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Print Friendly MapThis Susquehanna Warrior Trail is nestled in the beautiful Susquehanna River Valley, lush with green meadows and surrounding mountain peaks. Eventually the trail will cover 18.5 miles, but now it totals about 10 miles in loosely connected sections. Most of the trail currently runs from north of Berwick to Nanticoke between US Route 11 and the Susquehanna River on the corridor of the old Delaware, Lehigh and Western railroad beds.
Start at the southern endpoint north of Berwick at the Pennsylvania Power and Light (PPL) River-lands Park. A nice destination unto itself, the park has picnic tables, playgrounds, a small lake for fishing and a crushed stone loop path to enjoy.
From the parking lot, the trail heads north and runs adjacent to the active railroad tracks with a slight grade separation. You pass through quiet, pretty woods for approximately 1.5 miles before the trail passes the entrance to a privately owned junkyard. From here the trail continues north alongside US 11.
As you approach Shickshinny, the trail ends at the bridge crossing. Shickshinny is the best spot along the route to stop for something to eat. To pick up the trail again, follow US 11, pass the bridge and go approximately one-eighth of a mile before turning right onto East Butler Street. Follow it a short distance down to South Susquehanna Street, where the trail resumes. You'll find yourself closer to the river again for a 3-mile stretch. The trail gradually gets closer to US 11 as it travels north.
The next trail segment runs behind a firing range, but don't worry as there is plenty of embankment to make it safe. Portions of the final segment are close to US 11, but other sections veer off closer to the river and into green space where you see another pretty bridge as well as another junkyard. The trail ends at the Canal Park in Nanticoke, but be sure to stop at Garden Drive-In on your way north, one of the country's few remaining drive-in movie theaters. If you time your visit right, take in a show at the end of your ride or walk.
To reach the southern trailhead north of Berwick, take State Route 239 North into Shickshinny and turn left onto US Route 11 South. Follow US 11 South approximately 3.5 miles to the Pennsylvania Power and Light Riverlands Park entrance on the left. Ample parking is available.
To reach the northern trailhead in Hunlock Creek, take SR 239 North into Shickshinny and turn right onto US 11 North. Follow it approximately 8 miles to the Garden Drive-In. Turn right at the drive-in. Look for signs for the trail and a trail parking lot on your immediate right.
You can also park at Shickshinny Park in Shickshinny.
There were a few short sections where the scenery and surface were nice. However, most of the trail is loud, not scenic and VERY rough.
There were a few good spots.. but most of it is overgrown
I rode the trail today near the nuclear power plant and it was poorly maintained. The gravel was very loose, a lot of fallen tree debris and quite muddy. I traveled on the trail north about 2.5 miles and gave up. I traveled back along US11 and then rode around the trails at the river flatlands which were a bit better. I guess I am spoiled with my local trails (York Heritage and NW Lancaster Co Rail Trail)
Just ok, nice community trail
First, I appreciate this trail being there.
A lot of the trail is right next to route 11, so if you are looking to "get away from things" this may not do it for ya. The part by the route 239 bridge is overgrown - not maintained at all - so we had to ride on the road through a traffic light and find our way through the town to get back on the trail.
The trail was mowed and week killer of a sort was put down which made the trail at least 8 feet wide. Wide is good.
We started at Riverlands Park and went 5.5 miles before turning around. It just got a bit too bumpy for our party.
I would recommend this to those who like to ride distance, do not mind riding over some bumps, rocks, and grass, and do not mind circumnavigating some inconveniences - like riding on the highway and some land slides by Shickshinny (3 of them).
Other than that we enjoyed it.
I just rode this trail a few days ago. My plan was to ride from West Nanticoke (Garden Drive-in) to Berwick. Trail was well maintained up to Shickshinny, there is an area that runs under a bridge in Shickshinny that you would be better off jumping on Rt 11 for a 1/4 of mile, it is very swampy and grown in, I did enjoy riding through it , but I avoided it on the way back. After Shickshinny the trail extends to the River Wetlands across from the power plant near Berwick, this is the 1st marker and approximately 12 miles from the Garden Drive-in. There is another trail that picks up in this area, The River Trail, I continued on the River Trail for about two miles but it had many intersections and I was unsure of where it would ultimately lead to, I will explore this section again at a later time. All in all it was a good ride, if you do not want to have to negotiate any obstacles or ride along Rt 11 I would suggest sticking to the section between West Nanticoke and Shickshinny.
I will start by saying this was our second R-T of the day. I usually would not submit a review on a trail that we only rode to the half-way point, but I have to make an exception this time. This trail is very poorly maintained, little more than a single track path in sections. Dirt, grass, weeds, stones ,etc. After 5+ miles we just found no reason to continue, as it just wasn't fun. Sorry, but even one star is generous. Pa. Tandem Team
Really enjoyed our trip on the Warrior Trail today from the Garden Drive-In to Shickshinny, about 7.5 miles. Grabbed lunch at J-Angelos and found a picnic table in Shickshinny Park before heading back to our car. Elevation change was 62ft. one way which feels very gradual over 7+ miles. There were a few puddles and muddy patches, not surprising given the recent rain. Also quite a few tree limbs growing over the trail that we had to duck. Overall a very nice trail with little traffic on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. As we were leaving I noticed there is a trail section heading north of the Drive-In, it appears to go at least to the intersection with Rt-29. Maybe we'll park at near JJ Banko's next time.
