Underground Railroad Historic Hike

Hike into the history of the Underground Railroad and the anti-slavery movement in Southern Lancaster County through the Lancaster Conservancy's Fishing Creek Nature Preserve.  Close to the Mason Dixon Line, we'll walk the old road and ford the creek three times as we trace a path of emancipation for Freedom Seekers who crossed the Susquehanna on what would later be known as the Pilgrim's Pathway to Christiana.  Post-hike refreshments will be provided by the African American Historical Society of South Central Pennsylvania.  Fare includes: sandwiches, salads, fruit, nature bars, and beverages.  

Hike Details:

• Sunday, June 22 from 9am-3pm
• 4 mile end-to-end hike with shuttle back to cars; shuttle departs at 9am and returns at 3pm
• Easy terrain on road; water crossings may be moderate
• Leisurely pace
• Wear or bring footwear for creek crossings; hiking poles may be useful at the creek crossings
• Bring ample water and snacks

Parking Location for Hike Shuttle:

• Peach Bottom Marina in Lancaster County
  1798 Slate Road, Peach Bottom, PA 17563 
• There is a porta jon in the parking lot
• The marine parking lot contains a National Park Service sign for the Underground Railroad and the free black community that ran the night ferry from York County to the mouth of Fishing and Peters Creek in Lancaster County.  

Your Hike Leaders:

• Peggy Eppig works for Lancaster Conservancy as a conservation educator and teaches in the graduate school for natural resources management and sustainability at Goucher College in Baltimore.  The Underground Railroad is a focus of her work in pilgrimage studies in association with the Institute of Pilgrimage Studies at William and Mary College, Virginia.  Peggy is a long-distance hiker and backpacker and has walked across Spain, Scotland, England, and the United States. 
• Randy Harris conducts research and community outreach activities for The Stevens & Smith Center for History and Democracy, a project of LancasterHistory which is scheduled to open in 2025/2026. Randy has been researching and conducting tours of Underground Railroad sites in Lancaster County and across Pennsylvania for more than 20 years. Learn more at: https://stevensandsmithcenter.org/.
• African American Historical Society of South Central Pennsylvania members, whose family traversed this section of the Underground Railroad, will share their ties to this landscape.  The Society's mission is to, "collect, analyze, interpret, and preserve essential facts and materials related to the life of African Americans in historic and contemporary communities in South Central Pennsylvania and adjoining areas."

Cost:

• Adult- $10
• Youth Under 18- $5
• Adult Full Scholarship 
• Youth Full Scholarship