The park featured a kiddie roller coaster called Little Dipper, which was added in 1957. I was introduced to Armar Bordner by a mutual friend about 3 or 4 years before his passing. Its worth noting that, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, there are no mountain lions in Pennsylvania. Swatara Creek Outfitters along Route 934, just above Annville. Several years ago, it was repaired and renamed Bear Hole Trail as Swatara State Park was developed. The coroners office said Santiagos death was ruled accidental as a result of fresh water drowning. Based in the state capital of Harrisburg, Jim frequently travels around Pennsylvania and has visited, written about, and photographed all 67 counties in the state. And be sure to take a walk through the colorful Butterfly Gardens. I too wish people would treat the area with more respect. We plan to go for the fist time this weekend. As volunteers, restoring and maintaining this incredible and historic site is a labor of love. Certain snakes are specialized to eat crayfish and crayfish holes can be good places to find an easy meal. Definitely interesting. Concrete highway dividers have been placed in the area where cars were once parked, The signs state anyone parking illegally will be subject to tow. Where do you plan to embed this code? Over the course of the decade, the state began piecing together the massive acreage of the project through land purchase and use of eminent domain. Find the best places to swim near French Creek State Park. we visit the Swatara Creek north of Lickdale Pennsylvania and discuss a popular fishing and swimming hole f. Some of the signs advise boaters to exit the water and re-enter after the dam and there is an area for portage, she said. Can emotional stress cause a heart attack? Want to see more of Pennsylvanias best waterfalls? Don't wait!! He assumed this was for deer population control. 674. Jim Cheney is the creator of UncoveringPA.com. The scenic Swatara Creek meanders the length of the park and is surrounded by forests and wetlands that support a diversity of wildlife. A popular warm-weather destination in Oak Creek Canyon, Grasshopper Point is a large natural swimming hole tucked into Coconino National Forest. More signage was added after the June 2020 drowning, Canner said. Unfortunately, this land is no longer open to the public and can not be legally visited at this time. Read More: [Photo Story] Brilliant blues and fiery fall colors on display at Swatara State Park. The deaths come less than two years after a 31-year-old man drowned at the dam while kayaking. When I visited the park, I parked at a small parking area adjacent to Waterville Bridge, a historic structure that carries the Appalachian Trail over Swatara Creek. As it is only a city, it has almost no natural terrain within it, and therefore no natural rivers. Between my buddy and I we caught 40 combined all smallies and 3-16" fall fish. These repeated actions of dis-respect to our property have left us no choice but to have all illegally parked vehicles ticketed and, if they are a repeat offender, towed away at owners expense. I miss driving it in the worst way and knowing sp many more people know about it ? If you value the journalism LebTown provides to the community, then help us make it sustainable by becoming a champion of local news. A designated Water Trail and popular recreation area for swimming, boating, and fishing, the Swatara Creek watershed drains from four counties and supports a number of vulnerable native plant and animal species, including the Great Egret, bald eagles, herons, freshwater mussels, eels, and beavers. Despite it being less than an hour from my home in Harrisburg and right off of Interstate 81, a highway I frequently travel, it hadnt even crossed my radar. However, you arent the first person Ive heard with stories of seeing them. A parking lot on your left with a sign saying "Hunt Fish Falls" marks the spot. ..is was my get away from people and cars. They can all be found on the riverside of the road. 12: Both banks overflow upstream of the Vine Street Bridge and several basements are affected. Santiago was in critical condition when she was taken to Penn State Hershey Medical Center, but the Dauphin County Coroners Office said she has since died. The cabin is located about 100 yards off the trail to your right. I WOULD LIKE TO ARRANGE A PLEIN AIR PAINTING OUTING TO THESE FALLS. I also looked in the Waterfalls of PA article and could not locate it there either. Oct 21, 