I RIDE THIS TRAIL A LOT SINCE ITS CLOSE TO WHERE I LIVE. ITS NOT THE BEST TRAIL BUT ITS NEVER CROWDED AND FULL OF WILDLIFE. BETTER THAN RIDING THE ROADS AND TAKING A CHANCE OF GETTING HIT. WISH THEY WOULD FINISH IT ALL THE WAY TO KIRBY PARK WHICH THEY HAVE PLANNED. ITS NOT MAINTAINED ANYTHING LIKE THE LEHIGH GORGE BUT ITS NOT THAT BAD TO RIDE.
The first and last miles are not too bad as far as trail maintenance are concerned, there was also a short section near the middle where some recent work was done. That earned the one star. The trail is very close to a busy highway, except for a section by an active shooting range. I was confused by the signs that read, "Stay on Trail, Keep Moving" when there are new benches there. There were several areas with drainage problems, water flowing over the trail and cutting gullies into the trail. If you just want to be alone this is a good trail, we rode the entire 12 plus miles out and back and saw 2 walkers and no other bikers, not surprised at that fact.
Nice flat ride. Lots of trash towards Nanticoke end. Some nice wooded areas. Not overly crowded. Shaded areas so nice for summer riding. Cemetery from the 1700's about halfway. Nice to stop in at Banco's for a beer afterwards.
it was difficult to find the north parking area so we drove until we found what we thought looked like a secure area at Shickshinny community park. This is close to the 4 mile marker. We rode north and despite the grassy areas the trail is flat and the surface is compact enough to ride my hybrid bicycle on it. We did locate the north parking area near the end on the trail. The TrailLink said 10.8 miles it's actually 12. On our way back we encountered a group of hunters. 2 adults 2 chuildren. Firearms are prohibited but we still offered a friendly hello and the one adult was rude to us. When we arrived at our vehicle there are houses surrounding the park. A local yelled something rude at us there too. Locals didn't seem friendly but as we were loading our bicycles another cyclist passed and I asked him if he could answer a few questions. It seems the trail continued north but he told me it didn't. He also said it was wise to park in the main parking areas because there were known break in's around the area. The parking area close to Berwick looked really nice. Even though two of the locals were rude the other cyclist was very friendly and informative. I would still recommend this trail and would even return. Hopefully the next time the locals will be friendlier
We rode the trail today it was the coolest place in the area. Covered in trees, peaceful, not crowded and only saw one other rider, it is the place to be on a hot day.
I traveled 2 hrs to ride this trail, it is not very well maintained & it is a boring trail (hard to see river most of the time) I would not travel here again to ride this trail....
We traveled 2 hrs to get there and we were very disappointed that the trail was not maintained in certain areas. It's a very boring trail that runs along a highway most of the time.....as a local spot I would be fine with it, but as a traveler I will not go back
I rode this trail in August 2015 starting at the northern trail head and rode all the way down to the Berwick end. I rode it on a touring bike. In a number of places the crush stone surface was grown over with plants but not enough to cause a problem.
There is a short section, maybe a mile or so, just below Shicksinny, where I had to ride on US11 as I couldn't find the trail. While US11 has a lot of traffic on it it wasn't bad.
At the Berwick end of the trail I rode around the Susquehanna Riverlands which was very nice. The Riverlands has a number of trails and a few roads which make for nice riding.
The trail is a nice level respite from the hills so prevalent in the area. Also while the trail parallels US11 there are several places where the trail is far enough from the highway that you don't hear it. The trail also offers several nice river views.
I would recommend this trail to anyone riding on a cross / touring bike or mountain bike.
For someone just starting to explore the Trail System this would be a great place to begin. Easy enough to navigate through with some easy rolling, both wide and semi-narrow areas and a mix of open and shaded zones. Would've like to see a picnic table near the boat launch but other than that it was pretty enjoyable
The junkyard that had the trail blocked. Is no longer blocking the path. Your able to keep riding without going onto US 11..
Nice short blast ride
This is my 7th trip as a walking with dog user..As of late, the leaves are changing color and the Fall aroma along this trail is Amazing..The footing is absolutely sure and the views along the Susquehanna are great..You can look over the edge and see quite a bit of the old canal system along with the tow path..I have one question..what do you call the invisible little bugs that bite worse then a mosquito? I thought they would be gone by the first frost but alas I have quite a few welts by a bunch of teeth...lots to see on this trail and think about days gone by...
