Living only about 30 minutes away, I had always assumed Boyd Big Tree Preserve was simply a tree…read moresapling area used by DCNR. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it's actually a 1,025-acre conservation and recreation area that straddles Blue Mountain and serves as habitat for large trees of many species and deep-forest birds, especially warblers. The preserve offers a peaceful, natural setting for passive recreation like birding, nature walks, and hiking, with an extensive 12-mile trail system ranging from easy to difficult. Every trail connects to at least one other, making it easy to customize a hike based on skill level. From wildflowers at your feet to the towering canopy created by the "big trees" that give the preserve its name, the scenery feels beautifully unaltered. While the trails are best used from March through October, the area is open year-round, including winter recreation and cross-country skiing. I visited on the first Saturday in January on an overcast but beautiful 32-degree day. With no recent rain, snow, or ice, it felt like the perfect opportunity to explore. Upon arrival, I found a paved parking lot with just a handful of cars. Parking was plentiful that day, though I imagine it could get tight during peak seasons since there's only one relatively small lot. PRO TIP: Grab a printed trail map before heading out. Cell service was spotty, and my online map wouldn't load once I arrived--but printed maps were readily available at the parking area. Boyd Big Tree Preserve features seven well-marked trails, clearly blazed and varying in difficulty. For easier hikes, the Lower Spring Trail (1.1-mile loop, lavender blazes) and Pond Loop Trail (1.2-mile loop, pink blazes) are great choices. Moderate options include the Coach Trail, Creek Trail, and Upper Spring Trail, while the most challenging hikes are the Janie Trail and East Loop Trail. After some advance research, I chose the 1.2-mile Pond Loop Trail, which offers opportunities to spot wildlife near a popular watering hole. The pink blazes didn't hurt either. The trail was an easy, leisurely one-hour walk with minor elevation changes along a small gravel path. Aside from one set of fast-approaching footsteps behind me (a runner who briefly made my heart skip a beat), the trail was completely empty--perfect for quiet reflection. I spent some time sitting on a bench near the fully frozen pond hoping to spot wildlife, but the only visitor was a lone squirrel. On my way out, I stopped at Stroh's Cemetery, located near the entrance to the preserve. This historic cemetery dates back to 1819 and was originally a family graveyard before becoming a community burial ground. Though many headstones are missing, more than 130 graves remain. Recent DCNR restoration efforts are clearly visible, with cleaned and repaired gravestones and thoughtful landscaping that respectfully honors those buried there. Overall, I'd absolutely recommend Boyd Big Tree Preserve for a peaceful walk in the woods. Is this the place for extreme hiking? Probably not. But if you're looking for a quiet, scenic spot to stretch your legs, enjoy nature, and unplug for a bit--this is a solid choice close to home.

Crafted on the north side of a mountain and optimized for taking walks in the woods, Boyd Big Tree…read morePreserve Conservation Area has some nicely varied terrain and the trails are well marked. Tip: If you make it to the top, you'll be rewarded by an impressive view of the Susquehanna valley :-) While dogs are allowed in Boyd, the wilderness is largely unspoiled by facilities. About the only thing that's been built here is a bathroom at the trail head. Note that you'll need to bring water when you come, and it's wise to wear something blaze orange if you're there in season.

Ever since we found out my trunk bike carrier works on our SUV late this summer, we've fervently…read moreexplored biking trails around the Harrisburg area before the season's over.  One of the first things that came to mind would of course be the Capital Area Greenbelt.  It's a 23 mile route interconnecting paved paths, crushed-stone trails, and public roads.  We've only explored 3 different segments of the Greenbelt.   The first is City Island and Riverfront Park. Start by looping around the small island which is less than a mile but think of it as a warm up. You also get to see some touristy highlights such as the Pride of the Susquehanna Riverboat, Water Golf, and City Island Railroad.  Then cross the picturesque Walnut Street Bridge, turn left on to my favorite segment so far, the Riverfront Park. This paved segment runs for 3 miles alongside the Susquehanna River all the way to Vaughn St. You also have an option to take the path directly along the river or the path along the green/street.  Along the way you get to see many sculptures and historic landmarks. Some highlights include State Street, Governor's Mansion, Peace Garden, and Sunken Garden. And if you're open to excursions, take detours and check out the Capitol Complex and Italian Lake. The second segment we've been frequenting without realizing it's part of the Greenbelt - Wildwood Park. I've had a 5-star review on it. It's one of  my favorite parks in the Harrisburg area.  I've read that there's a new 1.5 mile segment connecting from Wildwood Park to Fort Hunter.  I can't wait to check that out! The third segment we just tried today, the Andrea Ave Spur.  It's not part of the main loop but still part of the Greenbelt. I guess you can think of it as an extension, much like the Fort Hunter segment.  This one starts out on a crushed-stone path but soon turns into a fully paved trail. It's only 2.3 miles to the main loop near the Farm Show complex, but it's hilly and punishing at times. This is a different experience than, say, a rail trail which is more secluded and allows you to be soaked with nature.  Here you do not completely leave civilization. Another negative aspect is that many sections insolve public roads.  I'm not sure I should venture the southeast portion of the Greenbelt, based on the map...

1. Route / Trail closed at the Riverfront Office Center (ROC) May 2024 for extended future…read more 2. Area from 581 bridge to ROC is lined with a huge homeless encampment. 3. Paved portion in Susquehanna Township along River has numerous potholes and speed bumps from tree roots. Pavement in terrible condition 4. Path along River is too narrow for walkers and bikers to safely share. 5. Not a continuous trail. There are gaps near the Civil War museum the trail uses city streets.

