Parks & Preserves

Parks & Preserves in Lancaster, PA

•Explore over 2,000 acres of parks•

Relax and enjoy Lancaster County's many parks and nature preserves!

Make your trip to Lancaster a peaceful getaway when you experience the Great Outdoors. Book an immersive nature therapy walk, rent electric bikes, and pick up all your picnic must haves at a local shop or farmers' market. Rejuvenation awaits in Lancaster, PA!

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Parks

Susquehannock State Park

Nestled in the southern part of Lancaster County, Susquehannock State Park offers some of the most scenic hiking trails in the region, with panoramic views of the Susquehanna River and its forested hills. Visitors can explore over 5 miles of well-marked trails, ranging from easy walks to moderate hikes, including the popular Overlook Trail, which leads to the breathtaking Hawk Point Overlook. This peaceful park is ideal for spotting wildlife, birdwatching, or simply soaking in the natural beauty of rural Pennsylvania.

Lancaster County Central Park

1050 Rockford Rd, Lancaster, PA 17602
Lancaster County Central Park, the county's largest at 544 acres, offers a diverse range of recreational activities and amenities, including a public pool, skate park, rentable pavilions, the scenic Garden of Five Senses, garden plots, extensive hiking and biking trails, camping, an Environmental Center, and the unique Shuts Environmental Library. This park also boasts a rich history, with a Susquehannock Native American burial site and artifacts on display.

Buchanan Park

901 Buchanan Ave, Lancaster, PA 17603
Buchanan Park is a well-maintained park with open spaces perfect for family fun and activities. Enjoy playgrounds, tennis and basketball courts, and unique climbing boulders. The park features Beau's Dream Dog Park, providing a great space for dogs to run and play. Don't miss the beautiful rose and flower gardens.

D.F. Buchmiller County Park

60 Buchmiller Park Dr, Lancaster, PA 17602
D.F. Buchmiller County Park, a 79-acre park in West Lampeter Township, offers diverse recreational activities, including three scenic pavilions, six free pickleball courts, volleyball, an 18-hole disc golf course, and a playground for all ages. Enjoy open lawns and beautiful plantings in this family-friendly Lancaster County park.

East Lampeter Township Community Park

2330 Hobson Rd, Lancaster, PA 17602
Located in Lancaster, this 26-acre park offers a 1+ mile perimeter walking trail with exercise stations, a mini disc golf course, baseball field, sand volleyball court, and a playground featuring a tall slide and wooden train. Enjoy the gazebo and rent one of the pavilions. The park also hosts a variety of events throughout the year.

Flory Park

416 Dohner Dr, Lancaster, PA 17602
Located off Greenland Road, Flory Park spans 43 acres along Mill Creek. Enjoy two baseball fields, a playground with new 2023 equipment, and paved/unpaved walking trails. The park also features the Clark Pavilion, accommodating up to 95 people. Open from sunrise to sunset.

Speedwell Forge County Park

480 Speedwell Forge Rd, Lititz, PA 17543
Speedwell Forge County Park, encompassing 415 acres within the Hammer Creek Valley, provides a peaceful natural retreat. Enjoy hiking trails through its undeveloped woodlands, situated between Speedwell Forge Lake and the Furnace Hills State Game Lands, with convenient access from Speedwell Forge Road.

Manheim Township Community Park

209 Petersburg Rd, Lancaster, PA 17601
East Hempfield Township's Community Park, a 33.5-acre space on Petersburg Road, offers a variety of outdoor amenities. Rentable pavilions, including options with kitchen facilities, cater to diverse events. Enjoy playgrounds, softball fields, volleyball and horseshoe courts, and ample green spaces.

Money Rocks County Park

936 Narvon Rd. Narvon, PA 17555
Money Rocks County Park, nestled in the Welsh Mountains, offers over 300 acres of scenic woodland and unique rock formations, including the famed Money Rocks and Cockscomb outcroppings, with stunning panoramic views. Explore diverse flora, fauna, and historical logging roads in Lancaster County's second-largest continuous forest.

Noel Dorwart Park

408 Parklawn Ct, Lancaster, PA 17601
Nestled in East Hempfield Township, this 70-acre park offers 3.5 miles of trails winding through wetlands and woodlands. Explore scenic views, enjoy a dog park, and discover a haven for birdwatching.

Theodore A. Parker III Natural Area

114 Wesley Rd, Quarryville, PA 17566
Theodore A. Parker III County Park, a 100-acre gem in southeast Lancaster County, offers visitors a serene escape with its stream, cascading waterfalls, and scenic hiking trails along the rock walls. Experience the natural beauty of this ornithologist-named park.

