Map of the Heritage Rail Trail County Park
Heritage Rail Trail County Park
Heritage Rail Trail
LENGTH:
21.3 miles
SURFACE:
unpaved
COMMUNITIES:
York, Seven Valleys, Hanover Junction, Larue, Glen Rock, Railroad, New Freedom
HIGHLIGHTS:
rail trail, Howard Tunnel, South Branch Codorus Creek, Pennsylvania countryside, woodlands bridges, rural communities, York College of Pennsylvania, local parks
NEARBY TRAILS:
North Extension Heritage Rail Trail
Northern Central Railroad Trail / Torrey C. Brown Trail
RELATED LINKS:
The Heritage Rail Trail is a 21.3-mile long unpaved pathway that extends from York to New Freedom in Southern Pennsylvania. The trail was constructed along an abandoned railroad right-of-way and winds through the beautiful York County countryside. The Heritage Rail Trail County Park is a linear park that encompasses the trail. There is an active railroad track next to the trail, so trail uses should be cautious and stay off the adjacent railroad tracks. The features of the trail include historic railroad bridges, the Howard Tunnel, the restored railroad stations in New Freedom and Hanover Junction. The railway corridor has historic significance in that Lincoln traveled this route on his way to make the Gettysburg address and stopped at Hanover Junction along the way.
The south end of the Heritage Rail Trail is located on the Maryland / Pennsylvania border, which is also the Mason-Dixon Line. The trail meets up with the Northern Central Railroad Trail at the border. Teh Northern Central Railroad Trail, also called the Torrey C. Brown Trail, heads to the south for 20 miles into Maryland.
Conditions
The Heritage Rail Trail is open for non-motorized use such as bike riding and walking. The surface is that of compacted crushed stone. Horseback riding is allowed on the trail. The grades are fairly level, but there is a drop in elevation of 818 feet from New Freedom to York.
Communities
The Heritage Rail Trail goes past the following communities: York, Seven Valleys, Hanover Junction, Larue, Glen Rock, Railroad and New Freedom.
End Points
The north end of the Heritage Rail Trail is located at N. Pershing Avenue and W. Philadelphia Street in Downtown York.
The south end of the Heritage Rail Trail stops at the Pennsylvania / Maryland border and connects to the Torrey C. Brown Trail (NCRR Trail) in Maryland.
Heritage Rail Trail Northern Extension
The Heritage Rail Trail also has a 2.8-mile long northern extension on the north side of York. This is an unpaved trail with a surface of compacted crushed stone. The south end is located on Loucks Mill Road just south of Arsenal Road. The trail follows alongside Codorus Creek and wraps around Central York High School. The north end of this portion of the trail is at John C. Rudy Park on Dellinger Road.
Resources
Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about the Heritage Rail Trail County Park in Southern Pennsylvania.
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