CTS trail guide Text
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Section A
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View from "House Rock" on the Conestoga Trail System looking south towards the "Pinnacle Overlook"

Welcome to the Website of the Lancaster Hiking Club

and official site for the Conestoga Trail System in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Our Mission- "To provide a program of outdoor recreation and to maintain the Conestoga Trail System!"

CTS Trail guide Text version SECTION A

Mile Description
0.00

Northern terminus of trail on Pumping Station Road at monument to Peter Grubb's Upper Hopewell Iron Forge (1742). Reach this monument from PA route 501 by driving west on PA route 322 about 2.2 miles then turning south on Pumping Station Road about 1000? and parking in the lot on the east side of the road.( For Gps navigation systems, enter 80 Pumping Station Road)

The Horse-Shoe trail (yellow blazes) runs along this segment of Pumping Station road.
0.13 Bear right on Speedwell Forge Road
0.23 Bear left past intersection with Dead End Road
0.50 Cross under Pennsylvania Turnpike.
0.52 Turn left off road into high weeds, woods. Note_ This segment is closed during hunting season. So, continue along Speedwell Forge road, turn left onto Long Lane at small bridge over stream turn right into gated dirt road.
0.61 Trail bears left, goes uphill, and crosses Hammer Creek
0.66 Turn south directly away from Turnpike.
0.86 Continuing in woods, cross small brook
1.19 Follow along edge of woods.
1.36 Turn left across end of cultivated field. [Piles of rock just inside woods are remnant boulders of an igneous dike, intruded into maroon-red sandstone and conglomerate rock. This type of rock dominates the northern end of the trail.]
1.56 Turn right out of woods and follow edge of field; blazes on rocks along edge of field may be difficult to see due to weed growth.
1.67 Corner of woods with blazed post; follow the edge of the field to the left and out to Long Lane.
1.94 Turn left onto paved road, Long Lane
2.10 Turn right into borrow pit (road shale quarry) and enter woods on old, gated, dirt road above stream.
2.55 Cross stream, follow straight up hill.
2.95 Cross small brook.
3.20 Upper end of Speedwell Lake
3.37 Turn right out of woods and walk along upper rim of steep embankment. (This is the stone driveway for Swiss Woods Bed & Breakfast, 717-627-3358, 500 Blantz Rd, Lititz 17543)
3.41 Turn Right on Blantz Rd.
3.45 Turn right on Brubaker Valley Road, cross bridge over Speedwell Lake
4.06 Turn left onto boating access road. Porta Potties (seasonal) and Parking. Then follow path in woods 60 feet from the lake.
4.41 Left (walk up ramp) onto dirt road entrance to boat launch area. (Parking available)
4.50 Continue through boat access area, bearing right up and across grassy area
4.62 Pass spillway of dam impounding Speedwell Lake. Trail follows Hammer Creek below dam.
4.73 Turn left on Old Pike to cross bridge, then right and follow along left bank of Hammer creek
5.05 Climb to busy paved highway (Route 501), cross bridge, turn left and go down roadway embankment and continue along right bank of Creek.
5.42 Cross mill race dam to left, then go right and follow the high ground between the mill race and the stream bed.
5.69 Continue along left bank of Millrace
6.01

Snavely's Mill.[Originally Willow Bank Mill, the first mill was built in 1746 and destroyed by fire in 1850. The new mill was built on the opposite side of the stream. In 1985 this mill also burned.)

Turn left on Snavely Mill Road. Cross Hammer Creek. Turn right into semi Trailer parking area. Keep the tree line on your right until you return to the left bank of the Hammer Creek.
6.71 Turn left, proceed up stone roadway to Snavely Mill Rd. Turn right and follow Snavely Mill Rd. to intersection of Brunnerville rd.
6.86 Turn right at Brunnerville Road, cross bridge and immediately turn left descend to creek bank, ascend hill, walk along wooded section along the ridge.
7.06 CAUTION!!!! ELECTRIC FENCE at end of woods!!!!! Crawl under fence,turn right,( This is pasture land watch out for cow patties!!!) proceed to the next fence and turn left. follow fenceline until it turns right. Proceed towards the small concrete bridge then proceed to the roadway bridge over the Hammer creek. Walk up the wing wall of the bridge to get over the electric fence
7.32 Turn left on Hackman Road, cross bridge, turn right and continue along the tree line.
7.52 Proceed to 4×4 post with blazes. Turn hard right on farm lane. Continue down to the left bank of Hammer Creek.(mile 7.62)
8.19 Emerge on Clay Road, turn right
8.21 At bridge turn left and follow Hammer Creek on right bank through meadows.
8.33 Climb Stile over fence, enter into pasture land.
8.54 Crawl under fence at southern end of the pasture.exit from pasture. Follow along right bank of Hammer creek.
8.78 Cross Lincoln Road, follow along right bank of creek, cross small stream,then follow farm lane
9.15 Cross Carpenter Road, continue along the right bank of Hammer Creek
9.67 Pass created wetlands
9.72 Ascend to ridge above creek
9.90 Emerge at Buch Mill Road and turn right (south).
10.2 Turn left at Pine Hill Road.
10.26 Turn left off of roadway onto farm lane. keep fence line on your left
10.48 Enter woods along right bank of Hammer Creek. (Do NOT cut plants or put blazes on the woods in this part of the trail or we will be forced to move the trail.-August 2000)
10.85 Exit woods into pasture land
11.06

Erb's Bridge Road and Erb's Covered Bridge, turn right-NOT thru covered bridge. (Beginning of "on-road" segment)

[Erb's Covered Bridge was built in 1887, is 80 feet long and spans Hammer Creek.]
11.25 Left on Millway Road.(Warwick Township
11.80 Turn right onto Meadow Valley Road
11.99 Left at Cocalico Road
12.20 Hammer Creek empties into Cocalico Creek
12.58

Left on Rothsville Road, cross bridge and turn right on Millway Road.

[Just beyond intersection notice waterwheel in creek. It pumps well water at the house.]
13.99 [Just beyond intersection notice waterwheel in creek. It pumps well water at the house.]
14.61 Cross Newport Road with care (Route 772).
15.18 Turn right at Rose hill road..
15.51

Right at Log Cabin Road, through Rosehill/Wengers/Zooks Mill Covered Bridge. Climb hill leaving Cocalico Creek.

[This covered bridge is referred to locally as The Log Cabin Covered Bridge. Built in 1849, it is the oldest covered bridge on the CTS. It spans the Cocalico Creek and is 89 feet long.] The bridge was rebuilt in 2009 to repair rot and flood damage.
16.50 Turn left on Becker Road.
18.61 Left on Oregon Road
18.67 Carefully cross busy Oregon Pike (Rte 272).Continue along short segment of Oregon Road.
18.74 Turn right on Bushong Road. End of Section "A".
   
   
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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