View from "House Rock" on the Conestoga Trail System looking south towards the "Pinnacle Overlook"

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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!"

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CTS Trail Guide Text Version SECTION D

This is a Strenuous Section of Trail.

See the profile map for access points.

 

Mile 0.00	Facing Arrowhead Marina, turn left on Susquehanna Rd, and immediately turn left again on Maxwell road to go uphill.
0.10	Turn right on Ridge Road.
0.30	Turn left off road and climb hill through woods, soon descend to paved road, cross Bridge Valley Road (No Parking on the road) into more woods.
0.71	Cross stream at old spring house and climb hill.
1.12	Pass entrance to Wind Cave. Trail zig-zags through rocks before going uphill land bearing right. [Wind Cave is one of the largest tectonic caves in the Eastern United States. Tectonic caves are formed by the actual movement of masses of bedrock. The strong air current that blows through the cave gives it one of its names. The temperature here is much cooler than in other Pennsylvania caves. Most of the passages are untraversable at their ends.]
1.50	Cross House Rock Run; proceed through fat pack squeeze, climb to House Rock Vista
1.93	Cross Brubaker Run. Blue dotted blazes on the left are for the connector trail to Lanco Conservancy's Reed Run Nature preserve.
2.45	Trail bears right and goes down hill
2.67	Cross Reeds Run. [Camping area. Blue blazes(Reed Run Nature preserve) lead to spring 540 feet away to the left.]
2.83	View of Susquehanna River from rock-best viewed without leaves on trees.
3.04	Bear right and enter Nature Preserve. NO CAMPING IN THE NATURE PRESERVE AREA approximately next 1 mile.
3.14	Excellent views of the river, good siesta area
3.62	Follow the trail until it intesects with the Blue blazed Conservancy trail. turn right. you will descend thru a series of switch backs until you reach a dirt road. Turn LEFT!!!along the base of the rock outcropping. until the road is 10 feet from the Tucquan creek.Do a hard right with the flow of the creek. Cross the creek to left bank ---Note the mileages hereon are approximate due to a recent relocation
5.28	At railroad tracks, turn left and go uphill.
6.12	Turn left onto grass covered road, in short distance, turn right.
6.25	Reach rock overhang shelter and seasonal spring (not tested) just beyond, trail starts uphill.
6.41	Turn right on wide trail and follow only a short distance; turn right again on narrow path.
6.52	Reach lower rock vista, another good place for a siesta or lunch. Just uphill is a picnic area and Pinnacle Vista. Seasonal water and restrooms. Parking. Trail bears right on wagon road after reaching the top.
7.00	Turn right off wagon road and descend hill.
7.15	Cross gas pipeline clear cut, view of Holtwood power plant and Norman Wood Bridge. Re-enter woods, and in short distance, turn right on dirt road.
7.29	Turn left to rocks (vista) then descend to Kelly's Run Trail. Turn left and follow upstream. The trail here can be slippery so use extreme caution. [Beautiful combination of water, rocks, hemlocks and rhododendrons. This is a good area to spend a little time for rest and relaxation. There is NO CAMPING.] No Cell phone service in this area!!!
8.15	Turn right at juncture of two creeks, cross both creeks and follow the second creek for a short distance, then go up hill.
8.62	Cross under power line.
8.89	Turn right at Gateway to Holtwood Recreation Park. Seasonal restrooms and water. Picnic area and parking.
	The following segment is closed thru 2013 due to construction on the holtwood power plant.Follow Crystal Road to Rte 372. Turn right (west) to the Norman Wood bridge.
9.05	Cross arboretum on diagonal. Cross paved road to woods
9.28	Cross under power lines and enter woods.
9.51	Cross power line and bear left soon re-entering woods.
9.63	Cross road and climb staircase.
9.91	Face Rock Observatory. Parking on (?Holtwood) Rd. Bear left across grass field and under power line. [Face Rock Observatory has views of Holtwood Dam and Holtwood power Plant. The Norman Wood Bridge is visible to the left.]
10.18	Mar-Lee Falls.
10.59	Down to the stream, bear left.
10.73	Turn right across stream, then steeply uphill to RTE 372. Turn right and cross the Susquehanna River on the Norman Wood Bridge. (Park several cars on south side of 372.) (For camping at Muddy Run Recreation Area, Holtwood, 717-284-4325, turn left on RTE 372 for 1.5 miles, then bear right on Bethesda Church Rd another mile.)
11.58	At dirt road make a right, then right quickly again into and across parking area. Seasonal restrooms and picnic area. Parking.
12.15	Cross Anderson Run on footbridge, 40 feet beyond walk along Lock 12. [Lock 12 was part of the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal, a privately owned canal system. The system stretched 45 miles from Wrightsville to Havre de Grace, Maryland. The canal opened in 1839.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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