Chickies Rock County Park

880 Chickies Hill Rd, Columbia, PA 17512
Chickies Rock County Park, nestled between Columbia and Marietta, boasts stunning river views from its 100-foot rock outcropping and offers a glimpse into Lancaster's industrial past with visible remnants of canals, furnaces, and trolley lines. Experience natural beauty and historical charm in one scenic location.

Lititz Springs Park

24 N Broad St, Lititz, PA 17543
Lititz Springs Park is a beautiful 33-acre park located in the heart of Lititz. The park is home to a variety of attractions, including a historic spring house, a bandstand, a playground, and a walking trail. The park is also the site of the annual Lititz Springs Farmers Market, which is held on Saturdays from May to October.

Landis Woods

2369 Lititz Pike, Lancaster, PA 17601
Explore the natural beauty of Lancaster County at Landis Woods, a 70-acre haven offering hiking trails, native plant restoration, and educational programs at the Boettcher House Environmental Education Center.

Long's Park

313 West Liberty St, Suite 235, Lancaster, PA 17603
Long's Park, an 80-acre urban oasis in Lancaster, offers diverse attractions, from free summer concerts and art festivals to family-friendly amenities like a petting farm and lake. Enjoy a vibrant blend of cultural events and outdoor recreation in this beloved city park.

Overlook Park

2040 Lititz Pike, Lancaster, PA 17601
Spanning 140 acres, this centrally located Lancaster park offers a vast array of recreational activities, including sports fields, walking trails, a dog park, golf, pools, a restaurant, mini-golf, playgrounds, and more. Enjoy diverse outdoor fun and amenities for all ages.

Wood's Edge Park

250 S Centerville Rd, Lancaster, PA 17603
Wood's Edge Park, in Manor Township is a beautiful and peaceful park perfect for families and pets, featuring a walking trail around a pond, a gazebo, and play areas with a basketball court. This quaint park also offers a small pavilion and a walkway to the neighborhood.

Best Picnic Spots

The Conestoga River has won Pennsylvania’s River of the Year for 2026 by the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers.

The Conestoga River is the heartbeat of Lancaster County. A 60-mile tributary of the Susquehanna River, include Cocalico Creek, Lititz Run, Little Conestoga Creek, Mill Creek and Muddy Creek.

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Accessible Parks

Accessibility looks different for everyone. Please review each park's features to determine if it's suitable for you.

The Tree House

300 W. Orange Street, Lititz, PA 17543
The Tree House in Lititz is a unique, community-built playground designed for all ages and abilities, featuring accessible equipment like the Liberty Wheelchair Swing and a soft ground surface. This inclusive space was created through the collaborative efforts of over 550 volunteers, reflecting the dreams and ideas of local elementary school students. Fully funded by community generosity, The Tree House offers a safe and beautiful environment where everyone can play, grow, and explore together.

Daniel's Den Playground

530 Central Manor Road, Lancaster, PA 17603
Daniel's Den Playground is a community-built, fully accessible space designed to foster inclusion and creative play for all children. Utilizing environmentally conscious materials, this highly utilized playground encourages cognitive development through its customized, challenging features. I

Amos Herr Dream Park

1700 Nissley Rd Landisville, PA, United States, Pennsylvania 17538
Amos Herr Dream Park, a testament to community collaboration, was built by East Hempfield Township volunteers based on input from local children and inspired by Amos Herr. This accessible and engaging playground features pathways and equipment for all abilities, covered picnic pavilions, a water feature, and more. With onsite parking, public bathrooms, and a water fountain, it's a a great spot to enjoy some outdoor fun.

Wolgemuth Park

8795 Elizabethtown Rd, Elizabethtown, PA 17022
Wolgemuth Park, located in Elizabethtown, spans 10 acres. The Park offers a variety of recreational activities for everyone. Enjoy two baseball/softball diamonds, a volleyball court, walking trails, and playgrounds. Two pavilions provide perfect spaces for gatherings and picnics.

Dean L. Saylor's Harmony Park

183 E Market St, Lititz, PA 17543
Dean L. Saylor's Harmony Park prioritizes accessibility with its 8-foot wide, paved macadam trail, designed for walking, biking, and rollerblading, and a boardwalk under Newport Road to ensure pedestrian safety. The park features accessible restroom facilities near the Market Street parking area and incorporates ADA-compliant design elements, with input from an ADA review committee including members of the Blind Association and Spina-Bifida Association. The level, paved trails and accessible restrooms make this a park designed to be enjoyed by people with a variety of abilities.