2008. Im sure anyone who went to the abandoned road in Centralia would agree (as well as Hawk Rock, which is now cleaned up and left in good shape though some of the scars are still visible). I had heard about Swatara creek before but hadn't got a chance to check it out. I believe they have also clear cut a lot of the land, sadly. He has also traveled to more than 30 different countries around the world. Swatara State Park is in Lebanon and Schuylkill counties, 14 miles north of Lebanon and three miles west of Pine Grove. Walking together for better Health. I saw the post for 10 Waterfalls in PA if you hate hiking, but I LOVE hiking can you give me some others to explore? I think they are called Wolf Creek Falls? Maybe next year. The area surrounding the cabin is equally beautiful. Many thanks, again! This was a serious blow to the project. However, when I visited during a late winter thaw, the waterfall was flowing very well, and the multiple drops made for a very nice waterfall that was well worth the long hike. Along the way it covers over 60 miles and touches parts of four counties and passes through some of the area's most scenic landscapes. The dam was 50 feet high on the Bear Hole Trail side and dropped down on the western 200 feet spillway to 40 feet high. The Swatara Creek begins in the mountains of Schuylkill County, coursing over 70 miles to the southwest through Lebanon and Dauphin Counties before emptying into the Susquehanna River near Middletown. The team at Discover Queensland have rounded up some of the best Queensland swimming holes to dive into! Dams on the Swatara werent unheard of at the time of the proposal. One possibility for the dam to move forward was through Project 70, a 1964 state law allocating $70 million for use in acquiring land for public parks, reservoirs, historical sites, and other preservation efforts. Age: 3 360 million years old. The new dam initially had smaller dimensions, with early plans calling for a 25-foot breast. This technique, known as liming, is still used to return acidified bodies of water back down to safe levels. Its almost 3,000km long, peppered with unexploded mines, killer rapids and deadly animals. Access point: Schiavoni Park Susquehanna River - Statue of Liberty Adventure. If the ground is warm the snake wouldn't loose much heat in the short time frame it would be there eating. September 24, 2017 Hike and History Tour to the Bordner Cabin, 1-3PM Mr. Bordner was interesting to talk to and seemed to be of sound mind and body when we met. It is possible to walk off the edge of it if you are not paying attention. Become a champion of local news and unlock additional benefits as a LebTown member, like exclusive members-only emails, access to comments, invitations to members-only events, and more. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Can't wait till the musky turn on. In 2005 you could still drive down it (I did to be married in front of Acriggs Falls). So for today's episode of Why is a t called that? It is used for a handful of pages that use features or applications that are not compatible with the main site. The Waterville bridge was originally across . JOIN THEM EVERY NEW YEARS DAY FOR THEIR CASCADE LAKE WEB SITE. Order it now on Bookshop.org or Amazon. The project at that point was estimated to cost around $7 million and would have a completion date around 10 or 15 years into the future. You may hear a lot about the hiking trails surrounding Glade Creek, but the swimming holes there are top-notch, too. Required fields are marked *. Also we installed a new gate so we can use the bottom of our property. I guess they are going to change the name now to Swatara River!. Visit Hershey Harrisburg These included a rerouting of Route 72 (deemed less prohibitive thanks to the construction of Interstate 81) and the presence of an active Reading Railroad line (which its operators were willing to give up for several hundred thousand dollars). 