These historic woods are full of farmstead ruins and relics form a once spectacular tourist destination.
Discovering the Hidden Ruins of Antietam
The Reading, PA area is exciting to explore because the woods, fields, and even neighborhoods are replete with historic ruins. Today we are visiting a history hotspot from Reading’s golden age: the Mt. Penn Gravity Railroad. The Gravity Trail follows part of the famous Gravity Railroad and begins at Antietam Lake Park, a hidden gem in Berks County. Although Antietam Lake is less than two miles from the city of Reading, it feels much farther away being separated from the urban area by Mt. Penn. Antietam Lake in particular feels secluded being surrounded by hills on all sides. We parked at the Angora Rd. trailhead. From the end of the parking lot there are two trails: the Gravity Trail blazed red, and the Ferndale Trail blazed yellow. The two trails run more or less parallel and meet at the top of the hill. We took the Ferndale Trail to explore the abundant ruins hidden on the wooded hillside.
Just up the hill from the parking lot stands the Bingaman house, built in approximately 1852. This is the only house remaining from the time before Antietam Lake was constructed as a reservoir for the city of Reading in the 1870s. At the time, the hillside surrounding Antietam Lake was clearcut and dotted with farms. However, after a typhoid outbreak in 1894, the city acquired the land to establish a watershed. All the farm buildings were demolished except the Bingaman farmhouse. In the 19-teens the house served as a fresh air baby farm. From the 1930’s to 1950 the house was used as a nature club. In 1957 the city of Reading used the house as the Reading Nature Center until Berks County acquired the Antietam Lake property in 2007. Berks County restored the Bingman house in 2017 it continues to serve as a nature center today.
From the Bingaman house, continue up the hill and turn right at the next intersection. You will meet with a pine stand encircled by one of Mt. Penn’s ubiquitous stone walls. The woods around Antietam Lake are second growth forest. Beginning in the early 1900’s a reforestation effort planted over 200,000 trees. Because of their quick growth, many of these were white pine trees, which is still evident in the pine stands around Antietam Lake.
The yellow blazes at the pine stand indicate that the Ferndale Trail turns left up the hill but continue straight (west) following the contour of the hill. At the T-intersection turn left up the hill. In about 350 feet you will encounter another intersection. To the left you can see moss-accented steps inviting explorers to the ruins of a farmhouse foundation. Coordinates: 40.35460, -75.87698.
From the farmhouse foundation ruins head west following the contour of the hill, taking a dip to a spring-fed wet area. The stone pavers of the old road are visible here. To your right is a surprise in the woods, as shown in the video below.
From the cellar ruins, backtrack east about 150 feet and head up the trail at coordinates 40.35489, -75.8747. Be on the lookout for the springhouse to the right of the rocky trail.
By now you’ve discovered there are many trails snaking through the area. From the spring house continue a short distance up the hill and turn right at the next intersection. Follow this old road, now trail, head west for 0.13 miles until it intersects with the Gravity Trail. Turn left up the hill and continue for 0.28 miles to a Green blazed trail that branches off to the right. Take the green blazed trail to the right that parallels then crosses the road (List Rd.). The trail winds up the hill through rock outcroppings that are home to a serious looking mountain bike course.
In a darkly humorous twist, we encountered a turkey vulture roosting at the top of the perilous mountain bike course over the rocks. I wonder if it comes here often?
At the next intersection, turn right and follow the Gravity Trail proper, skirting the baseball field and down the hill for 0.27 miles until it crosses the road (Haag Rd.). After crossing the road the railbed of the old Gravity Railroad is evident.
The Once-Magnificent Gilded Gravity Railroad
The 8.5 mile Gravity Railroad opened in 1889 to provide excursions through the scenic hollows and hills of Mt. Penn and the spectacular summit overlooking Reading and the rolling countryside. It takes some imagination to picture that in these woods once stood parks, picnic grounds, wineries, restaurants, resorts, dance halls, and even luxury hotels. Situated at the edge of the burgeoning city of Reading, Mt. Penn became famous as a tourist and vacation destination, serving an estimated 80,000 riders a season from May through Thanksgiving. The renown railroad delighted visitors for 33 years until finical troubles and the burning of the Tower Hotel, the crowning Jewel of the Mt. Penn Summit, lead to the railroad’s closure in 1923.
The trail opens up to Egelman Park, a popular stop on the Gravity Railroad. During its heyday Egelman Park buzzed with summer picnickers. Adjacent to Egelman Park was Lauterbach Springs, a winehouse and resort with a grove hosting singing societies. Today, the park is a motley mix of restored pavilions and dilapidated memorials of summers past.
From Egelman Park, cross the road (Hill Rd.) and follow the stream through Rose Valley about 0.3 miles to another popular stop on the Gravity Railroad, Mineral Springs Park. Like Egelman Park, Mineral Springs Park is a strange mix of restored structures and run-down ruins. As the name suggests, Mineral Springs Park was known for its springs of mineral water with purported curative properties. Rose Valley was also home to a textile mill which was converted into the fashionable Mineral Springs Hotel which operated from 1837 to 1856. The former hotel was later leased to a number of tenants until the aging building was vacated in 2017 and finally destroyed by fire in 2023. The ruins near the side of the hill in the video below are all that remain.
From the end of Mineral Springs Park you can travel under the Lindberg Viaduct to the terminus of the Gravity Railroad: Pendora Park. The state of the area from Mineral Springs Park through Pendora Park was disappointing with trash strewn about and the smell of marijuana wafting from parked cars. It is hard to believe that this used to be the site of a buzzing amusement park with a lake, water toboggan ride, bandstand, miniature train, skating rink, carousel, and even a zoo.
From Pendora Park, backtrack through Mineral Springs Park and Egelman Park, staying on the Gravity Trail for about two miles to coordinates 40.351457, -75.887548 where you will encounter the ruins of Keuchler’s Roost. The cabin where the famous mountain hermit, Jacob Kuechler, entertained visitors would have stood to the right and behind the remains of the cellar. Take time to read Keuchler’s story on the interpretive sign.
After you’ve explored Keuchler’s Roost, take the trail that goes behind the cellar and had south. You will cross over a stone and concrete pavement then head down the hill. There are a number of trails you can take but make your way down this trail to a raised railbed then turn right at 40.34918, -75.88435. At 40.34836, -75.88451 you will discover another cellar. This one is above ground, displaying stone arch workmanship that seems to defy gravity.
From the cellar, you can either go back the way you came to the raised railbed and turn right to continue up the hill, or you can continue south from the cellar and take the long way around snaking through the woods. Both routes lead to the same place. Be on the lookout for the raised railbeds and any other interesting features. Cross back over the road (List Rd.) then take the next right and follow the Dane’s Run Trail blazed green. From the road crossing you will go about 0.7 miles back to the parking lot where we started.
The trail we took is shown in blue below and is 7.5 miles.
The Angora Road Trailhead parking coordinates: 40.35645, -75.87365.
As you can see from the map above there are many more trails to be explored, and to be sure, more ruins hiding in the woods. Stay tuned for future adventures at the historic Mt. Penn and the beautiful Antietam Lake. In the meantime, explore our other adventures.
