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    Chestnut Grove Natural Area

    5.0 (1 review)

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    11 months ago

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    Silver Mine Park

    Silver Mine Park

    3.8(6 reviews)
    5.8 mi

    This is a truly delightful park, combining elements of forest, water, and, of course, a the former…read moremine site. A favorite spot was the small dock where one can sit and watch the river's rapids. It was also heartwarming to see generations of families fishing together. A very nice place for a weekend stroll!

    (This visit was made during the times of Covidious in January. When things return to a look of…read morenormality - your experience likely will vary.) On one hand Silver Mine Park looks more or less like any other smaller rural Lancaster County park yet on closer inspection you can see that it's more like two separate parks at one location. Let's call things the upper part of the park and the lower part of the park. In the lower part you've got a small parking lot along the Pequea Creek that leads to most of the trails in some form or other. While we didn't walk all of the trails, we got to most of them and they are fairly flat and benign. The upper part of the park starts with a small square stone parking lot next to a baseball field and what looks like a soccer field. Next to that is a larger rectangular lot that is close to some playground equipment and a large pond which you can fish (catch and release?). Now this is where it gets good (Dork! Alert!). Just down Silver Mine Road on the left side is another smaller parking lot which leads to a trail. This is the Geology Trail (yellow one on the below map) which is fairly flat and runs along a small stream. Along the trail you'll find an old kiln and the actual silver mine for which this park is named. www.pequeatwp.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/2012-08-29_Walking_Trails_Map_Kiosk_web.pdf Obviously you can't see or tour the mine (although that could change - link below) at this time but the trail will take you to the mine's front entrance and up to a few of the gopher holes were you can see that actual activity was occurring at various times over the past 150 years. lancasteronline.com/news/local/ambitious-plan-could-open-pequea-silver-mine-park-to-tours/article_89aba0c2-7995-11e8-90b4-f76ee454223a.html In principle the only way to get between the two halves of the park is to drive from one lot to the other unless you walk the Poplar Grove Trail which is a large half-loop that goes from the end of the Geology Trail to the almost beginning of the Red Trail. While I saw one or two people walking along Silver Mine Road, I wouldn't recommend it as there are one or two hills with a few blind spots where drivers wouldn't be expecting a pedestrian on the side of the road. Overall Silver Mine was a neat little find that I could see us definitely coming back to visit the next time we're in the area. A+ unchartedlancaster.com/2020/03/20/side-quest-explore-the-300-year-old-pequea-silver-mine/

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    Silver Mine Park
    Silver Mine Park
    Silver Mine Park

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    Highpoint Scenic Vista & Recreation Area - Sumit view of the Susquehanna River

    Highpoint Scenic Vista & Recreation Area

    4.2(6 reviews)
    5.9 mi

    After my Yelp friend David H. posted about this small gem last month, I had to take a look myself…read moreas I have been in the area numerous times but had honestly never heard about this place. Just to keep the history lesson short, it was built by York County in 2007 and it is one of a series of ten overlooks that are at different points in the county all of which give views of the Susquehanna River. susquehannariverlands.com/the-great-outdoors/scenic-overlooks/highpoint-scenic-vista-rec-area/ The set up is fairly simple. There is a small parking lot at the base of the overlook on Hilt Road. At the base there is a picnic bench and a port-a-blaster along with some literature about York County parks/area trails. From there it's up and around the trail which is a 1/2 mile loop with five way point stops that I guess are made to have you appreciate the view from different angles? At the top the view is very nice. It's literally the same as if you were over at Samuel S. Lewis State Park except that now you're two-ish miles closer to the river. The overlook from Samuel S. Lewis is higher and is visible from here and the top of the vista here is very visible from Sam Lewis. We were here around 35 minutes and the parking lot was packed but people were at different point of the incline and on other trails nearby so things never felt cramped or rushed. While I'm not necessarily sure that this place needs a return visit, I'm glad we came and I appreciate David putting this one on my/everyone's Yelp radar as it is a unique spot worth a brief stop.

    it was very nice and peaceful, I just thought I'd be seeing more & that there would be a longer…read moretrail or something to walk on , other wise no complaints.

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    Highpoint Scenic Vista & Recreation Area - Beautiful view.

    Beautiful view.

    Highpoint Scenic Vista & Recreation Area - Same one

    Same one

    Highpoint Scenic Vista & Recreation Area - View of York county

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    View of York county

    PPL Holtwood Environmental Preserve

    PPL Holtwood Environmental Preserve

    4.0(2 reviews)
    9.7 mi

    Wow, How do I review this... We wanted to go and hike around…read morepinnacle overlook, so we found some info and went. Boy some parts were great, others....well.. THE VIEW: Spectacular. At the peak, you can look out over a bend in the river and see the whole valley. Its really a cool summit. Its something that you need to see as there arent very many places like it in Lancaster county. HIKING: These are some of the poorest marked trails Ive ever been on. It would be pretty easy to get lost but they are well defined trails. They have 2 separate trails that have red marks, if you can find the mark that is, then you can guess at which one your on. They were faded, hidden behind a bush or non existent. And they have no starting point. Some places put up a sign. They could at least clearly mark a tree to show where it starts. Oh and the map! Talk about a doodling! The trails had forks that werent even on it. We just pick one and hoped for the best. The hike itself was nice tho. Anyway.... Id give it 1.5 stars for hiking trail issues. The view is pretty awesome tho. Check it out just for that!