Howdy, So far this year I have ridden this trail 7 times, from the Garden State drive-in to Shickshinny and back. Its always been clear, for the most part. By that I mean about 1.5 miles or so north of Shickshinny there is a large tree across the path, but you can ride under it without stopping or bumping your head. Actually if makes it feel more rustic. I enjoy riding the trail. I have seen a large snapping turtle, about 18 inches in diameter, a large black snake, which took off as I came up to it, not to mention several Bunnies and chipmunks on every trip. Many different,colorful birds, also. True, there are those signs that say do not stop and keep moving, but still, its beautiful to ride and not only do you pass the "Search Cemetery", but a Pa. Commission boat launch as well. The boat launch is about Midway between the Garden State drive-in and Shickshinny. I am now taking my wife on this trail who also enjoys the beautiful scenery. It also features beautiful benches along the way, which were placed there as an Eagle Scout project. I really do enjoy riding the trail and the workout it produces for me. I do wish it was longer, but all in due time. All in all, I LOVE IT! So, get on and ride!
Wasn't sure of where to start, as I just moved to Nanticoke, so I started in West Nanticoke at the traffic light where 11 meets 29. Rode 11 south for about 2 miles then crossed over at the Garden drive in and picked up the trail there. Rode to Shickshinney Park then back. I met a man at the park who warned me of spider webs with spiders crossing the path where it was growing in. I then turned around and headed back.I didn't feel like tangling with them, but that's nature. Good Ride, not far from my house. OK, so I couldn't stop and explore. So What? I go to ride like the biker's ride there Hogs, man. Still, all Kidding aside, I really enjoy riding and I am not fussy about where. True, it's not the Lehigh Gorge, which is gorgeous, but I still enjoy it. I just wish it was longer. When your outside riding, expect the unexpected, Murphy's there behind every tree. My advice "Get out and Ride"......P.S. Leave the Whine at home with the cheese.
I don't want to begin by sounding negative. There are some portions of this trail that are notable. Particularly through the ''Keep Moving'' area near the prison and firing range. Trouble is you can't stop to enjoy these areas.
This trail has suffered from the September '11 floods in the area. The portion from the Riverlands park to Shickshinny is thickly covered over with dried silt which is rutted, bumpy and cracked and extremely in need of work. It's so close to the river that flooding was unavoidable during that awful time in this part of Pa. On our return trip we actually rode on rt.11 to avoid that section. The devastation to the entire area is evident as you proceed on the trail and see abandoned businesses and homes destroyed by the flood.
Another detraction ( in my opinion) is the proximity to the highway for most of the ride. It just is a constant reminder of the fact that traffic is a stone throw away.
I can only assume that the trail does not get much bicycle traffic as during the entire 22 mile round trip on a mostly sunny Sunday, with 70 degree temperatures we only encountered TWO walkers.
Yes, the trail has potential, and hopefully with time and awareness it can be something special. For now, for me, it was not worth the hour and a half trip to get there.
Rode the entire 22 miles of the Warrior Trail a few weeks ago with some friends. Now that I have seen the entire trail, I can say that it continues to grow on me with what it has to offer. Truly, the only negative to this trail is the proximity to the road in many locations and the confusion when going through Spencer's Junkyard. I will say this, the reward of getting to the PP&L Riverlands is well worth the ride. Such a beautiful area (and it even has a 1.6 mile trail of its own). It's a great ride when you want to take a nice easy ride with some friends and enjoy biking!
I first learned of this trail when I ran a 5k on part of it to help raise funds for it. Today my husband and I walked with our double jogger from the Garden Drive In down. It is beautiful and there are so many interesting things to see. The train station, cemetary, the river. There were tons of beautiful wildflowers, we saw some rabbits and even a bat.
For those that are wanting to try this trail, it is a nice little hidden gem. I started at the Garden Drive-Inn and headed towards Shickshinny. The trail, for about the first mile or mile and a half goes pretty much right along Route 11. I had my mp3 player going for the majority of this. You also pass some businesses and houses.
Eventually, the trail moves away from the road some .. just in time for you to hit the UGI station and the the prison. Their are signs along the trail warning you to keep on the trail and keep moving. I am assuming this has to do with the prison as you do not see them before or after you pass. Eventually, the trail moves more towards the river and you can't hear any traffic. You pass behind the prison firing range (its above you, don't worry), and get a great view of the river and mountain.
I would suggest, for those that like privacy when riding, waiting until the trees have some more leaves on them. Being near the river, you have a lot of cool wildlife along the trail but you also deal with a lot of drainage systems dumping water into the river. I would avoid the trail until a few days after any sort of heavy rain.
All in all, this trail is a great trail if you are into testing yourself in distance over tactical skill. It is a long trail, taking you all the way into Shickshinny, but is basically flat.
I started off at the Garden Drive in, it's a closer point for me, plus the weather was a little iffy.
The trail was well groomed and reasonably flat, I spotted what looked like a old Train Station, very cool. The scenery of the mountains here is allways spectacular, it would really be nice in a few weeks when the leaves turn, I also found a realy small and really old Cemetary, one stone was from 1817!
Some of the trail goes through the small town of Shichshinny, I made it to my goal of the moconaqua bridge, from there I turned around and headed 8 miles back to the truck.
It was a good 16 mile ride, not bad for just starting to walk 3 weeks ago!
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