jpescatore

Sunday I rode from Freeland MD to York PA and back on what used to be called the North Central Rail Trail. Surfaces were in great shape (better in PA), most restrooms were open. Downtown York is very different on days when the York Central Market isn't open and I think York in general has been hit pretty hard by the pandemic.

Short writeup here.

StarBiker

NCR south of the Mason Dixon. The PA side of the trail is flatter, and part of it is paved as you know.
I remember when the NCR opened in 84'. Trains were still riding across the overpass on York Road until 1989/90. The overpass was torn down in the early 90's.
Back in the day when I was not remotely into cycling (A long haired leaping gnome) we use to party in Ashland. It looked like something out of the wild west.
The first couple miles of the trail can be really crowded. A couple miles in it slacks off, and it's pleasantly quite past the snack shack.
The PA (Heritage) side is mostly chill, I have been as far as the tunnel, and turned around.

indyfabz

Geeze. I rode through York on a Friday morning back in 2013 during a cross-PA tour. Wasn’t very pleasant then.

StarBiker

That's why I really don't/didn't go that far past the line.

jpescatore

About 4 miles south of downtown York, you reach Days Mill Road, with the Brillhart Station trail parking and Stump Park on your left (west). That is a good turn around point to avoid downtown York - Stump Park seems to have facilities.

On the NW corner of the intersection of the trail and Days Mill Road is a small hill or berm with a big sign about boat rental and a bunch of kayaks. I thought there was some kind of lake behind the berm, but once I stopped and checked it out - just a farmer's field behind it! The south side of Stump Park is on Codorus Creek, maybe there is a rental facility there in normal times.

redcon1

You guys are selling the York City portion of the trail short. It's fine, and now paved from York College to the old Revolutionary-era area near the central market. Follow the marked path through a few (not very busy) streets to connect to the new northern section-- which extends 6 miles past York City and crosses Rt 30 to John Rudy Park. All told, round trip from Hunt Valley to John Rudy is now over 96 miles. A good day on gravel.

jpescatore

I've done that northern extension - added a bit less than 9 miles round trip, I think. Didn't change the equation for me - unless the York Market is open, I'll usually use the facilities at Stump Park and turn around.

For years, York has shown a future connector to, and further extension of, the short Hanover Trolley Trail that heads SW from York. I don't think any progress has been made since they did the 3.5 mile section of the trail that does exist.

ndrose

I think I saw a news item recently indicating that the county trail authority had purchased the dormant line between the two currently disconnected segments of the Hanover Trolley Trail. What the timeline for construction would be I don’t know, but presumably the purchase means it’s coming. That would make the trail 12 miles long or so, which would be worthwhile for cycling (it’s not now), and provide an incentive to make the probably more difficult connection into York.

I’d love to see it eventually extended to Littlestown and even Taneytown. I believe there is a dormant rail bed, though I don’t know the feasibility of using it. Probably some of it has reverted to private ownership and been built over.

balto charlie

I agree, York is not that bad. The market is enjoyable.

They extended the trail!! News to me. I'll have to check that out, thanks.

indyfabz

Last Friday I rode a few miles south from where the trail crosses Market St in York to Indian Rocks Campground during a Pittsburgh to Philly tour. Aside from the "derelicts" hanging out along the trail just below Market St., it was fine. The campground itself is actually pretty nice despite some occasional noise from surrounding industry and some shooting that evening. There is a path identified with green paint on a tree that allows you to access the place directly from the trail. Except for the driveway and where RVs park at sites, the place is covered with really nice grass. Didn't even bother with my ground sheet for the tent. Seemed to be mostly older folks, many of whom may be seasonal. Very pleasant people, and I got the feeling that the owners don't put up with rowdiness. Alcohol is not allowed, but when I went to toss my trash the next morning, the recycling bins had beer cans in them. I suspect a blind eye is turned if you keep it on the DL and don't get disorderly. Heading back north Saturday morning I encountered numerous cyclists and runners heading south.

DocJames

Wow! Did not know about this extension. How cool! I'm planning on riding this whole thing this spring.

redcon1

Whelp-- some bad news since I posted the update you quote. Three or so miles into the northern extension, north of the US 30 overpass, the railroad bridge was raining down debris onto the trail. So that bridge area is closed, and you'll have to turn around when you get to the barriers and head back south (or north if you approached from that direction). There is a study going on to add some type of debris shield to the bridge, but no timeline speculated yet for a fix. You could check on the York County Rail Trail Authority site for updates:

www.yorkcountytrails.org