Swatara State Park, PA with State Game Lands 80 and Appalachian Trail

ABOUT THE PARK:
Swatara State Park - PA DCNR
Friends of Swatara State Park

Construction at Swatara State Park (At this date looks like trails are all complete but some parking lots are not yet open.  Both new bridges are in place and open.)

• Press Release - PA DCNR
• "Bridge Installed at Swatara State Park" - republicanherald.com
• "Swatara State Park Construction Nears End" - LDNews

This sign was on the AT bridge crossing.  I think maybe someone forgot to take it down because the Bear Hole Trail was open and when I emailed the park to find out the status of the trails due to construction the response was that all trails were open but not all parking lots, which I did find to be the case.

DIRECTIONS:
UPDATE:  As of April 2017,  parking is no longer allowed along Route 72.  There is a new parking lot on the other side of the Waterville Bridge at the end of Old State Road at 
40.480835, -76.531552

GPS Coordinates 40.480525, -76.532961

View Larger Map

There is roadside parking along Route 72 where the Appalachian Trail crosses so whether the parking lots in the park are open or not doesn't matter if parking here.  Parking is no longer allowed along Route 72.  New coordinates for parking at the end of Old State Road on the other side of the Waterville Bridge:  40.480835, -76.531552

TRAIL MAP:
Swatara State Park Map - PA DCNR
As of this date, the map has not been updated to show new bridges.

• Locate Sand Siding Road on the map.  At the image of a bicycle above that road a new bridge connects the Swatara Rail Trail with Bear Hole Trail (formerly Old State Road)
• At Swopes Valley Road and Route 443 the map shows a break in the Swatara Rail Trail which previously involved a section of road walking along Route 443.  The rail trail now continues across Swopes Valley Road and crosses Mill Creek on a new bridge.

PA Appalachian Trail Map Sec. 1-6: Delaware Water Gap to Swatara Gap - Keystone Trails Association
I tried to use unmaintained trails on the PA AT map to connect from the AT to Swopes Valley Road to Swatara State Park to make a loop and although I was successful (eventually) I don't recommend trying this unless you have all day to bushwhack through SGL 80.  The woods roads/trails end abruptly, go in directions other than where you need to go, and I probably started out wrong anyway so just a word of caution!

HIKE DISTANCE:
For me, 15.4 miles.  If there is a way to get directly from the AT to Swopes Valley Road, it would be more like 12 miles.

THE HIKE:

From the roadside parking, walk back a short distance to the bridge which is where the AT crosses Swatara Creek northbound.

The AT crosses over the Swatara Rail Trail just before the bridge.

The Waterville Bridge, built in 1890, was relocated to Swatara State Park in 1985.

The Appalachian Trail crosses Swatara Creek on the Waterville Bridge.

Swatara Creek

After crossing the bridge, the AT turns left briefly, then right through a new parking lot ...

... and continues on a paved road until ...

... the AT leaves the paved road to the left under I-81.  (Graffiti makes the turn blaze less noticeable.)

Under I-81.  Unfortunately, you can hear I-81 throughout much of this hike.

Seating under I-81 for weary AT thru-hikers who will be coming through in a few months.

The AT then ascends Blue Mountain to the ridge.

Almost at the ridge, looking back with the Second Mountain in the distance.

The the top, the AT turns left along the ridge at a partial view.

The AT follows the ridge with more seasonal views to the right.

At times the AT is very smooth ...

But it just wouldn't be the PA AT we all know and love without some sharp, jagged rocks thrown in.  Just after this rocky section an unmaintained trail to the left is blocked off by branches.  This is probably how I should have tried to connect to Swopes Valley Road - not recommending this, though, as these trails all seem to fizzle out in the middle of nowhere.  Based on the AT map, I proceeded to the view and decided to take the next trail at the abandoned power cut but I can now tell you for certain, that is not the right way.

A little farther along is a view.

Views of the Monroe Valley.

