Rocky Ridge County Park
Hello y'all! Today we will be hiking through Rocky Ridge Park and discovering all the possibilities it holds for your visit!
I actually really enjoy this park and not just because I have many memories associated with it. It has the perfect balance of secluded woodland vibes along with nice modern touches. It is not a camping park though. It is only for day trips to escape the city or get nice evening walks in nature!
Some of the highlights are.
- Decently long trail system that will easily keep you walking all day
- Well thought out trail routes (All trails eventually end in parking lots, making it very difficult for the beginning hiker to get lost)
- Really nice location
- Easy access to park with lots of parking
- Modern facilities with regular maintenance
- Plenty of pavilions for cook outs and social gatherings
- Kid friendly with quite a few play grounds
- Horse shoe pits for the grown ups!
- Seasonal Christmas Lights Display for the family(with yummy snacks and drinks!)
Rocky Ridge County Park Map
As you can see, "all loops lead home"! heh, pardon the music reference. LOL
If you follow along on my video I explain this map and you can see how the sections link together! But basically I started on the red trail then branched onto the purple trail which. I followed this one down the mountain connecting into the blue trail which rounded and shoots you back up the mountain! Then I hopped onto the tan'ish looking trail that eventually dumped me back onto the red trail that I began on! Now all that was left was the nifty overview before heading back to the parking lot for hydration!
So where we are going next could be reached by taking the Green blazed trail. Since I was parched and needed more water, I had to skip the green trail. We will pick up at trail #8 at the Western end of the parking lot! This side of the park is definitely focused more on family. As there are multiple well maintained pavilions with grills for cooking for big social gatherings with friends and family! There are also horseshoe pits! I loved playing this game at Memorial Day picnics! It was the best! The smell of BBQ while I was playing family in games and horseshoes. Maybe even
sneak in a hike around a lake! Not here obviously.. haha There are also playgrounds scattered through these gathering locations. As far as the restrooms go, they have always been very well kept in all the times I've visited. The majority of pavilions, playgrounds and things to do are up in "Inset B" of the above map. You can cross over the road to pick up a paved trail leading down to a more quiet less used area just across from "Inset A". Inset A does have a restroom as well!
Wild Black Caps, Blackberries and Raspberries
Raspberry Medley
I also have to mention all the amazing fruit! If you get to hike here around the July time frame you may just get treated to fresh from nature Black Caps, Blackberries, and Raspberries! They offer a much needed shot of energy and little bits of hydration from their water content! If you're ever out on long thru hikes and find yourself low on energy, look for some fruit! They can be real life savers physically and mentally!
The final two things I'd like to mention are the fitness trail and the second overlook.
The fitness trail is about 1/2 mile give or take and consists of several work out stations. Each station will have a guide plaque directing you of what exercise to perform with the equipment set. It's pretty straight forward, but you can make it as hard or easy as you want. I know when I did it, I made it hard enough that I barely finished! So, pretty cool!
Especially if you would like an alternative to crowded blah blah facilities in favor of no crowds and clean fresh air.
Lastly, the second overlook on the observation deck! Here you can spot all kinds of different birds! I'm not a birder, so I don't know what kind of birds they are, I just know I've seen a bunch and they are beautiful! There is also a small little side trail that goes to the left of the observation deck. It leads down the hill to a huge rock! I actually asked my high-school sweet-heart to be my girlfriend on this rock! It was epic!
Before I wrap up I want to let you all in on a fun winter event help here every year! If you're ever visiting in december or live in this area and just never heard of this. It's called "Christmas Magic" and it is super cool! So many lights! Practically all of Inset B is used for this event! They also have snacks and hot chocolate! YUM YUM!!
So there ya have it! I really like this little park and definitely think it's worth your time to visit. It's tucked away in York, Pennsylvania just a few minutes off of route 30! Come out with the family.. lover.. friends.. or solo and enjoy yourself some nature!
Till next time
Lionheart signing off
7/17/24