Fall is here and so is the harvest. It is the time of year for fall foliage and pumpkins. But in Pennsylvania, fall is also the time during which agritourism booms. Corn mazes, hay rides, haunted Halloween attractions, & festivals galore occur across the state. Lancaster county is one of the major agritourism hot spots where people come to see the Amish. However, there is another hidden gem that people travel from all over the country & world to see...
For the second year in a row we went to Cherry Crest Adventure Farm for the flashlight corn maze. (We choose the flashlight maze because, as college students, time is scarce during daylight hours & so is money!) This year's theme: 100 Years of Scouting in honor of the 100th Anniversary for the Boy Scouts of America. For those of you unfamiliar with corn mazes, a corn maze is a maze that has been elaborately planned and carved out through several acres of corn. There are many corn mazes across the state & they all follow the same general procedure. Usually you are given a map & told to find your way out. But they do things different at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm. It is considered an interactive corn maze. This means that when you enter, they hand you a blank map. How are you supposed to find your way through a maze with a blank map, you ask? Read on to learn more.
Upon entering the maze we received our blank maps & proceeded to a small section where they fill you in on the rules of the maze and how to complete the different challenges. So about this blank map. Why blank? Well it's the maze goer's job to wander around blindly & find the pieces of the map which are located in mailboxes throughout the maze. As you find more pieces, the map becomes clearer & easy to read. This can get tricky if you are there for the flashlight maze as the dark can be a very disorienting environment for some people. But the darkness is part of the fun! On the map are also crossword puzzles, for which hints to the answers can be found throughout the maze.
In the back NW corner of the maze is the café area. In this area you can grab a bite to eat, grab a drink, use the toilet, or just sit down & take a break. The café is also a good place to get to because you can enter several different sections of the maze from there.
What happens if you get lost? Do you panic?! No. There are guides walking around among you who can help you find pieces to your puzzle & get you back on track. In the flashlight maze you can also ask for directions from the watch tower, who can use spotlights to guide you in the right direction. There is also a quick escape route from the maze in the event you cannot continue, so there is no wandering until you happen to find the way out.
The maze is both parent & kid friendly. However, beware of some rocks that may stick out of the ground ready to trip you (be especially careful in the dark). If you go during the day, there are many, many other activities to participate in around the farm. There are pedal karts, wagon tours, a fudge shop, an obstacle course, giant slingshots, & many other activities.
Cherry Crest Adventure Farm & the Strasburg Railroad also offer combo passes to both places for a discount. This is a great deal for people wanting to spend a full day or weekend in Lancaster County. For others making a day or weekend trip out to Lancaster County, the farm has food on site. Food is also available at the Rockvale Square Outlets, the Tanger Outlets, & several locations along Route 30. Lodging is also available at the Red Caboose Motel & along Route 30.
The maze is only open until Saturday, November 6, so grab your friends & head out to the corn maze. It's loads of fun & if you bring enough friends along, you can race in teams!
For more information:
* Cherry Crest Adventure Farm
* Lancaster County Tourism
* Strasburg Railroad
* Rockvale Square Outlets
* Tanger Outlets
* Red Caboose Motel
Pictures may be added at a later date, don't want to give away too much of the fun!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Susquehannock State Park - Drumore, PA.
Nestled along the Susquehanna River in western Lancaster County is a small park with enormous beauty by the name of Susquehannock State Park. This small park is loaded with wildlife observation & geological opportunities. From bird watching to wild flower identification to hiking to picnicking, this park has something for everyone.
I will begin with a little bit of park history which can be found more extensively on the DCNR page listed below. As the name implies, the park was named after the Susquehannock Indians meaning "people at the falls" (they were also called Conestogas). They controlled the trade routes along the Sasquesahanough, or Susquehanna, River but were eventually driven out of existence by English settlers. The history between the settlers and the Indians is a brutal one. In 1850 the property was under the ownership of James Buchanan Long who built the Landis House (note: this building is UNSAFE and CLOSED to ALL visitors). This house was a stop on the Underground Railroad. The Landis House currently resides next to the park office.
If you are into birdwatching, this is an excellent park for you! You can see Mount Johnson Island Bald Eagle Sanctuary from the Hawk Point Overlook. It was the first eagle sanctuary in the world. Because of this close proximity, it is not uncommon to see bald eagles soaring through the air along the river. Other birds of prey that can be seen are turkey vultures and osprey. Song birds can also be seen in the park, but most birdwatchers come to see the birds of prey.
If you are into geology, you will find all sorts of minerals at the park, the most notable being olivine. Olivine is green in color so these rocks will stick out like a sore thumb on the paths, especially after it rains. I personally have picked up several olivine rocks because they are so interesting. If you are interested in geology, you will also like studying the mountains around & along the Susquehanna River. The park is approximately 250-300 feet above the river. That alone should be enough to tell you there are amazing views...
If you are into hiking for amazing views of nature, you're in for a double whammy. This park has two overlooks: Hawk Point & Wisslers Run. Hawk Point provides an excellent view south and west of the park. To the southwest you can see Peach Bottom Power Plant. To the south is Mount Johnson Island Bald Eagle Sanctuary & the Pennsylvania-Maryland border, also known as the Mason-Dixon Line. To the west you can see several islands housing cabins & York County, a mile across the river. To the northwest you can see more islands & the Holtwood Dam on a clear day. Follow the Overlook Trail to Wisslers Run and you will have excellent views to the west & north of the park. West provides the same views as Hawk Point but from a different perspective. North provides you with a closer look at the Holtwood Dam and the Muddy Run Storage Plant and railroad tracks.