A couple more steps north on the AT lead to the abandoned power line, which I thought was the route I needed to take.  After returning home and consulting with SGL 80 and USGS topo maps, I saw what happened.  The power line is not the trail on the PA AT map - it bears to the north and not to Bear Hole Creek in the opposite direction, which is where I needed to be.  Based on the map there should have been a trail to the left but probably too overgrown to notice.

Descending down the abandoned power cut.

Old power line parts.

After the well-defined power cut fizzled out into nothing, finding other old woods roads and following them until they fizzled out, then giving up on trying to find woods roads and bushwhacking in the direction I thought I needed to go, I happened across the State Game Lands boundary on the left and private property on the right.  I continued following the boundary line through the woods until ....

Yay!  Swopes Valley Road!  Not a single car passed along this stretch of road walk and it was very pretty following a creek lined with hemlocks down to the left.

Swopes Valley Road crosses over I-81.

I-81

Nice views from Swopes Valley Road and after crossing I-81, only 1 car drove by.

New trailhead on Swopes Valley Road - should be access for the other end of the Bear Hole Trail which is on the left before crossing the bridge over Swatara Creek.

A bridge on Swopes Valley Road crosses Swatara Creek just after the new Swopes Valley Traihead.

The new Swatara Rail Trail bridge over Mill Creek comes into view through the woods.

Turn left on the Swatara Rail Trail just before the intersection with Route 443 ...

Then cross the new bridge over Mill Creek which eliminates the pre-bridge road walk.

Swatara Rail Trail

Looking to the left across the valley at the Blue Mountain where the Appalachian Trail runs along the ridge.

At times the Swatara Rail Trail runs right along Swatara Creek.

It seems to go on forever...

Not too long after passing Sand Siding Road with a parking lot, a second new bridge connects over to the Bear Hole Trail.

Swatara Creek from the bridge.

Bear Hole Trail which used to be Old State Road, now a multi-use trail closed to traffic.

This must be from the canal referred to in the sign on Route 72.

The Bear Hole Trail comes back around to the AT at the Waterville Bridge.

A better shot of the bridge with blue skies instead of morning clouds.

HIKE SUMMARY:
I am going to break this down into sections.  I could not even begin to describe how I got to Swopes Valley Road to make the connection so I'll leave that part out.

AT (can be done as an out-and-back for a total of 9.6 miles)
[  0.00]  Walk back along Route 72 towards the Waterville bridge, turn left and cross bridge
[  0.10]  Turn left at end of bridge briefly, then right on paved road towards I-81
[  0.45]  AT leave paved road to the left under I-81
[  0.75]  AT crosses over a gravel road
[  1.50]  AT turns left along ridge; partial view
[  3.50]  Faint trail to the right goes down to Monroe Valley
[  4.60]  Very rocky section
[  4.80]  Overlook on right at abandoned power cut; retrace

Swopes Valley Road - road walk from #849 Swopes Valley Road to Swatara Rail Trail
[  0.00]  Left on Swopes Valley Road at mailbox with number 849
[  0.55]  State Game Land parking on left
[  0.65]  Bridge over I-81
[  1.15]  Swopes Valley Trailhead parking on left
[  1.25]  Bridge over Swatara Creek
[  1.65]  Swatara Rail Trail crosses over Swopes Valley Road

Swatara State Park - Swatara Rail Trail can be used in conjunction with Bear Hole Trail for about a 10-mile loop.
[  0.00]  From where the Swatara Trail Trail crosses Swopes Valley Road, turn left before Route 443 and cross the bridge over Mill Creek
[  0.25]  Keep right at fork
[  0.35]  Rail trail begins to run parallel to Swatara Creek
[  2.55]  Cross Sand Siding Road with parking lot on left
[  2.75]  Turn left and cross very long bridge; continue straight after bridge
[  3.15]  At T-intersection turn right on Bear Hole Trail
[  4.50]  Canal and lock remains on right
[  4.75]  At parking lot barrier, keep right and cross Waterville Bridge
[  4.85]  Swatara Rail trail cross over other side of bridge
[  4.90]  Back at parking on Route 72

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