Nice little trail connecting to Big Boyd Tree Preserve. Some picnic tables and a trail that's…read morepartially paved to get you started. Easy parking right off the road, near the top of the mountain. Since it connects to a much larger park, it gives a nice head start to the top. Didn't see many stopping spots along the trail. Dogs allowed, preferably on leashes. Not sure what the situation is during hunting season.

Beautiful little park! Lots of trees and vegetation and little paths all around. Some benches to…read moresit on. Two main places where you can get in the creek and it is shallow. A little difficult when crowded because the creek entry points are narrow (single file). There is vegetation blocking access to the rest of the creek. There is a parking lot across Harrisburg Street, a 2 minute walk. There is a well marked crosswalk with a blinking yellow light to alert traffic to stop.

Nice little park along the Greenbelt in Harrisburg. A garden for each of the five senses, plenty of…read morebenches and a nice stream as well.

The Conewago trail is 5 miles long and connects directly to the Lebanon Valley Rail-Trail. The…read moretrail is a crushed stone trail; however, it's apparently old enough that gravels beneath begin to be exposed, making it rough to ride on. Furthermore, not only is the trail narrower than a typical rail trail, sections of it have a surface which is rounded or convex with ditches on both sides. This may make beginning bikers uncomfortable. As well, it could cause a bit of a congestion on a crowded day like today, when a family with a stroller is in the way. Scenery-wise it's also ranked low in my book. It's mostly a wooded scene without much of anything else; making the ride very monotonous and boring.  The trail has to cross Rt. 743 (Hershey Rd) which has heavy traffic but without any light or sign, making it dangerous to cross.  I do appreciate all the trails created by volunteers, but I also want to provide relative ratings based on my experience.  Regretfully, this is one of the lower ranking trails for me.

Very nice trail, my wife and I rode Thursday morning (31 AUG). We did it out and back 10 miles…read moretotal. Was in town to ride some of the other rail trails as well. While nicely maintained and great environment overall, this trail is not absolutely perfect for bikes. The crown is rather high (smart for water management), so you have to stick to the lanes or disaster would await. There is a mixture of surface, small loose gravel, and some crushed limestone. But with a gravel bike, we were on our Cannondale Topstone's or a hybrid with wider tires (28mm +) it's just fine. There is very slight grade in either direction. It is indeed beautiful. Beware there is a crossing for a Mill road, very steep on both sides, blind curves for cars. Do honor the caution and walk across. Also there are a lot of older & middle aged walkers especially lady dog walkers. Honor the speed limits for you own safety, and don't ride like a jerk and give us all a bad name. We got some tolerant smiles, but we were the only cyclists (did see one woman the day before when we walked a couple miles to check it out.

Darlington Trail is a linear trail, spanning 6 miles between Millers Gap Road and Tower Road on the…read moresouth side of Blue Mountain, rather secluded. On this outing I started from the Lambs Gap Road trailhead, roughly the midpoint. The parking lot is of decent enough size. The left hand side can accommodate about 6-8 cars and you can find the trail bulletin and the trailhead for the Darlington Trail. The opposite side accommodates about 4-5 cars and has access to the towpath. I hiked the (nature) trail first, following the orange markers. This is one of those trails that has no obvious foot path so hikers have to rely solely on the trail markers to a great degree. I had to find where the next marker is before I know which direction to proceed forward. By and large it's very well marked, but I did reach a point where I simply couldn't find the next marker and I had to make a U turn back toward the trail head. The trail has lots of the shales, roots and fallen trees. A pair of hiking boots is a must and hiking sticks are recommended. I was curious about the towpath on the other side of the parking lot so I hiked it as well after cutting my planned hike short. The towpath is about 2 lane wide and the surface is mostly crushed stones, much easier to walk than the nature path on the other side. The towpath ends soon after passing a large cluster of antenna towers, about .4 miles, and turns into a nature trail. I suspect it eventually merges with the Darlington Trail, but I don't know for sure.

Oak Park Trail is a short walking / hiking trail recently added by Lower Paxton township. There's a…read moreheavily wooded loop, with minimal elevation gain. Trail runs along a creek and tends to be muddy during spring. 2-3 spots for parking off of a small gravel lane via Oak Park Road, off of Locust Lane, near Central Dauphin Middle School.

This is a nice well maintained trail partially crushed limestone and some areas are paved along the…read moreway. We rode an out and back (20 miles total) from the trailhead at Colebrook to the City of Lebanon. For the most part the trail winds along roads, and feels "seperated" from housing and traffic. There are a few portions (especially closer to Lebanon) where you encounter more walkers [seniors from the elder communities]. The trail is wide enough in those areas that you can announce and pass safely. The overall profile of this portion of the ride is a bit like a bowl, you climb out of parking area, descend (just 2-3%) level for some miles, then climb out towards city. It is overall an easy ride. We were on our Cannondale Topstone Gravel bikes, but anything with 25mm+ tires would likely be comfortable.

This is quite a nice trail. It connects to the conewago trail in lancaster and its slightly wider…read moreand a little quieter. With fewer intersections and parking lots, there are fewer people in the longer in between sections. It does have mile markers, but sometimes they can be hard to spot as they are wood colored and short. But thats my only real complaint with this trail. Like the conewago trail, there is no real address for this so I used the closest interesction from mile marker 1 which is the end of conewago and beginning of LVR.