If you are into hiking for the sake of hiking, there are several trails in the park:
- Overlook Trail (easy) 0.55 miles - connects the overlooks
- Rhododendron Trail (hard) 1.2 miles - goes down into the Wisslers Run valley
- Pine Tree Trail (hard) - goes down into the Wisslers Run valley
- Five Points Trail (moderate) 0.7 miles
- Holly Trail (easy) 0.5 miles
- Fire Trail (easy) - short logging road
- Spring Trail (easy) 0.4 miles - has pawpaw trees
- Nature Trail (easy) 0.3 miles
- Phites Eddy Trail - leads out of the park
- Landis Trail (easy) 0.6 miles - connects the Overlook trail & Landis House.
Susquehannock State Park has pavilions which can be rented for the day by calling the office or used by day users for picnicking. The park is open to horses. There is no individual camping allowed at the park (pre-approved groups only). Park information & maps can usually be found in the kiosk board by the parking lot. There are currently 2 geocaches in this park.
With fall foliage just around the corner schedule a visit to this park ASAP! Although it is beautiful in all seasons...
For more information:
* Susquehannock State Park - Drumore, PA. [DCNR official webpage]
* Drumore Township, Lancaster County, PA.
* Mount Johnson Island, Bald Eagle Sanctuary, PA. [note: .pdf file from PA Audubon Society]
View of the Susquehanna River from Hawk Point Overlook in summer.
View of the Susquehanna River from Hawk Point Overlook in winter.
I will begin with a little bit of park history which can be found more extensively on the DCNR page listed below. As the name implies, the park was named after the Susquehannock Indians meaning "people at the falls" (they were also called Conestogas). They controlled the trade routes along the Sasquesahanough, or Susquehanna, River but were eventually driven out of existence by English settlers. The history between the settlers and the Indians is a brutal one. In 1850 the property was under the ownership of James Buchanan Long who built the Landis House (note: this building is UNSAFE and CLOSED to ALL visitors). This house was a stop on the Underground Railroad. The Landis House currently resides next to the park office.
If you are into birdwatching, this is an excellent park for you! You can see Mount Johnson Island Bald Eagle Sanctuary from the Hawk Point Overlook. It was the first eagle sanctuary in the world. Because of this close proximity, it is not uncommon to see bald eagles soaring through the air along the river. Other birds of prey that can be seen are turkey vultures and osprey. Song birds can also be seen in the park, but most birdwatchers come to see the birds of prey.
If you are into geology, you will find all sorts of minerals at the park, the most notable being olivine. Olivine is green in color so these rocks will stick out like a sore thumb on the paths, especially after it rains. I personally have picked up several olivine rocks because they are so interesting. If you are interested in geology, you will also like studying the mountains around & along the Susquehanna River. The park is approximately 250-300 feet above the river. That alone should be enough to tell you there are amazing views...
If you are into hiking for amazing views of nature, you're in for a double whammy. This park has two overlooks: Hawk Point & Wisslers Run. Hawk Point provides an excellent view south and west of the park. To the southwest you can see Peach Bottom Power Plant. To the south is Mount Johnson Island Bald Eagle Sanctuary & the Pennsylvania-Maryland border, also known as the Mason-Dixon Line. To the west you can see several islands housing cabins & York County, a mile across the river. To the northwest you can see more islands & the Holtwood Dam on a clear day. Follow the Overlook Trail to Wisslers Run and you will have excellent views to the west & north of the park. West provides the same views as Hawk Point but from a different perspective. North provides you with a closer look at the Holtwood Dam and the Muddy Run Storage Plant and railroad tracks.
If you are into hiking for the sake of hiking, there are several trails in the park:
- Overlook Trail (easy) 0.55 miles - connects the overlooks
- Rhododendron Trail (hard) 1.2 miles - goes down into the Wisslers Run valley
- Pine Tree Trail (hard) - goes down into the Wisslers Run valley
- Five Points Trail (moderate) 0.7 miles
- Holly Trail (easy) 0.5 miles
- Fire Trail (easy) - short logging road
- Spring Trail (easy) 0.4 miles - has pawpaw trees
- Nature Trail (easy) 0.3 miles
- Phites Eddy Trail - leads out of the park
- Landis Trail (easy) 0.6 miles - connects the Overlook trail & Landis House.
Susquehannock State Park has pavilions which can be rented for the day by calling the office or used by day users for picnicking. The park is open to horses. There is no individual camping allowed at the park (pre-approved groups only). Park information & maps can usually be found in the kiosk board by the parking lot. There are currently 2 geocaches in this park.
With fall foliage just around the corner schedule a visit to this park ASAP! Although it is beautiful in all seasons...
For more information:
* Susquehannock State Park - Drumore, PA. [DCNR official webpage]
* Drumore Township, Lancaster County, PA.
* Mount Johnson Island, Bald Eagle Sanctuary, PA. [note: .pdf file from PA Audubon Society]
View of the Susquehanna River from Hawk Point Overlook in summer.
View of the Susquehanna River from Hawk Point Overlook in winter.
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