There, we road-hiked several hundred yards before picking up the trail again as it veered into the woods and toward the river. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. The original dam, built between 1905 and 1910, included an ineffective fish ladder for migrating shad. Every paddler I talked to emphasized the need to stay abreast of scheduled water releases and listen for the warning sirens at the Holtwood Dam. STATION.--01576980 SUSQUEHANNA RIVER AT HOLTWOOD DAM AT HOLTWOOD, PA WATER QUALITY DATA IS NOT TRANSMITTED VIA SATELLITE TELEMETRY AND THEREFORE WILL ONLY BE UPDATED ABOUT EVERY 6 WEEKS. And the Conowingo Dam downriver can drain river levels. Park at the second, smaller lot on the right (33 River Rd, Airville, PA). About 30 per cent of the "trail" is a route marked along public roads; the remainder is actual trail. Built between 1836 and 1840, it ran 43 miles (69 km) along the west bank of the river and rendered obsolete an older, shorter canal along the east bank. The Holtwood Whitewater Park is a whitewater play park designed for playboating and freestyle kayaking. You'll get views of Mill Creek Falls, Overlook of the Susquehanna River and the Holtwood Dam. Turn left off of road and follow the trail along the creek, past the falls to stone steps. Entering the copse, we crossed a picturesque bridge over Anderson Creek before coming upon the lock. We walked out into a wide expanse filled with rocks of varying sizes, from bowling-ball sized cobble to boulders the size of compact cars. We retraced our steps to (and along) River Road, but when we reached the turn off back into the woods, we made a decision that shortened our hike. ( Log Out /  This time, Lisa joined me. Hike downhill (towards the river) to Lock 12. I was there while camping nearby on the PA side of the river. I had my young son with me so we didn’t go too far, but did explore the ruins and early pieces of the trail. Give it a try, and if you have a friend who is into locks and canals and dams (oh my), bring ’em along and hike this trail in “lock” step. The Lost Mine Trail: We Found Hiking Gold, but No Mine, Hot Springs Canyon Trail: Sunset on the Rio Grande, Lakes of the Clouds Trail: Lost Among the Clouds. (Buck, Drumore, Peach Bottom, Holtwood, Rawlinsville) In the southernmost part of the Southern End, you will find hiking trails, rich history and Buck Motorsports Park. It sits on a bluff nearly 400 feet above the river and offers excellent views north along the … Return to the parking lot by walking down river (south) on the road. As we approached the riverbank, we passed through a pleasant, sandy area which was sheltered by trees and a massive rock shelf. This out and back section does take you up a steep hill to overlooks of the river, and a nice crossing of the Tucquan Creek. The beautiful Susquehanna River just a few minutes’ walk from the remains of Lock 12. We didn’t have to cover already-hiked trail and we gained an opportunity to explore the Holtwood Dam floodplain. What to do with such a pleasant day? Holtwood Dam Holtwood Dam is the oldest of three major dams built across the lower Susquehanna River, and the middle location of the three.It was constructed as the McCalls Ferry Dam between 1905 and 1910 by the Pennsylvania Water & Power Company. A spur followed the creek down to the banks of the river, and we took some time to explore. Please access the website using one of the following supported browsers: Gaining the scarp, we were treated to views of the Susquehanna and the hydroelectric plant at the Holtwood Dam. Yellow, purple, pink and white stippled the floodplain and brightened an otherwise bleak landscape. There, we road-hiked several hundred yards before picking up the trail again as it veered into the woods and toward the river. 2 reviews of PPL Holtwood Environmental Preserve "Wow, I visited here yesterday with a Meetup hiking group. The park is located at the foot of the Holtwood Hydroelectric Dam and provides an artificial playground of rapids and waves for experienced playboat paddlers when the gates of the dam are opened at scheduled times throughout the year. I think they are primarily to warn people should the dam decide to unexpectedly open its floodgates. The park is open every day of the year, sunrise to sunset. From the intersection of PA Routes 74 and 372, drive 2.2 mi east on PA 372. You'll pass a porta potty on the way. It was another strangely mild August day in the mid-Atlantic. https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/pennsylvania/holtwood-recreation-park The park office is open specific hours. You'll get a great look with binoculars down at an Osprey Nest which sits on top of one of the power line towers. Copyright © 2020 The Mason-Dixon Trail System, Inc. All rights reserved. Three-quarters of a mile into our trek, we came to Mill Creek. Like my Fair Hill hike the previous day (read here), the high for this atypical summer Friday was in the low eighties. The MDT cut a narrow path through dense forest, passing, uncharacteristically, through a stand of tall bamboo and ultimately sidling up to the wide, slow Susquehanna. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Muddy Creek Access is part of the 53-mile Susquehanna River Water Trail-Lower Section, managed by Susquehanna Heritage. A concrete walkway led away from the parking lot and past the remnants of an old lime kiln before disappearing into the woods. The Pinnacle Overlook is a beautiful, short hike to a view of the Susquehanna River. Of its total length, 30 miles (48 km) were in Pennsylvania and 13 miles (21 km) in Maryland.“. Holtwood Dam (also Holtwood Hydroelectric Dam, Holtwood Hydroelectric Plant, McCalls Ferry Dam) is the oldest of three major dams built across the lower Susquehanna River, and the middle location of the three.It was constructed as the McCalls Ferry Dam between 1905 and 1910 by the Pennsylvania Water & Power (PW&P) Company. The Mason-Dixon Trail crosses the lock (blue blazes). Will be returning for sure! PPL Electric has promised to release waters into the park for a fixed 264 hours per year, to keep from losing too much money or harming the surrounding environment. After enjoying the views of the river, we retraced our steps to the Mason-Dixon Trail and headed west up Mill Creek. We parked at the Lock 12 Recreational Area just east of the Norman Wood Bridge. Additionally, at 444 miles long, the river drains 27,500 square miles of America’s east coast, so there is an almost unimaginable potential for dangerous water levels during a major storm. That was about ten years ago, and It’s been on my list to explore further ever since. Holtwood Dam and Hydroelectric Plant From the bluff, the Mason-Dixon Trail immediately commenced a descent and eventually intersected River Road. Great Picnic area available and also bathrooms below the Lock 12 parking lot. Proceed down the hill to the power line clearing. ( Log Out /  This section includes about a mile of hiking on railroad tracks. The dam was a rock-filled timber crib structure backed with earth on the upstream side to a slope. This place was fantastic. In that February hike, we had navigated snow and ice; at Lock 12 we looked forward to a comfortable, dry hike on the Mason-Dixon Trail that would roughly follow the tow-path of the S&T Canal. As I said, I’ve never even heard these sirens in many years of hiking in the area. The Holtwood Dam is one of the top points of interest in Lancaster, PA. This 199 mile long trail starts at Whiskey Springs on the Appalachian Trail, in Cumberland County, PA and heads east towards the Susquehanna River, passing through Gifford Pinchot State Park en route. We apologize, this browser is not currently supported by the site. Lock 12 on the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal is just north of Holtwood Road (Rte 372) and across the Susquehanna River from the Kelly’s Run Nature Preserve, where Lisa and I enjoyed a Valentine’s Day hike back in 2015 (read here). Park at the second, smaller lot on the right (33 River Rd, Airville, PA). I think you know. We crossed River Road and continued upstream to Mill Creek Falls, a splendid cascade with multiple tiers of frothy water rushing over moss-covered rocks. The hiking trails are great and the scenery is beyond beautiful! The osprey nest is on a power pylon down hill from the trail (from March to June the nest is in use). Our research for this post indicated we were on ancestral lands of the Susquehannock. LOCATION.--Lat 39`49'40", long 76`20'01", Lancaster County, Hydrologic Unit 02050306, along inner skimmer wall at Holtwood Dam located on Holtwood Road about 0.5 mi southwest of town of Holtwood… Contact the park office for facility seasons and hours. Road hiking is not a favorite of mine, but this time it turned out well. This was a wonderful, peaceful hike. Enjoy boating from the Pequea Marina, above the Holtwood Dam and south of Safe Harbor Dam. Day use areas close at dusk. Almost ninety years later, a motorized fish lift was installed to help the declining American shad population reach its spawning grounds. From the intersection of PA Routes 74 and 372, drive 2.2 mi east on PA 372. From the bluff, the Mason-Dixon Trail immediately commenced a descent and eventually intersected River Road. 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