Samuel S. Lewis State Park

Not all Pennsylvania State Parks are vast expanses of woodlands. Some are small pockets of forest and field. Samuel S. Lewis is one such park. Its little more than a hilltop, with the usual picnic tables, restrooms, and children's playground. But what a hilltop it is.....

Located near Wrightsville, just outside York on the Susquehanna River, the park is 85 acres of land encompassing 885 foot Mount Pisgah. Like most of what are called mountains in Pennsylvania, the 'peak' consists of a rounded hill. From the observation area on the hilltop you have what I estimate to be a 120 degree view of the river. Upstream you can see the Route 30 bridge, and the Route 462 bridge next to it. One hundred fifty years ago there was a covered bridge at that location, and as Confederate troops advanced in Pennsylvania Union volunteers set fire to the span.

I hiked for two miles on the Hilltop Trail, circling the park and climbing up Mount Pisgah. I've been to Samuel S. Lewis State Park four times previously, but I've never been able to hike the trail before. The climbing, gentle as it is, was too hard on my defective joints. This day it was stamina that was the problem. The knees worked as they should. I was tired but I felt triumphant as I climbed.

It was a small victory in a small park, but it was my own.