9 Outdoor Activities in Lancaster That You Shouldn't Miss

Reviewed By deckm

This trail is my go-to every weekend that I can. It's flat as others have stated, although there are many short low-angle grades that will have you downshifting here and there. There's nothing boring about this ride because one minute you're twisting and turning through the forest and the next minute you're riding past large open fields and pastures. Except for one short section through Marietta, you will hardly see any houses at all. Marietta by the way is quaint and has wonderful shops and restaurants. There are many places along the way to view the Susquehanna including multiple boat launches, lots of park benches and picnic tables, and two parks with covered picnic areas (no fires). The larger one is The RiverTrail Pavilion and is accessible by car from Marietta. It has a small playground, a soda vending machine, and two portable toilets. The smaller one, Koser Park, is in Bainbridge and has a pavilion, park benches, a grassy area to sit and gaze at the river, and the Bainbridge Inn and other eateries just over the railroad tracks. Speaking of railroad tracks, the Norfolk-Southern railway parallels the whole bike trail and it's not unusual to hear and see a long line of freight trains slowly rumbling by. One of my favorite aspects of the trail is the sheer variety of scenery, and except for crossing the street in Columbia to get from the parking areas to the beginning of the trail, there are no intersections to stop at, typical of other trails. You may encounter cars in Marietta and at some of the parking areas but it's minimal and there are always paths to the side and off the street, as well as street bike markings in Marietta. The other thing that I like about the NWLRT is that it's very well maintained. The only downside is that if you wait until late morning or the afternoon especially on a weekend the trail gets to be very busy with all manner of walkers, riders, skaters, families, children, and other groups who may not be aware of the need to keep to the side of the trail so you'll find yourself announcing "On your left!" more than you might like, so go early if you can. Also, please take your litter with you!