Took a ride on the Enola Low Grade rail trail in Lancaster County Sunday. It's commendable that something is being done with the trail after years of fighting with property owners for right-of-way. But riding the trail makes York Countians grateful for the York County Heritage Rail Trail. Or nearly any other trail. This trail might have a future, but it's a long, long ways away.
The Enola Trail was recently 'improved' with a new stone surface. But the surface is still awful, loaded with larger limestone, not the crusher waste or something similar that could easily be packed into a hard surface. We rode only half the trail; we sometimes struggled to keep the bikes upright and battled loose rocks. We had enough, turned around and went home. There was standing water on the trail as well, but that can be excused because of recent storms.
York's Heritage Rail Trail is hard to beat for things to see and do, smooth surface and scenery.
Below are excerpts from Lancaster Online story by Ad Crable from September 12.
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By AD CRABLE
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
A new age of public use may be dawning on the former Enola Low Grade rail line.
Closed for nearly a year for an Amtrak power line project, the 23-mile rail-trail is opening again sporting a 16-foot-wide crushed stone trail surface.
For nearly two decades, the rail line had been a bitter battleground over its use and ownership. Martic, Sadsbury, Providence, Bart, Eden and Conestoga townships, which had fought a county takeover to make it a public rail-trail, won the battle and were awarded ownership in 2008, along with $1.4 million from Norfolk Southern for maintenance.
This past weekend, the township celebrated a grand reopening for its 8.27 miles. A trail map with parking and access points is available online at the township's website here.
Closed for nearly a year for an Amtrak power line project, the 23-mile rail-trail is opening again sporting a 16-foot-wide crushed stone trail surface.
For nearly two decades, the rail line had been a bitter battleground over its use and ownership. Martic, Sadsbury, Providence, Bart, Eden and Conestoga townships, which had fought a county takeover to make it a public rail-trail, won the battle and were awarded ownership in 2008, along with $1.4 million from Norfolk Southern for maintenance.
This past weekend, the township celebrated a grand reopening for its 8.27 miles. A trail map with parking and access points is available online at the township's website here.
Providence Township officials, who once fought a public trail, are now leading the charge to get its new owners to unite and turn the trail and its 850 acres into a countywide asset.
The new surface now makes bicycling more feasible. Other permitted uses include horseback riding, walking, jogging, birdwatching and cross-country skiing.
Providence officials are considering paving half the right of way for use by Plain Sect horse and buggies — and developing the trail through Quarryville Borough so kids could use it to walk or bike to school.
There is a detour around the Route 222 crossing near Quarryville where the stone tunnel was demolished. Eventually, Providence Township officials hope to build a pedestrian bridge over the highway.
The new surface now makes bicycling more feasible. Other permitted uses include horseback riding, walking, jogging, birdwatching and cross-country skiing.
Providence officials are considering paving half the right of way for use by Plain Sect horse and buggies — and developing the trail through Quarryville Borough so kids could use it to walk or bike to school.
There is a detour around the Route 222 crossing near Quarryville where the stone tunnel was demolished. Eventually, Providence Township officials hope to build a pedestrian bridge over the highway.
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