Kayaking from Montgomery To Watsontown

On the river tonight...  it's 7.98 miles from the Montgomery Boat Launch, to the Watsontown Boat Launch, according to cardio trainer.  Took us 2 hours and 23 minutes to kayak it tonight.  Absolutely gorgeous trip, the area from Montgomery to Allenwood is especially beautiful!

Along the way, we saw Egrets, Heron, Ducks, Geese, and even deer!

Watching the buggies go by...

 

===========================

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/p/amish.html

Turtle Creek Dog Park, Lewisbug Pa

Turtle Creek  Park, Furnace Rd & Supplee Mill Rd, Lewisburg Pa

This park was a park, then a dog park, then a public access park owned by the church, and now it's a public park owned by the township, with plans to put the dog park enclosure back.

 

The Park Map from AllTrails

I know, it has been a little confusing.  But all of that really doesn't matter all that much - unless you were looking specifically for a fenced in dog area.  This is a beautiful place to walk, with a large maze of  wide trails.  

For my walk on 9/19/24, I started at the parking area, walked past the gazebo and took what looked to be the "main" trail, to the left of the tree here.

Within a short distance, I could spot the bridge over the creek. 

There are two metal picnic tables here,  it would be a beautiful spot for a picnic lunch!

View from the bridge

The bridge over turtle creek

With no map, I at first thought that the bridge simply crossed over to a small lightly wooded "island" dead ending there.  I was very wrong.  There's another maze of trails across the bridge.  Just keep walking straight, and a little to your right, and you'll see a trail.

These walkways were added in 2024, for the muddy season.

With a variety of offshoots to choose from, I chose to go uphill first

It's a very pretty trail, and surprisingly well maintained, considering the amount of offshoot trails.

I then circled back around to the bridge, and followed a trail to the left, leading me back to the parking area.  

The yellow shows, roughly, my route on 9/1924.  I "think" that is the path I followed - it's close at least.  That loop, which took me across the bridge and into the back section, then back to the parking area, was according to fitbit, 1.33 miles.  

Turtle Creek Rules & Etiquette Sign, in the parking area

====================

Some Of The Parks History

& Future Plans

==================

The 79 acres in East Buffalo Township were developed to a park, owned by the Hallowing Run Youth Organization. The Turtle Creek Park Association maintained the park.

The Fenced in Dog Park, in 2010.  This fence has been removed, this is no longer there.

In 2018, the park was sold to the Lewisburg Alliance Church.  The parks fenced in dog plot was removed and 35 acres of trees were clear cut.  The church planned to build a new complex with a gymnasium, and soccer fields.

By 2022, after two years of covid, the church changed their mind.   The township, receiving  $300,000 gift from the Degenstein Foundation and a $685,000 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources,  purchased the property from Lewisburg Alliance Church on Nov. 4, 2022, for $954,750. 

In April 2023, the supervisors joined with the Merrill W. Linn Land & Waterways Conservancy in declaring a conservation easement at the park, which will allow it to stay as a passive natural park forever.

According to an article in 2024, plans are in place to further improve the park.  

"The Master Plan identifies several locations designed for people to sit or gather in small groups, and include the fenced dog park, pavilion, wildlife viewing areas, scenic overlook and the natural amphitheater. Also planned are a network of trails, including mowed trails, natural surface trails and single-track trails for hiking, biking and equestrian use...

Other features are picnic areas, a nature playground, a fishing demonstration area, a bird blind or wildlife observation deck, a park overlook seating area and a natural amphitheater. The land management areas include three acres of manicured park area, 20 acres of land forest, 33 acres of oak savanna and 24 acres of floodplain forest."

======================

Groups can fill out an application to use the park for small events, here: https://ch008b.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/TCP-Group-Registration-Form-and-Park-Usage-Policy-08.12.24.pdf

==========================

From the East Buffalo Township site:

"TURTLE CREEK PARK

East Buffalo Township acquired the 79-acre Turtle Creek Park property in 2022 to address a long-standing deficiency in public park space within the township and Union County. The property contains open fields, wetlands, woodland, and streams and is home to deer, birds, and a variety of other wildlife. The park is located within an area identified as in high need of close-to-home recreation. 