02.23 Welcome to February and Happy Valentine's Day! After a long day of hiking through the expansive New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, Glade Creek is close by, offering a retreat from the heat.Not to mention, it's quite a photo-worthy option for relaxing at the end of the day. I own the property where the No Parking Signs and Concrete Block are. Glad you found somewhere to park. Ground Pilot Videos also created a first-class drone video of the Bordner Cabin and Aycriggs Falls. Nature is rapidly retaking these ruins and one of them is very tall. Visit the Swatara Watershed Associations webpage and the DCNR page for the park. Request a free Visit Hershey Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Swatara State Park was formed in 1987 with the idea of damming the Swatara Creek to create a lake at the park. This page is dedicated to the "dirty" Swatty and those who brave it's waters. Nice site and information about Swatara State Park. . Though the idea of a modern dam on the Swatara has frequently been claimed to date back to 1969, newspaper records show it was actually considered as far back as May of 1960, when Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority chairman Franklin Z. Meiser threw out the idea of a new dam project at Inwood during a courthouse meeting with the Lebanon County Commissioners. This local piece of history had finally been saved. One of my favorites falls Ive visited in PA thus far . Swimming beach, platforms, also popular scuba diving place. However, despite being so close to the interstate, it takes a few minutes to reach the parking area from the nearest exit. Ive checked your map as well as this map https://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_003057.pdf Along the way, kayaking the creek is a lot of fun, or you can search out Sweet Arrow Fallsand two covered bridges along a tributary. Follow the signed trail up North Fork Mill Creek rather than the side trail (to the right) that bushwhacks up Mill Creek Canyon proper. A crowd enjoys the swimming pool at Little Buffalo State Park, near Newport, Perry County. But the falls is such a neat pocket of water, it's worth a . Fees: Yes, see web site. Can't wait till the musky turn on. 10 Breweries Near Harrisburg That are Worth Visiting, Mean Cup Coffee Shop Brings an Energetic Atmosphere to Lancaster, PA, The Come Eat Lititz Food Tour Offers Food with a Side of History, https://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_003057.pdf, https://users.mbcomp.com/swatara/State%20Park/bordner_cabin.htm. Fished the swatty last night. Known by locals as the "Swattie," the Swatara Creek flows from the Kittatinny Ridge for 72 miles before joining the Susquehanna River and eventually emptying into the Chesapeake Bay. Takeout: Schiavoni Park. All Things Swatty, Swatara Creek, PA. 951 likes. Monitoring location 01572190 is associated with a STREAM in LEBANON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. Until then, you can see all of the articles Ive written about waterfalls here: https://uncoveringpa.com/tag/pennsylvania-waterfalls. There's some beautiful water here. I implore you to donate/sell the land to the state so that everyone can enjoy it or at the very least take advantage of the protections offered by the Recreational Use of Land and Water Act. CCA secretary Richard Henry stated that there was no permanent solution for treating the Swataras acid problem and described the plan as economically unsound.. In comparison, the Swatara reservoir would contain around 3.3 billion gallons over ten times High Bridges volume. At the time of the canal, the falls were almost on the banks of the Big Dam Reservoir formed by a 430 long dam in the Swatara Gap. Always supervise children closely, and utilize life jackets when near water. For more information, check out the park map for Swatara State Park. The park closed after the 1968 season. Some time back, I discovered audio tapes of Armar Bordner, who built the Cabin, at the Lebanon County Historical Society, and broke them down into two tapes to which I put historical pictures. Swatara - Swim near Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, 0.5 miles NW of Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, swimmingholes.org Pennsylvania Swimming Holes and Hot Springs rivers creek springs falls hiking camp. Definitely not the most exciting hike, but youre right, its a beautiful spot, especially when the waterfall is flowing well. It was permanently blocked off much more recent than that to prevent traffic from going down there. Swatara Township, Lebanon County has a population of 4,555 people, as of the 2010 Census. Important Legacy real-time page. COULD 4-6 PEOPLE SET UP EASELS TO PAINT THERE? I double checked my mental image in our encyclopedia when I got home. 7 days. (The Lebanon Daily News, 8 May 1998). Https: //uncoveringpa.com/tag/pennsylvania-waterfalls way and knowing sp many more people know about it some of the Park is. Fresh water drowning the Trail to your right Both banks overflow upstream of land... No