    Wow, I visited here yesterday with a Meetup hiking group. This place was fantastic. There were…read moreseveral stream crossings since our leader took us off the beaten path a few times. Eventually, we followed the orange trail markers to the pinnacle. You will notice as well there is a parking area as well if you just want to drive up there. However, it's more satisfying trekking up to the top. The view is spectacular and you get a great view of the Susquehanna River. Plenty of wonderful boulders and small waterfalls to see here and photograph.

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    PPL Holtwood Environmental Preserve
    PPL Holtwood Environmental Preserve
    PPL Holtwood Environmental Preserve

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    Chickies Rock County Park - View from Chickie's Rock

    Chickies Rock County Park

    4.6(13 reviews)
    8.0 mi

    This is a straightforward hiking path - pretty much straight and up to be rewarded with a beautiful…read moreview of the Susquehanna River. If you are lucky, like we were, you will see a low flying plane from the nearby military base. We stopped during the week, but I could imagine the parking at this area could get filled and you may have to wait for a spot. I'm seeing from other reviews that there are other parking spots and entrances, but the one we were at seemed fairly direct to the overlook. It was a beautiful quick hike to see some impressive views.

    This was stop #2 on a beautiful late-September Sunday adventure. I'd done my homework ahead of time…read moreand planned to tackle the Chickie's Rock Overlook Trail first, then swing by the nearby Breezyview Overlook (just a 4-minute drive away). Chickie's Rock Overlook Trail: Parking was plentiful, and I appreciated the history sign at the trailhead--it turns out this path was once a trolley line leading to an amusement park near Chickie's Rock. So you're not just walking, you're walking through history. The trail itself is wide, relatively flat, and about a 20-minute walk to the overlook if you're taking your time (we were chatting the whole way--it was Sunday morning, not a cardio day). Pro Tip: Not far from the parking lot, the trail forks. Go LEFT for the easy stroll. Go RIGHT if you want a steeper climb and some cardio. Either way, the two trails meet up again before the overlook. When you arrive, the payoff is worth it: a panoramic view of the Susquehanna River and classic Central PA scenery--rolling hills, farmland, distant ridges, train tracks running at the base, and acorns plinking down around you. Pure magic. Just note: the overlook itself requires scrambling over some big rocks to get to the railing. Sneakers or boots are a must, and it's not super friendly for little kids or anyone with mobility challenges. Bonus history fact: Chickie's Rock was actually used as a Union lookout post during the Civil War in 1863, when Confederate troops invaded PA. That blew my mind. Breezyview Overlook: From Chickie's Rock, it's a quick 4-minute drive to Breezyview Overlook. This one's a lot easier--park, take a few steps on grass, and you're there. You even get the fun perspective of looking back at Chickie's Rock and seeing where you'd just been. Parking was easy, and they had a port-a-john if needed. The view is nice, but not nearly as epic as Chickie's Rock. Then again, the best things usually require a little extra effort. Overall, this was the perfect low-impact Sunday adventure. Bring water, pack out your trash, and don't forget to smile and say hi to fellow hikers along the way. If you're looking for an accessible trail with a stunning payoff, Chickie's Rock is a must.

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    Chickies Rock County Park
    Chickies Rock County Park
    Chickies Rock County Park

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    Samuel S. Lewis State Park

    Samuel S. Lewis State Park

    4.9(7 reviews)
    7.0 mi

    Let me tell you something. During this time of Covidiousness, we've certainly done our fair share…read moreof outdoorsy types of things. While coming to a state park like this in York County may not seem like an obvious choice, it's actually been the perfect place. I'm not going to go in to any history or backstory (I covered that in my initial musings several years ago) but what sets this park apart from most PA state parks is its size. While the park is only 85 acres (PA has 121 state parks and some of them clock in at north of 15K acres just for a sense of scope) it's layout allows for things to feel more spread out than you would assume. The main road that wraps around the park is great for walking but there are also two miles of trails which if done in a clockwise direction are actually somewhat challenging with how it'll be mostly uphill. There is also a disc gold course, a rock formation that kids will love to climb on, a few small swing sets placed at different spots and a large open field at the top of hill with one hell of a view towards the Susquehanna River, Wrightsville and Columbia. The best part about this place is that it's rural enough so that it's never too busy. We've made trips to some state parks closer to us (Jacobsburg-Nockamixon-Lehigh Gorge) recently and they have been consistently packed. Here, not so much. The drive here is easy. There is an amazing view. There is usually more than enough space for everyone to spread out and do whatever they want. Sounds perfect to me and we'll be back this weekend.

    Samuel S. Lewis State Park does not offer you a bunch of amenities. There's no amazing new…read moreplayground for the kiddies (although there are some swings and such throughout). There's very few short trails around the park (but enough to satisfy my dogs and if you go the "right" way, you get quite a workout hiking uphill). However, what you DO get is gorgeous views of the river and landscape from atop Mt. Pisgah. You also get open space to roam and run around. And my son's favorite part are the rocks! He loves to climb and explore. It's almost possible for me to give any park less than five stars--especially one with such a beautiful view. You won't regret the trip to visit this park. I'm just lucky that it's only 15 minutes from home. P.S. Go read Christopher C.'s review--it's very thorough and well-written.

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    Samuel S. Lewis State Park
    Samuel S. Lewis State Park
    Samuel S. Lewis State Park

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    Chestnut Grove Natural Area - hiking - Updated June 2026

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