The Mason-Dixon Trail is a

hiking trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. The ...

that begins at the

Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail (also called the A.T.), is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tr ...

in south-central

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, continues through northeastern

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

and northern

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

, and re-enters Pennsylvania shortly before ending at Chadds Ford. It is named for the historic

Mason–Dixon line The Mason–Dixon line, also called the Mason and Dixon line or Mason's and Dixon's line, is a demarcation line separating four U.S. states, forming part of the borders of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia (part of Virginia ...

, which it crosses twice. About one-third of the route follows roads through rural areas, but the rest is on traditional footpaths. The trail also traverses many tracts of private land, at which passage for hikers has been arranged with owners. This results in occasional relocations. The trail takes hikers through a variety or rural and semi-urban landscapes, with most of the route in Pennsylvania featuring farmlands and forested areas, and most of the route in Maryland and Delaware featuring historic sites and small towns.

Route

The Mason-Dixon Trail begins near

Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania Boiling Springs is a census-designated place (CDP) in South Middleton Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania and is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle metropolitan statistical area. The population was 3,225 at the 2010 census, up from 2,769 at t ...

, at a junction with the

on South Mountain. Heading east, the Mason-Dixon Trail soon descends into an agricultural area and passes through

Gifford Pinchot State Park Gifford Pinchot State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in northern York County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It was named in honor of noted conservationist and former Pennsylvania Governor Gifford Pinchot. The fourth chief of the Unite ...

. Except for the park, in this general area the trail mostly follows rural roads. It briefly follows

Pennsylvania Route 297 Pennsylvania Route 297 (PA 297) is a state highway located in York County, Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at PA 921 in Zions View. The northern terminus is at PA 262 in Cly. PA 297 is a two-lane undivided road i ...

over

Interstate 83 Interstate 83 (I-83) is an Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. Its southern terminus is at a signalized intersection with Fayette Street in Baltimore, Maryland; its northern terminus is at I-81 near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Mo ...

and through the village of Strinestown, and continues on rural roads to an escarpment above the

Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River (; Lenape: Siskëwahane) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, overlapping between the lower Northeast and the Upland South. At long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the ...

.Mitchell, p. 76 The trail then travels primarily to the southeast, parallel to the right bank of the Susquehanna. It passes near the Codorus Forge and Furnace Historic District, then follows another series of roads under

US 30 U.S. Route 30 or U.S. Highway 30 (US 30) is an east–west main route in the system of the United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. With a length of , it is the third longest ...

and through the town of Wrightsville. A section of the Mason-Dixon Trail south of Wrightsville was designated a

National Recreation Trail The National Trails System is a series of trails in the United States designated "to promote the preservation of, public access to, travel within, and enjoyment and appreciation of the open-air, outdoor areas and historic resources of the Nati ...

in 2010.Blue Ridge Outdoors
/ref> After two walks along Pennsylvania Route 624, the trail reaches the top of the Susquehanna River Gorge and continues mostly alongside the gorge for a considerable distance into Maryland. Just south of Holtwood Dam, the trail reaches a junction with the Conestoga Trail System at a parking area for Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal Lock 12.Mitchell, p. 71 Flickr - Nicholas T - Native Lands County Park (10)

Flickr - Nicholas T - Native Lands County Park (10)

The Mason-Dixon Trail continues to generally follow the Susquehanna, except for a trip inland at Muddy Creek and its substantial side gorge, with a brief walk along

Pennsylvania Route 74 Pennsylvania Route 74 (PA 74) is a north–south state highway located in central Pennsylvania. The southern terminus of the route is at the Mason–Dixon line southwest of Delta, where PA 74 continues into Maryland as Maryland Route 165 (MD ...

near the village of Castle Fin. The trail then returns to the Susquehanna and crosses the border into Maryland at about 115 miles from its western terminus.Mitchell, p. 78 In Maryland, the trail continues to follow the right bank of the Susquehanna, nearly to its outlet at

Chesapeake Bay The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the ...

, passing through Susquehanna State Park along the way. At Havre de Grace, the trail crosses the Susquehanna via

US 40 U.S. Route 40 or U.S. Highway 40 (US 40), also known as the Main Street of America, is a major east–west United States Highway traveling across the United States from the Mountain States to the Mid-Atlantic States. As with most routes wh ...

and now heads to the east via various rural roads and occasional footpaths through

Cecil County Cecil County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland at the northeastern corner of the state, bordering both Pennsylvania and Delaware. As of the 2020 census, the population was 103,725. The county seat is Elkton. The county was ...

. A few miles after walking through the village of North East, there is a longer sojourn on footpaths through Elk Neck State Forest. The trail then follows urban and suburban streets toward and through Elkton, and then crosses the border into Delaware. The Mason-Dixon Trail then turns north and follows various roads in the

Newark Newark most commonly refers to: * Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States * Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area Newark may also refer to: Places Canada * Niagara-on-the ...

area, with segments through several public parks. The trail follows a lengthy and meandering route through scenic areas in White Clay Creek State Park in the Delaware Wedge area. The trail crosses the border into Pennsylvania and follows footpaths in and around White Clay Creek Preserve and undeveloped areas in southern Chester County. The trail passes back into Delaware for a walk along various roads in the

Hockessin Hockessin () is a census-designated place (CDP) in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 13,527 at the 2010 census. History Hockessin came into existence as a little village in 1688 when several families settled in the a ...

area, followed by a brief segment through

Auburn Valley State Park Auburn Valley State Park (formerly Auburn Heights Preserve) is a state park, located in Yorklyn, Delaware, United States. The park, which is around 360 acres, preserves the former home and estate of the Marshall family as well as portions of th ...

. The trail then crosses the border into Pennsylvania yet again, following footpaths through Stateline Woods Preserve, followed by various rural roads until it ends in a small wooded area off of

US 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making i ...

, just west of Chadds Ford.

Notes

References

{{coord, 39.53899, -75.66730, display=title Protected areas of Cecil County, Maryland Protected areas of Harford County, Maryland Hiking trails in Delaware Hiking trails in Maryland Hiking trails in Pennsylvania Protected areas of New Castle County, Delaware National Recreation Trails in Delaware National Recreation Trails in Maryland National Recreation Trails in Pennsylvania Long-distance trails in the United States

Route

See also

Notes

References