York County Parks

A beautiful hawk sitting on a limb at Nixon County Park this week. You never know what wildlife you might see in our parks. Does anyone have any guesses as to what kind of hawk this is?

1/7/21 Rocky Ridge, Kain and Spring Valley Park trails are OPEN to bikes and horseback riding. Rudy Park sports fields are closed for the season.

Winter wonderland at Spring Valley County Park (from December 2020).

Nature and science nerds!!!! Please call the nature center at 717-428-1961 or email [email protected] to register for this exciting guest speaker virtual lecture on plant resins and amber!

Monday, December 28th, Christmas Magic is OPEN! Tickets at ChristmasMagicYork.com Monday, December 28th, Christmas Magic is OPEN! Tickets at ChristmasMagicYork.com

12/10/20: All trails at Rocky Ridge and Kain Park are open to bikes and horseback riding. Spring Valley trails are also open to bikes and horseback riding. The sports fields at John Rudy Park are closed

12/27 Rocky Ridge, Kain and Spring Vally park trails are OPEN to bikes and horses.

A brief snow shower today at the York County Parks Adminstrative Headquarters. What is your favorite place in York County Parks to see covered in snow?

Section of Heritage Rail Trail to be temporarily closed. Safety concerns about debris falling from the Blackbridge railroad bridge over the Heritage Rail Trail (HRT) have prompted a closure of the HRT in this area. The specific location of the closure is one mile north of the US Route 30 trailhead parking lot and 1.5 miles south of Emig/Mundis Mill Rd. Trail users can continue to use the trail from the Route 30 trailhead to the immediate vicinity of the railroad bridge. Tr...ail users traveling from John Rudy County Park or Crist Field can also continue to use the trail from these locations to the immediate vicinity of the railroad bridge. An overhead protective shield will have to be designed to isolate trail users from falling debris. The York County Rail Trail Authority and York County Parks are currently investigating viable shielding solutions to allow safe passage through this area. Before a shield can be installed, the design must be approved by the US Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk Southern Railroad, and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. When a specific shielding solution is identified, a timeframe for re-opening the trail at this location will be announced. All other portions of the Heritage Rail Trail, except for this area under the railroad bridge, remain open and available for trail users See more

The County of York is seeking fun-loving outdoor enthusiasts for the role of Seasonal Environmental Educator with our Nature Discovery Camps this summer! Candidates must have an interest in working with children ages 5-16 and a desire to learn about the natural world. Camps will be primarily outdoors and involve hiking, paddling, games, educational activities, and more! Applications are being accepted now through January 31st. To learn more visit https://yorkcountypa.gov/parks-recrea/employment-parks.html

Did you know that Christmas Magic was first opened 1984? It was the product of the "energy crunch", when fewer homes were decorating. During this time there was still a desire to see Christmas lights locally. This local tradition continues in 2020! Purchase your tickets ahead of time for a reserved arrival time slot at www.ChristmasMagicYork.com! Visit our FAQs page to learn about our changes this year due to COVID-19 state mandates. https://parkevents.yorkcountypa.gov/faq/

Have you seen these signs on the Heritage Rail Trail? During the next several weeks, fiber broadband is being installed in a conduit previously buried underneath the trail expanding internet access across the county. This may result in periodic, temporary closures of portions of the Heritage Rail Trail. Visit www.YCEAPA.org/fiber for updates.

Have you purchased your tickets yet? Visit www.ChristmasMagicYork.com to choose your arrival time slot and purchase your tickets. Reminder! We are closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas. Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for tons of information about this year's event and changes necessary due to state mandates. https://parkevents.yorkcountypa.gov/faq/

12/4/20: All trails at Rocky Ridge, Kain, and Spring Valley Parks are closed to bikes and horseback riding.