Cumberland Valley is home to more than 130 local parks and 3 state parks, providing residents and visitors hundreds of miles of scenic trails. So dust off the walking shoes, enjoy the warmer spring weather, and celebrate National Take a Walk in the Park Day on March 30 with a leisurely stroll in one (or more) of our scenic parks. Get out of the house, clear your mind, lose track of time, and re-energize as you enjoy some uninterrupted time and perhaps find some pleasant surprises along the way.

Here are some suggestions, or head out to your own favorite location.

Bird on branchLocal Parks

Adams-Ricci Community Park, Enola

Choose from five different, easily walkable trails. The Blue Loop is the longest at 1.25 miles and takes walkers around the perimeter of the park.

Spring Meadows Park, Boiling Springs

Take a casual walk along Spring Meadows Trail, a 1.5-mile loop around the park's edge. For a bit of an extra challenge, explore the 1-mile-long Fielding Belt Trail, which connects this park to the nearby South Middletown Township Park.

Letort Park, Carlisle

This quiet oasis near the heart of downtown Carlisle serves as the trailhead for the LeTort Spring Run Nature Trail, which offers an easy 2-mile hike along LeTort Spring Run. It is a great location for bird watching.

Shippensburg Township Community Park

This park serves as a trailhead for the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail, which provides a relatively flat 11-mile path that follows the abandoned Cumberland Valley Railroad corridor from Shippensburg to Newville.

Vincent DiFilippo Nature Preserve, Mechanicsburg

This 54-acre nature preserve along the Conodoguinet Creek features an almost two-mile outer loop trail and a shorter one-mile inner loop trail with easily identified trail markers.

Whispering Pines Trail in Kings GapState Parks

While our three state parks provide plenty of opportunities for more vigorous hiking, those seeking a more leisurely pace can also find several easy paths.  

Kings Gap Environmental Education Center

  • The Pine Plantation Trail is a .6-mile loop at the entrance to the park. Enjoy the peaceful sounds of nature while walking on soft pine needles.
  • The .6-mile Woodland Ecology Trail is a loop located near the Mansion at the top of the mountain. The mossy trail features interpretive signage about the surrounding forest.

Pine Grove Furnace State Park

  • The 1.4-mile Mountain Creek Trail meanders through the forest and wetlands as it follows Mountain Creek between Laurel Lake and Fuller Lake. Deer, heron, waterfowl, and beaver can be seen along this trail.
  • The scenic Koppenhaver Trail is a one-mile loop with a footpath that crosses Toms Run and passes through stands of mature pines and hemlocks.

Colonel Denning State Park

  • The Doubling Gap Trail offers a moderate walk along a one-mile trail on level ground that begins and ends at Doubling Gap Lake. Take your time and stop to read the interpretive signage that explains the natural history found around a mountain stream.

Find a complete list of parks to explore in Cumberland Valley.