From trails to boating to history, an abandoned dream cabin even fossils, Swatara State Park is a gateway to outdoor adventure, with something for everyone.
Swatara State Park is located in a picturesque and historic valley between Blue Mountain and Second Mountain in southcentral Pennsylvania. As the strategic Swatara Gap once served as a gateway to the wilderness in colonial days, Swatara State Park is now a gateway to an abundance of outdoor adventure. And there is something for everyone.
Tour of the Swatara Creek Trail Loop
Swatara State Park is home to 34 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horse riding, and skiing. On this adventure we biked the loop around Swatara Creek on the Bear Hole Trail and the Swatara Rail Trail. There are multiple parking lots and trailheads. We started at the Trout Run Trailhead located at 40.48310, -76.54580. We took the Moonshine trail downhill to connect with the Swatara Rail Trail which follows Swatara Creek on the northwest side.
The trail crosses Swatara Creek via the ornately decorated Waterville Bridge (a.k.a Berlin Iron Bridge). The unusual bridge was originally constructed in 1890 in Waterville, Lycoming County, PA by the Berlin Iron Bridge Company of East Berlin, Connecticut. It was relocated to its current home in 1985 to serve as a crossing for the Appalachian Trail.
Remains of the Union Canal can be found throughout the park. The ruins of lock #9 pictured above are located just beyond the Waterville Bridge. The Union Canal spanned 82 miles, connecting the Schuylkill River at Reading with the Susquehanna River at Middletown. The portion of the canal that ran through the Swatara Gap was the 21.6 mile Pine Grove Branch. In operation from 1830 to 1862, the Pine Grove Branch carried coal from the surrounding mountains to ports such as Philadelphia and Baltimore.
The area in and around Swatara State Park is loaded with fossils. As such, the park features a fossil site at an excavated hillside, right off the trail. We’ve found various bivalve, crinoid, and trilobite fossils.
The Swopes Valley Trailhead at the eastern terminus of the Bear Hole Trail features a large parking lot and boat launch. Before picking up the Swatara Rail Trail on the other side of the creek, we crossed Swopes Valley Rd. to enjoy the peaceful Wagners Pond.
We headed north on Swopes Valley Rd, crossing the bridge over Swatara Creek. In about 0.4 miles on the paved road, picked up the Swatara Rail Trail just before Rt. 443. The Swatara Rail Trail follows the old railbed on the north side of the creek, offering picturesque views of the water.
The Sand Siding Trail creates a shortcut across the park, connecting the Bear Hole Trail on the south side of the creek with the Swatara Rail Trail on the north side. Even if you want to make the entire circuit without taking the shortcut, the Sand Siding Trail is a worthwhile excursion. It consists of a series of fun bridges offering scenic views of Swatara Creek. Fellow outdoor enthusiasts were having a great time splashing in the creek below while others enjoyed a peaceful paddle in their kayaks.
Shortly after the Sand Siding Trail, the scenery transitioned from bucolic to a somewhat post-apocalyptic vibe on an old abandoned road. There’s something about abandoned roads that excites the imagination. And it is a fitting reminder of the area’s long history pre-dating Swatara State Park, which was formed relatively recently in 1987. The abandoned road completed our loop, connecting us with the Moonshine Trail on which we started. But that’s not all; there is a labyrinth of mountain bike trails to explore the wooded hill above. And no proper tour of Swatara State Park would be complete without visiting its crown jewel: the abandoned Bordner Cabin.
Explore Swatara’s Abandoned Dream Home: The Bordner Cabin
Imagine your dream home. Where would it be located? What would be its design? For Armar Bordner, an industrial arts teacher at Northern Lebanon High School and lover of the outdoors, it is this hand-crafted rustic cabin at the base of a waterfall huddled against the Blue Mountain.
Using local stone and timber felled by his uncle, Bordner and his students spent two-and-a-half years making this dream a reality.
The main living space on the first floor is built around a massive stone fireplace.
Although the stone fireplace dominates the interior, the focus of the cabin is the enormous picture window facing Aycrigg’s Falls.
The first floor includes a kitchen area behind the fireplace, a drafting room, and a bedroom. Note the craftmanship in this labor of love.
The second floor has an interior balcony overlooking the great room and a loft bedroom.
Bordner’s design was in part influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright, as can be seen in the use of local materials and cantilevered deck overlooking Rattling Run. You can hear the sound of water throughout the cabin.
The cabin is masterfully designed to be in the woods and of the woods. The use of rough-hewn local materials, and large windows facing Aycrigg’s Falls, and Rattling Run on two sides of the cabin brings the outside in, melting the distinction between indoors and outdoors, as Bordner intended.
In the 1970 Bordner’s cabin was seized by eminent domain to create Swatara State Park. Bordner resisted and was granted the right to remain in his cabin until his death in 1994. The Bordner Cabin fell into disrepair was saved from condemnation by the Swatara Watershed Association. The Association completed repairs in 2015 and currently administers the cabin on lease from the DCNR. The Bordner is open and free of charge to visit.
The Secret at the Top of Aycrigg’s Falls
The lover of the outdoors can share in Bordner’s sentiment and in appreciation of his rustically majestic dream home. The cabin alone would be worth the trip to Swatara State Park. But most people don’t know that you can climb all the way to the to the top of Aycrigg’s Falls and Rattling Run where it passes under Rt. 81.
There are rough paths up the mountain on either side of Rattling Run. The path to the left (if looking at Aycrigg’s Falls) begins at Bordner’s back patio. It is a mostly dirt path and steep in parts. The path on the right side can be accessed from the Bear Hole Trail or crossing over Rattling Run from the cabin. There are enough rocks to make for a dry crossing. The trail on the right side is quite rocky and requires boulder scrambling.
There are good views of Aycrigg’s Falls on the way up, and both trails abut the falls at points. Persevere all the way to the top and you will encounter the large concrete culvert. Be sure to bring a flashlight and head inside! We’ve visited at times when there is barely any water and at other times 2 or 3 inches of water. In any case the floor is abrasive stone, so it provides surprisingly good footing. You can pass all the way to the other side of Rt. 81! Check out the video at the end of this post if you want to join us on the journey through.
Overall, the loop we took on the Bear Hole Trail and the Swatara Rail Trail plus the Moonshine Trail connector was 12.5 miles.
The trails on the loop were very easy and predominantly crushed stone or paved. The terrain was relatively flat, with a few undulations on the Bear Hole trail.
However, the trails long Aycrigg’s Fall were steep and rocky in places.
Below are excerpts of the DCNR Swatara State Park map. We started at the Trout Run Trailhead near the bottom left of the first map, where Rt. 72 and Rt. 443 intersect. As you can see, there are numerous trailheads and much to see and do.
There is so much to do at Swatara State Park, with something to suite just about anyone interested in the outdoors. As such, it is a very popular spot, so expect company. The loop is mixed use for hiking/walking, biking, and horse-riding, so be aware and exercise good trail etiquette. Even more, the entire region is packed with gems waiting for you to explore. To whet your appetite, here are some nearby destinations for you to discover.
- Boxcar Rocks is so Unusual You Need to See It to Believe It
- Abandoned Mines and Fossil Finds at the Exciting Sharp Mountain
- How to Find the Ruins of the Abandoned Yellow Springs
Be sure to check out our other adventures.
