#15 Heritage Rail Trail County Park
Property Manager: York County Parks (717) 840-7440
GPS address: Just South of US Rt 30, Loucks Mill Road, York PA, 17402 (NE Ext)
Hours: Dawn until Dusk
Parking: Loucks Mill Road, Rt 30 parking area for the (NE Ext)
Restrooms: A portable toilets are available at these parking areas.
Safety Reminders: Some hikers and bikers travel at high speeds. Be aware of them. The trail crosses the road at some locations. Be aware. This parking area has a gate that locks at night and it does not open to outbound or inbound cars.
Best Birding: All seasons are great at the Route 30 location. Other locations along the trail are best May-Sept.
Site Description: The Heritage Rail Trail County Park is a 26 mile trail that follows the Codorus Creek valley. It ends at the Maryland State Line. The park is about 66 feet wide in most areas. Please stay on the trail while enjoying the nature alongside it. Though birds can be found throughout the entire length some areas stick out as great birding locations.
The best birding found on the trail begins north of York City. The four mile section formerly known as the Northeast Extension (NE Ext) is filled with bird life year round. The stretch downstream of the Route 30 Bridge to the start of the forest one mile north is excellent birding. The York Wastewater Treatment Plant has an outflow into the creek here. It is not always a pleasant smell. The outflow causes algae growth, but also attracts birds year round. In this section the trail is a very open area, making flyovers and viewing birds along the creek easy. Red-tailed Hawk, Bald Eagle, Orchard Oriole, and Common Raven all successfully nest in a one mile stretch from the Route 30 Bridge to the Blackbridge Railroad Bridge. In winter over a dozen waterfowl species have been recorded here including Common Goldeneye, Canvasback, Bufflehead, American Black Duck, Redhead, Wood Duck, and (a rarity in York) Trumpeter Swan. On the fringe of migration season cormorants, grebes, and others stop along the creek. If conditions are right and mud is exposed shorebirds have been viewed here Killdeer and Spotted Sandpiper are most common, but other species have been viewed. The long walk or bike along the NE Ext to Rudy Park gives a birder chances to view the following birds in the breeding season Wild Turkey, Wood Thrush, Great Egret, Great Crested Flycatcher, Scarlet Tanager, and many other woodland birds.
Though not an all season birding hot spot like the northern portion of the rail trail the stretch of trail from Brillhart Station parking area to Hanover Junction Train Station is good birding. The distance between these locations is over 6 miles, but the stretch has wooded and open habitats that are productive. The area between Glatfelters Station and Brillhart Station near the Howard Tunnel is great for woodland species and Louisiana Waterthrush in spring. Rusty Blackbird has been viewed at the edge of wet fields near Brillhart Station. A short walk south from Glatfelters Station parking look for Tree and Barn Swallows. Hanover Junction is famous for its Eastern Screech-Owl that year after year defends the creek alongside Great Blue Herons and Belted Kingfishers. Farther south to the Maryland line more chances for birds of open areas occur near Glen Rock as one heads south to New Freedom. Rough-legged Hawk was recorded near Glen Rock in a past Christmas bird count. The trail is long and stretches over half the county making it a trail that has had plenty of amazing bird sightings since its opening in 1999. Not all the parking information for all rail trail sections is included please visit the York County Parks webpage for more information.
Property Manager: York County Parks (717) 840-7440
GPS address: Just South of US Rt 30, Loucks Mill Road, York PA, 17402 (NE Ext)
Hours: Dawn until Dusk
Parking: Loucks Mill Road, Rt 30 parking area for the (NE Ext)
Restrooms: A portable toilets are available at these parking areas.
Safety Reminders: Some hikers and bikers travel at high speeds. Be aware of them. The trail crosses the road at some locations. Be aware. This parking area has a gate that locks at night and it does not open to outbound or inbound cars.
Best Birding: All seasons are great at the Route 30 location. Other locations along the trail are best May-Sept.
Site Description: The Heritage Rail Trail County Park is a 26 mile trail that follows the Codorus Creek valley. It ends at the Maryland State Line. The park is about 66 feet wide in most areas. Please stay on the trail while enjoying the nature alongside it. Though birds can be found throughout the entire length some areas stick out as great birding locations.
The best birding found on the trail begins north of York City. The four mile section formerly known as the Northeast Extension (NE Ext) is filled with bird life year round. The stretch downstream of the Route 30 Bridge to the start of the forest one mile north is excellent birding. The York Wastewater Treatment Plant has an outflow into the creek here. It is not always a pleasant smell. The outflow causes algae growth, but also attracts birds year round. In this section the trail is a very open area, making flyovers and viewing birds along the creek easy. Red-tailed Hawk, Bald Eagle, Orchard Oriole, and Common Raven all successfully nest in a one mile stretch from the Route 30 Bridge to the Blackbridge Railroad Bridge. In winter over a dozen waterfowl species have been recorded here including Common Goldeneye, Canvasback, Bufflehead, American Black Duck, Redhead, Wood Duck, and (a rarity in York) Trumpeter Swan. On the fringe of migration season cormorants, grebes, and others stop along the creek. If conditions are right and mud is exposed shorebirds have been viewed here Killdeer and Spotted Sandpiper are most common, but other species have been viewed. The long walk or bike along the NE Ext to Rudy Park gives a birder chances to view the following birds in the breeding season Wild Turkey, Wood Thrush, Great Egret, Great Crested Flycatcher, Scarlet Tanager, and many other woodland birds.
Though not an all season birding hot spot like the northern portion of the rail trail the stretch of trail from Brillhart Station parking area to Hanover Junction Train Station is good birding. The distance between these locations is over 6 miles, but the stretch has wooded and open habitats that are productive. The area between Glatfelters Station and Brillhart Station near the Howard Tunnel is great for woodland species and Louisiana Waterthrush in spring. Rusty Blackbird has been viewed at the edge of wet fields near Brillhart Station. A short walk south from Glatfelters Station parking look for Tree and Barn Swallows. Hanover Junction is famous for its Eastern Screech-Owl that year after year defends the creek alongside Great Blue Herons and Belted Kingfishers. Farther south to the Maryland line more chances for birds of open areas occur near Glen Rock as one heads south to New Freedom. Rough-legged Hawk was recorded near Glen Rock in a past Christmas bird count. The trail is long and stretches over half the county making it a trail that has had plenty of amazing bird sightings since its opening in 1999. Not all the parking information for all rail trail sections is included please visit the York County Parks webpage for more information.