Swatara Water Trail
Enjoy the outdoors. Fish, hike, camp, picnic, or participate in the
extreme sport of canoeing.
RIVER MILE 14: Along Black's Bridge Road you will find the Swatara Watershed Association's public park (12/19/09), which is open from Sunrise to Sunset. The park operates by donations for canoes, primitive camping, and picnicking. Available also is a public access for boats, hiking trails, and 3,341 feet of fishable banks.
* Canoeing is at your own risk. A release must be signed prior to your trip.
Your donations help us to maintain the park. Thank you. For real hospitality, call (717) 838-9580, and ask for Denise Donmoyer or Jo Ellen Litz at 644-4698.
Swatara Watershed Park is a 33.69-acre parcel along the Swatara Creek at 1929 Blacks Bridge Road, Annville (East Hanover Township, Lebanon County PA). In addition to a boat access, the site contains a 960 square foot pavilion; a 240 square foot stilted office with both a 200 Amp electrical service and a 120 square foot porch anchored on 3’6” concrete pilings below the frost line; an approved public water source with a flow rate of 25 gallons per minute at the pump house; camping; and a riparian buffer that shades and cools the Swatara, slows evaporation, and limits runoff and erosion. Because we start or end our sojourn and River cleanup at this site each year, SWA considers this site an essential hub in the wheel of the Water Trail, important to Lebanon and Dauphin Counties, the State of Pennsylvania, and the nation. A long-term goal is to become part of an inter-county trail system that could link to the proposed north-south rail-trail and east-west rail-trail linking Berks, Dauphin, Lebanon, and Schuylkill counties.
| Our rules: * No alcohol consumption, no drugs, or other illegal activity. * Campfires in fire rings only. * This Park is open from sunrise to sunset. * We have a carry-in carry-out trash policy. * This property is under surveillance, and violators will be prosecuted. |
Boat House Road Park between Route 39 and Sandbeach Bridges is multifaceted:
 | It is close to Swatara Watershed Park; |
| It’s a nice launch, rivaled only by the Jonestown and Middletown Launches; |
| It has a relatively consistent level of water due to the American Water Company Dam; |
| Paddlers can paddle both down stream to one bridge and upstream at least a mile past another bridge; |
Next, we have close lakes—Lions & Stoever’s--where we can provide livery services.
| East off of Route 72 in Ebenezer, Lion's Lake Park is easy to find and well worth the effort to get there. Visitors can enter the park by using one of two parking areas at either end of the park. The most distinguishing feature of the park is it's 13 acre lake which is open to fishing and boating. The lake is stocked with trout by the PA Fish and Boat Commission. Other features of the park include a paved walking path which is great for biking and rollerblading. One lap around the park is 3/4 mile. Along the way there are numerous park benches to take a rest upon and take in the scenery around you. There's also a softball field, soccer field, modern playground equipment, modern restroom facilities, and lots of open space. We also offer for rental a pavilion with kitchen facilities. No swimming, No ice skating or ice fishing, No littering, All pets must be leashed, and Only electric motor powered boats allowed on lake. |
| Stoever's Dam Park - 946 Miller Street; Northeast
section of the City. This 124-acre park offers camping, picnicking, canoeing, fishing, and hiking. Facilities include the Nature Barn, the Lebanon Community Theater, pavilions, and ball fields. The Nature Barn is available for rent at a cost of $75.00 This building has restrooms and kitchen facilities and seating for 75 people. Camping is $2.00 per night per person. Sites with electrical hook-up are an additional $10.00 per night. The park has 7 electrical campsites and 7 non-electrical sites. Contact the park rangers at 269-0062 or 274-3850 for camping permits. Garden plots are available for rent at of cost of: 20 x 20-$10; 20 x
40-$15; 20 x 80-$25. There are 8 plots available for rent. Contact the
Department of Administration at 273-6711 ext. 2406 to rent garden plots. The
following garden plot registration form may be printed, completed, and
returned to the Recreation Department:
http://dsf.pacounties.org/lebanoncity/lib/lebanoncity/garden_plots_regis..pdf Boats: There is a $50.00 fee to keep boats at Stoevers, which must
be paid by January 1st if stored on a yearly basis. The
following boat storage application form may be printed, completed, and
returned to the Recreation Department:
|
For the complete DCNR Trail Guide, click here: http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Fish_Boat/watertrails/swatara/trailguide.htm
For the official DCNR Trail Map, click here: http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Fish_Boat/watertrails/swatara/trailmap.htm
You may remember this article that appeared in the Lebanon Daily News:
Commissioners deny Swatara Creek grant
Author: JOHN LATIMER Staff Writer
Date: August 13, 2009
The Swatara Watershed Association's plan to purchase a boat landing in East Hanover Township hit a snag Thursday when the Lebanon County commissioners refused to approve the association's $25,000 grant request. The association was asking for the county money as part of its local match to a $192,000 grant that has been (awarded by DCNR)….
Funds would have come from money set aside from a bond issue specifically to implement the new Comprehensive Plan and from tourism dollars. We are happy for and supportive of other groups who successfully applied for and received similar funding. People + Projects = Progress
For your information, the previous owner of the property SWA sought to preserve as a public park has left a $30,000 equity donation in the site. While we were successful in writing two grants from PA DCNR and the PA Fish and Boat Commission, for your Christmas giving, SWA respectfully requests your consideration by making a donation to the Swatara Watershed Association. We need your help to retire a $60,000 debt for required appraisals, a survey, and other costs. This isn’t a fancy mailing, but we hope that you’ll see the need and appreciate our thrift. We especially encourage members to make a special donation. It’s great to say to funders that each of us has made a contribution to the cause. PS: We will not operate the golf course.
While funded in part by the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation from the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund; the PA Fish and Boat Commission; Bill and Ruth Wise; the Hershey Company; Lebanon County Conservation District; and private donors, a line of credit was established at Jonestown Bank, and we need to pay off the loan. Free will offerings will help us to accomplish this goal. Please make checks payable to SWA and mail to 2302 Guilford St., Lebanon PA 17046.
If you already made a contribution, we want to thank and acknowledge your generosity. Of course if you can make another donation or influence another person to make a donation, we would be most grateful.Thank you, and God bless!
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