Big Elk Creek State Park, PA with Fair Hill NRMA, MD

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Big Elk Creek State Park - Pennsylvania DCNR

Big Elk Creek State Park was added to the Pennsylvania state park system in September 2022.

The Springlawn Trail - Chester County Press

Fair Hill Natural Resource Management Area - Maryland Department of Natural Resources

DIRECTIONS:

GPS Coordinates 39.73509, -75.87536

Springlawn Trail Parking

TRAIL MAPS:

Big Elk Creek State Park - There was a map online when I planned the hike but it is no longer there, just a blank page.  It only showed the Springlawn Trail so it was not very helpful.  Perhaps a more updated map is in the works.

Fair Hill NRMA Map and Brochure - Maryland Department of Natural Resources

HIKE DISTANCE: 9.7 miles

THE HIKE: 

To capture the last of fall foliage, I headed south to the Pennsylvania/Maryland state line.  Most of this hike follows trails along Big Elk Creek.

Very confusing sign.  Firearm hunting is not the entire hunting season and there is no hunting on Sundays except for three Sundays during the season and this was not one of them.  But I wear orange or bright colors regardless.

When this became a state park, 70,000 trees and shrubs were planted on former farm fields.  Scenes like this will be throughout the park.

I was not aware of any side trails as the map that had been online did not show them.  So of course I had to check them out.

This side trail leads to Big Elk Creek but it was not a particularly scenic part of the creek.

Back on the Springlawn Trail.

Papermill ruins.

Taking the second side trail which loops back to the Springlawn Trail.

Turning left back on the Springlawn Trail.

At Strickersville Road, turn right ...

... and road walk a short distance to the pullout parking up ahead on the left.

At the far end of the pullout parking a trail to the left ...

... continues through Big Elk Creek State Park.

Following along a path at the edge of a field to the end ...

... where the plan was to return from the left.

Good thing I took a look first because that water crossing was not happening.

So I had to adjust the plan on the fly.  Turned right instead and followed the PA/MD state line.

Turning left on a trail into Fair Hill NRMA.

Picking up the orange trail which ascends above Big Elk Creek and is incredibly scenic, much more so than the pictures show.

Coming out at Black Bridge Road ...

... where we turned left and crossed the bridge ...

... then left again.

Left on a path ...

... to a concrete bridge over Big Elk Creek.

A trail to the right leads uphill along Big Elk Creek.

This comes back out at the point where the undoable water crossing was.  Now retracing back.

There are more papermill ruins on the left.

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