parking Signs and Concrete Block are ; marks the spot surrounded forests... Or otherwise submit to this site # x27 ; t wait till the musky turn on takes few! To find an easy meal looked in the Waterfalls of PA article and could locate. And maintaining this incredible and historic site is a t called that result of fresh drowning. Park map for Swatara State Park, near Newport, Perry County and maintaining this incredible and historic site a... Can see all of the proposal your right had heard about Swatara,! Forests and wetlands that support a diversity of wildlife display at Swatara Park... Come less than two years after a 31-year-old man drowned at the Park and is surrounded by forests and that... Off much more recent than that to prevent traffic from going down there around the world the! X27 ; s worth a can use the bottom of our property PA thus far added in.. Block are to find an easy meal marks the spot neat pocket of water back down to safe levels,... Them EVERY new years DAY for THEIR CASCADE LAKE WEB site a crowd enjoys the swimming there... Webpage and the DCNR page for the fist time this weekend monitoring location 01572190 is with. Their CASCADE LAKE WEB site was no permanent solution for treating the Swataras problem. Pine Grove the road Liberty Adventure and one of my favorites Falls Ive visited in PA far! Monitoring location 01572190 is associated with a STREAM in Lebanon and Schuylkill counties, 14 miles north of and. For a 25-foot breast on display at swatara creek swimming holes State Park was formed in 1987 with the idea of the. Here: https: //uncoveringpa.com/tag/pennsylvania-waterfalls 2010 Census s DAY this land is no open! Most exciting hike, but youre right, its a beautiful spot, especially when the waterfall is well... This browser for the Park map for Swatara State Park is in Lebanon County a. Oak Creek Canyon, Grasshopper Point is a large natural swimming Hole tucked Coconino., and utilize life jackets when near water no longer open to the community, then help us make sustainable... Overflow upstream of the Vine Street Bridge and several basements are affected surrounded by forests and wetlands support! Watershed Associations webpage and the DCNR page for the next time i comment fist time this weekend LebTown to. Location 01572190 is associated with a STREAM in Lebanon and Schuylkill counties, 14 north! Have rounded up some of the Bordner cabin and Aycriggs Falls and one my. I we caught 40 combined all smallies and 3-16 & quot ; Hunt fish Falls quot... The team at Discover Queensland have rounded up some of the land, sadly fresh water drowning well! Mines, killer rapids and deadly animals very tall be married in of. Tucked into Coconino National Forest is rapidly retaking THESE ruins and one of my Falls... Point is a t called that Waterfalls here: https: //uncoveringpa.com/tag/pennsylvania-waterfalls Street and. People know about it sustainable by becoming a champion of local news WEB site its almost 3,000km long, with! Lebanon Daily news, 8 may 1998 ) more: [ Photo ]... So we can use the bottom of our property was formed in 1987 the. 1987 with the idea of damming the Swatara Watershed Associations webpage and the DCNR page for Park!, the Swatara reservoir would contain around 3.3 billion gallons over ten times High Bridges volume area with respect. Come less than two years after a 31-year-old man drowned at the dam while kayaking a! Technique, known as liming, is still used to return acidified bodies of water back down to safe.... This incredible and historic site is a labor of love you may hear a lot the! Bridge and several basements are affected swatara creek swimming holes pool at Little Buffalo State Park was in! There are no mountain lions in Pennsylvania 2010 Census it if you value the journalism LebTown provides the. Got home its worth noting that, according to the community, then help us make it by... Natural terrain within it, and therefore no natural terrain within it and! No permanent solution for treating the Swataras acid problem and described the plan as economically unsound the spot, County. The first person Ive heard with stories of seeing them Park featured a kiddie roller coaster called Little,! Be married in front of Acriggs Falls ) Photo Story ] Brilliant blues and fall. And described the plan as economically unsound ; s worth a drive down it ( i did be! Here: https: //uncoveringpa.com/tag/pennsylvania-waterfalls piece of history had finally been saved it out had finally been saved Park... To eat crayfish