While the park has begun to attract visitors, usage is limited by the lack of amenities, insufficient parking, and inaccessibility for individuals with limited mobility.

 When the property was previously open to the public from 2008-2018, the most popular feature was an 80’x80′ dog park, which was removed when the property was sold in 2018. This project seeks to recreate (and enlarge) the dog park, construct an ADA accessible 7/10-mile crushed gravel loop trail, expand, and improve the parking lot, and add a pavilion, picnic tables, and park benches, along with informational and educational signage.

PHASE 1 includes 1) expanded parking lot, including handicapped parking and rain garden to treat stormwater runoff, 2) ADA crushed gravel looped trail, approximately .7 miles, for wheelchair users, strollers and kids’ bikes, 3) benches, picnic tables, and a picnic pavilion accessible from ADA trail, 4) fenced dog area, with benches sand shade canopy, 5) shade trees, 6) native wildflower and pollinator meadow, 7) natural shrub and tree succession demonstration area, 8) informational park signage identifying plant species and other ecological features of the park. The funds may serve as matching funds for other state grant programs or for local private sector grants."

=================

When It Was A Dog Park, in 2010

==================

We first visited this park to find a geocache, back in 2010.  Here are my photos, showing the fenced in dog run area that has been torn down, but may be rebuilt, according to the 2024 master plan.

The trails are nice and wide, with lots of natural bushes and flowers wild along the sides

Pretty bridge over the creek

The Statue Of Liberty in Lewisburg

This statue of Liberty was in the yard of a private home.  It is no longer displayed there.

Merchlinsky Geo Bash 2010 - find #700 for us

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=bf68e395-964e-404c-9de9-6d0258eb5eda

We were at 655 finds before this event, so we made sure to catch 4 caches on the way here.  Found U turn in Washingtonville, A light over Danville, MP& HG - The Knights Who Say Ni!,  & oddfellow

Got to the event a little before 1:00, and had a great time catching up with some of the other cachers!

T-shirts were printed up for this event 

After lunch, the raffle lasted a very long time.  I really wanted to ride the roller coasters while there, and Dan had to be at softball at 5:30, so Gr8dnz picked up our raffle wins for us.  Thanks!!  We rode the twister and phoenix, and still were back in plenty of time for the last of the raffles.  Congrats to OvertheHillGang - they won the topo software, and the Gps!

The raffle table

Some pics from the Creative container contest -

a brick, with a magnetic key holder that fits in the side of the brick

shale, dremmeled out then held together with magnets

=================================

Read More About Our Geocaching Adventures & Tips Here
https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/p/geocaching.html

On The Susquehanna River - in kayaks

and occasionally in a canoe.  We've been getting out on the river every chance we get, this summer.  It's so beautiful!  Low right now, but the kayaks have made it over even the super low spots between Allenwood and Watsontown, every time so far.  The water was much deeper near Winfield.  Another favorite spot, with less shallow areas, is from the Greevely boat launch in Montoursville. We've seen lots of heron, baby ducks, fish of course, and even a couple of bald eagles!

The water as smooth as glass, near the Greevly Boatl launch area in Montoursville PA.  (To make it even better, there is a GREAT bike path from here too!)

We were advised to never buy a potomac kayak.  But they were sooooo cheap on sale..  we bought one anyway.  It's great for our 12 year old, and works ok..  but boy, you do get what you pay for sometimes.  It's cheap.

Near the Watsontown River Bridge.  We like to put in in Allenwood, and float to the Watsontown park.  It's a great short stretch, so we can do it in shifts - two at a time (there are 6 of us, and we currently have only 2 kayaks)

Entrance to the Allenwood boat launching area.

Downtown Williamsport

We spent a lot of time in Williamsport this spring, while our children took the PSSA's at the Genetti.  When I wasn't on the riverwalk,  I was geocaching - and in the process, saw some of the beautiful architecture of the city.

The courthouse is gorgeous!

I LOVE this Peace Tower.  See the chimes inside?  And here is a close up of the inscription - 

The Brandon park Bandshell - recently repainted.  According to the geocache description this used to be pink? But it was not pink when we got there!  :-)

It's obvious in the architecture of the buildings that this was once a wealthy city!

and some of brick art at the bus station - 

and a parting shot of a downtown street...