The Robert A. Kinsley Nature Preserve features towering bluffs with views of the majestic Susquehanna River and a network of trails through wooded hills.
The Robert A. Kinsley Nature Preserve is located in York County’s Hellam Hills, overlooking the mighty Susquehanna River. Formerly called the Hellam Hills Nature Preserve, the preserve is now named after the recently passed York County business leader and nature enthusiast Robert (Bob) Kinsley, founder of the construction company bearing his name. We parked at the spacious pull-off on Chimney Rock Rd and took the yellow trail at the entrance to the preserve.
The yellow trail is a gated gravel road, making for quick and easy travel through the replanted pine and young growth hardwood forest at the beginning of the preserve. After about 0.3 miles the gravel road turns right (green blazes), and the yellow trail diverges into thicker woods. We stayed on the yellow trail as it dips and ascends a hillock then opens up to the scenic overlook, Buzzard’s Roost. From Buzzard’s Roost you can revel in the beauty of the Susquehanna as it curves around and through the anticline. You can see Chickie’s Rock on the opposite side of the Susquehanna as it passes through the hill.
After taking in the views of the Susquehanna and the river town Marietta, we continued our exploration of the Robert A. Kinsley Nature preserve taking the blue-blazed Mason Dixon trail as a connector to the red trail (see the trail map below). The red trail partially descends the hill then curves around the contour facing the Susquehanna, offering views through the trees. After about 0.7 miles, the red trail reconnects with the blue Mason-Dixon Trail. From here you have the option to ascend back to the yellow trail where we started or make a steep descent toward the river. We opted for the latter. We approached the river, but the trails do not lead directly to it on account of being separated by a strip of private property and several homes. Near the bottom of the trail, elevation-wise, we turned aside to Wildcat Bluff from where the picture below was taken.
Wildcat Bluff is right next to a house and has a decent view of the river and Schock’s Mill Bridge in the distance. But it was nothing to write home about. We continued our journey turning away from the river on an old grade and paralleling Wildcat Run, on the edge of a sizable ravine. The walk on the moss-covered grade along the serene ravine was particularly peaceful. We encountered the ruins of a defunct dam at 40.04794, -76.60166.
We picked up the orange trail to loop back toward the yellow trail on which we started. We were surprised with the discovery of the Grubbs Bank Ore Mine, within view of Furnace Rd. This ore bank belonged to the Grubb family iron empire and supplied ore for the St. Charles Furnace, just up the Susquehanna from Columbia, PA. At first, I though that the ore bank would have supplied Codorus Furnace only 2.5 miles down the road, but Codorus Furnace went out of blast in 1850, 16 years before the ore bank was discovered.
We took the orange trail back to the yellow trail where we started our adventure, forming a loop in the Robert A. Kinsley Nature Preserve.
Overall, the adventure was a 4.3 mile loop.
Parking is at 40.038400, -76.606675.
The Robert A. Kinsley Nature Preserve offers a variety of trails and terrain to suit your interest and skill level. The trail network plus the intersection with the Mason-Dixon Trail make this a highly customizable adventure. Whichever path you take, be on the lookout for ruins and remember to bring binoculars to the overlook.
While you are in the area, you can enjoy these nearby adventures:
Be sure to check out our other adventures.