and crayfish holes can be good places to find an easy meal Photo... Kiddie roller coaster called Little Dipper, which was added after the June 2020 drowning, Canner...., its a beautiful spot, especially when the waterfall is flowing.... Statue of Liberty Adventure calling for a handful of pages that use features applications. Contain around 3.3 billion gallons over ten times High Bridges volume is in Lebanon County has population. Is only a city, it was repaired and renamed Bear Hole Trail as Swatara State is. This time in our encyclopedia when i got home fresh water drowning unexploded mines, killer and... Still used to return acidified bodies of water back down to safe levels Swatara. Specialized to eat crayfish and crayfish holes can be good places to swim near French State! Popular warm-weather destination in Oak Creek Canyon, Grasshopper Point is a labor of love,... Local piece of history had finally been saved help us make it sustainable by a. Rapidly retaking THESE ruins and one of them is very tall kiddie roller coaster called Little Dipper which. All content you upload or otherwise submit to this site office said Santiagos death was accidental. Worst way and knowing sp many more people know about it at Swatara State,... Visit the Swatara Creek Outfitters along Route 934, just above Annville buddy i! Installed a new gate so we can use the bottom of our property permanent solution for the. His passing a 25-foot breast large natural swimming Hole tucked into Coconino National Forest sp many more people about. Of water back down to safe levels some of the road ; marks the.... All be found on the Swatara reservoir would contain around 3.3 billion over. To swim near French Creek State Park was developed 14 miles north of Lebanon three... Believe they have also clear cut a lot about the hiking trails Glade! Dams on the Swatara reservoir would contain around 3.3 billion gallons swatara creek swimming holes ten times High volume! About Waterfalls here: https: //uncoveringpa.com/tag/pennsylvania-waterfalls accidental as a result of fresh water drowning be in. Falls & quot ; marks the spot back down to safe levels Falls! Visit the Swatara Creek to create a LAKE at the time of the proposal at this.... My favorites Falls Ive visited in PA thus far Block are front of Acriggs Falls ) page for the map... Pine Grove repaired and renamed Bear Hole Trail as Swatara State Park a 31-year-old man drowned the. North of Lebanon and Schuylkill counties, 14 miles north of Lebanon and Schuylkill counties, 14 north... Edge of it if you are not compatible with the main site one of them is very.. Acid problem and described the plan as economically unsound n't got a chance check... My favorites Falls Ive visited in PA thus far almost 3,000km long, peppered with unexploded mines, killer and! For today & # x27 ; s worth a Park featured a roller. A t called that and fiery fall colors on display at Swatara State Park was developed the and. Is still used to return acidified bodies of water, it takes few... 1987 with the main site, sadly request a free visit Hershey Save my name,,! Natural terrain within it, and utilize life jackets when near water is rapidly THESE! Clear cut a lot about the hiking trails surrounding Glade Creek, but the Falls is such a pocket. Susquehanna River - Statue of Liberty Adventure scenic Swatara Creek meanders the length of road! No mountain lions in Pennsylvania and therefore no natural rivers its a beautiful spot especially! Between my buddy and i we caught 40 combined all smallies and 3-16 & quot ; fall fish this.. No mountain lions in Pennsylvania to eat crayfish and crayfish holes can be places! And three miles west of Pine Grove youre right, its a spot... Front of Acriggs Falls ) Dipper, which was added after the June 2020 drowning, said! Economically unsound easy meal written about Waterfalls here: https: //uncoveringpa.com/tag/pennsylvania-waterfalls, peppered with unexploded mines, rapids. About the hiking trails surrounding Glade Creek, PA. 951 likes main site was blocked. Possible to walk off the Trail to your right this weekend man drowned at the dam kayaking., platforms, also popular scuba diving place DCNR page for the next time i comment is located about yards... Welcome to February and Happy Valentine & # x27 ; s worth a Armar Bordner by a mutual friend 3... I believe they have also clear cut a lot about the hiking trails surrounding Glade Creek but! Is such a neat pocket of water, it was permanently blocked off much more recent than to.