob called me back saying he had recovered the remote and was returning to us. He made his way back up to the tracks to start to head back. Rich, Joe, and I continued along Rt 413 north.

Old Pennsylvania Railroad culvert

Bridgetown Mill House Inn

Bridgetown Mill ruins

Bridgetown Mill ruins

Bridgetown Mill ruins

We continued on the busy road for a short while and soon came to the Bridgeton Millhouse Inn, a fancy restaurant with a colonial rustic look. Just past the restaurant place stood the stone frame ruins of the old mill. We took a nice long break here.

I checked out the mill, which was quite interesting, and looked through all of the windows to see how much of the framework remained. The Bridgetown Mill, built in 1704, is apparently scheduled to be repaired according to the operators of the Bridgedown Mill House on their website. The Mill House restaurant itself was built in the late 1700s, and was quite lovely.

Bridgetown Mill ruins

Bridgetown Mill ruins

Old Pony Truss bridge, 1907 in Bridgetown PA

Neshaminy Creek from Old Bridgetown Bridge

Neshaminy Creek from Old Bridgetown Bridge

Old Bridgetown Bridge

I walked on by myself past the old mill shell and to an awesome old truss bridge over the Neshaminy Creek, near the confluence with the Core Creek. A new bridge had been erected just to the right, up stream from the old one. This was a Pony Truss bridge, built in 1907. It was abandoned in 1996 when after a snow storm the bridge was flooded and then apparently deemed unstable. It was nice to see that it was preserved as a pedestrian route. I then headed back to the mill with Rich and Joe.

Old Bridgetown Bridge

At Old Bridgetown Mill

Old Bridgetown Mill

Abandoned at Bridgetown

Bad washout along Bridgetown Pike. Interesting that you can see the old pavement of the road underneath this, including the paint. I wonder how many years of asphalt layering this was?

Trail entering Core Creek Park

We continued on from here across Rt 413 onto Bridgetown Pike. There was some abandoned building on the corner, and the roadway was badly washed out on the eastbound side, with a giant rut on the edge.

We didn't have to head down Bridgetown Pike for long when I saw a trail going off into the woods to the left, following what appeared to be the old mill race.

The trail was very nice; it didn't stay on the mill race but made all sorts of crazy turns. I figured it must have been made by mountain bikers. I turned out to be correct in my assumption because a mountain biker soon came past us. I asked him a question about the trails, and if they went all the way around Core Creek Park and Lake Luxembourg in the middle, and he told me they nearly connected, but that a bit of road walking would be necessary. I thanked him for his information, and we continued on to a spot where we could see Park Road to the left, and began following it to the north. We cut away from the road shortly through a large grassy field.

Lake Luxembourg, Core Creek Park

Core Creek Park

Lake Luxembourg, Core Creek Park

Core Creek Park

After a short distance, Lake Luxembour, the center of Core Creek Park came into view. We headed toward it's shore and continued north. I talked to Rob on the phone; he had gotten to the railroad bridge overpass, so I instructed him to descend to Rt 413 and head north.

We continued out to the most active use area in the park where they had boats for rent. Being Labor Day weekend, it was quite busy. Just as we were reaching the main access road, we heard the sound we had been longing to hear again all day: the ice cream truck.The truck came right up to us and stopped, and were were all happy to get cold snacks.

ICE CREAM!!! In Core Creek Park

ICE CREAM!!! In Core Creek Park

Lake Luxembourg

Lake Luxembourg

Dock on Lake Luxembour

Trail in Core Creek Park

Lake Luxembourg, Core Creek Park

Rob was soon to the Bridgeton Mill House, so I instructed him on how to get to Core Creek Park where we were, but we needed to continue on. He was near catching up to us, but we couldn't wait around for that long. We enjoyed our ice cream and then headed down over the dock area to have a look.

We continued along the shore of the lake and soon picked up the paved trail which continued along close to the edge of the lake. There were nice benches and flower beds and such along the way. Our feet were starting to hurt a bit from all of the paved surface.

View over Lake Luxembourg, Core Creek Park

Luxembourg Corperate Center trees

Self explanitory where this one is

Along Woodbourne Road

Newtown corperate center

We followed the pathway until it's end, and then headed to Tollgate Road on the north side of Core Creek Park, a pleasant back road. We followed this to Fulling Mill Road left, then right on Ellis Road, and left on Woodbourne Road. This road took us northbound along the edge of the Luxembourg Corperate Center. There were some nice trees along the side of the road in this section. We had to use Woodbourne Road because it actually went over the Newtown Bypass, while other roads that went north like Fulling Mill would have required us to go back and forther a bit to cross.

Newtown PA

Newtown Cemetery

In Newtown PA

In Newtown PA

In Newtown PA

As soon as we got across the Newtown Bypass, we turned left and crossed some of the Newtown Corperate center. There was some construction going on, and it didn't look as though we'd be able to cross to the next section of buildings, but we were able to use a little construction roadway I found on the images for my LG phone GPS.

We continued on through the manicured lawns of the corporate center and eventually made our way out to Penn Street. We turned left and soon came to the Newtown Cemetery. Joe and Rich weren't as into walking through the cemetery as I was, so I continued through, but didn't see any particularly interesting stones.

We all continued west on Penn Street until we reached our cars again. I was pretty happy to have had an interesting hike, combining all sorts of terrain through new areas.I went and picked up Rob, who had made it all the way to the main part of Core Creek Park, although he didn't have the pleasant ice cream experience the rest of us had.