More Accessible Things to Do

Nature Preserves

The Lancaster County Conservancy protects more than 2,900 acres of land for the health of the ecosystem and the enjoyment of the public. Eight of these nature preserves are highlighted below, including what is quite possibly the premiere natural area in Lancaster County, Tucquan Glen.

1. Ferncliff Wildflower & Wildlife Preserve (65 Acres)

Trail Length – 0.62 miles, Easy to Moderate, with one stream crossing
A National Natural Landmark, Ferncliff’s old growth forest and wooded ravine are home to a profusion of plants common to the River Hills. The wildflowers of Ferncliff are what make this area most special. On the hillsides and ravines are some of the best examples of River Hills timberland. Transient and nesting bird populations are varied.

GPS location: 39.78271, -76.242654

2. Fishing Creek Nature Preserve (168 Acres)

No official trail. Approximately 3 miles of dirt road follows stream, with three fords.
This preserve is located in one of the most remote areas of Lancaster County. It is bisected by a dirt road that closely follows the stream and fords it in several places. In wet weather, however, vehicle traffic is difficult. More than 20 tree species exist, as does an impressive array of ferns.

GPS location: 39.79509, -76.259361

3. Trout Run Nature Preserve (198 Acres)

Trail Length – 1.5 miles, Moderate, with three stream crossings.
This beautiful ravine is well known to nature-lovers and biologists, and is a favorite destination for field trips from local schools and colleges. The heavily wooded glen has almost everything a naturalist would want to preserve: a well-named stream whose clear water tumbles along a fairly steep gradient with pools along its length. Tall, mature trees shade the stream; stands along the hillsides are varied and impressive.

GPS location: 39.911448, -76.283319

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4. Homewood Nature Preserve (40 Acres)

Trail Length – 0.85 miles, Easy over varied moderate terrain
Homewood offers a mix of forest and field, gentle rolling hills, cultivated and grassy fields, an old barn, and a woodland valley overlooking Eshelman Run. Mature black walnut, oaks, tulip poplars, beech, and birch cover the hillsides, with flaming red maples in the fall. More than 115 plant species exist, and 25 documented bird species.

GPS location: 39.9692, -76.107702

5. Rannels-Kettle Run Nature Preserve (81 Acres)

Trail Length – 0.94 miles, Moderate due to steep slope
Adjoining State Game Lands and the Horseshoe Trail, this preserve includes the hillside between Kettle Run and the top of the ridge. A small tributary of Hammer Creek meanders through the woods. More than 10 species of ferns grow on the property, a fine example of a mixed hardwood forest, uncut for 60+ years.

GPS location: 40.23344, -76.348658

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6. Steinman Run Nature Preserve (264 Acres)

Trail Length – 2.5 miles, Easy to Moderate
Open easy well established trails through a wood of mixed hardwoods with giant oaks, towering tulip poplars, and stately old beeches, along with spicebush and mountain laurel. The melodic wood thrush is commonly heard here. Steinman Run traverses the property with many wetland plants along its course.

GPS location: 39.89639, -76.277846

7. Tucquan Glen Nature Preserve (336 Acres)

Trail Length – 2.32 miles, Moderate
Quite possibly the premiere natural area in Lancaster County. The most attractive and perhaps the most pristine of the seven ravines or glens which open into the Susquehanna River in this area. A PA Wild and Scenic River, lush and green in spring and summer, colorful in autumn, and beautiful all year round. Extensive rhododendron thickets and over 40 species of trees. In its middle section, the stream rushes headlong into huge boulders and through narrow crevices.

GPS location: 39.864425, -76.339666

8. Turkey Hill Trail (63 Acres)

Trail Length – 3.3 miles, Moderate due to steep slope
Spectacular vistas and secluded paths through a somewhat dry deciduous forest, varying from early successional species to fully mature hardwoods with scattered mountain laurel. Great views of the Susquehanna River. Of special note is the world’s largest paw paw patch north of the 39th Latitude. A round trip walk will take 4 hours.

GPS location: 39.96676, -76.455363

More Information

More detailed information on all the preserves can be found in the Lancaster County Conservancy publication, Guide to the Nature Preserves of the Lancaster County Conservancy, available for purchase from the Conservancy Office, and free to Conservancy members.

For more recommendations on how to enjoy the outdoors in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, visit the Lancaster County Department of Parks & Recreation.