Cycling Stony Valley Rail Trail and the Union Canal Tunnel

Located in PA State Game Lands 211 

outside of Jonestown, Lebanon County, PA

the Stony Valley Railroad Grade is pretty isolated. 

One end, close to where we started, 

is the Lebanon Reservoir and dam. 

The other end, 20 miles later, 

is near Ellendale Forge. 

But other trail users, 

and there were not many,

said you could get to Dauphin 

along the Susquehanna River from there as well.

The best sight along the trail was above...

do you see it?

There were several of them. 

Beaver Lodges. 

We saw 3 from one vantage point. 

We didn't see active beavers though.

This trail tends to be a little rough. 

My husband did not like it 

and was ready to leave way before me 

and I'm the one without shock absorption. 

We totaled 20 miles which means we 

completed half the trail. 

(20 mi is my mental limit 

unless motivated by something else...

ice cream maybe?)

I don't think either of us is in a hurry to 

complete the other half.

For trail info click here 

Since we were in the area we stopped to see the 

Union Canal Tunnel

which can be seen from a park with said name. 

The Union Canal Tunnel boasts being the oldest in the USA 

and was built 1825-1827. 

The mules used along the towpath made their way over top the tunnel 

while the boats were poled through it. 

For more canal info click here.

I would not go out of my way for either 

the rail trail or the tunnel, 

but if you are near it 

the tunnel is a nice stop.

Click here for my additional images.