Mount Holly Marsh Preserve
Nature preserve
603 acres5.4 mi of trail
Ridge TrailCreek TrailBriar TrailMarsh Loop Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Photo: Jerrye & Roy Klotz, MD · CC BY-SA 4.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in South Middleton Township
18% of South Middleton Township’s land is conserved: 5,612 acres
1,504 acres are parks and preserves, 90 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Mount Holly Marsh Preserve (5.4 mi), State Game Lands Number 305 (2.2 mi), Spring Meadows Park (1.5 mi). 32 miles of mapped trail cross South Middleton Township, 0.7 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 82% of U.S. towns · #273 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
Conserved land
18%
5,612 acres · of 48.8 sq mi of land
Trails
32 mi
0.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,504 ac
90 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
47%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
18 mi
18 mi paths
Highest peak
1,572 ft
Long Mountain
Lakes & rivers
3
What kind of outdoors town is South Middleton Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does South Middleton Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, South Middleton Township is ahead of 82% of U.S. towns, #273 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. Conserved land holds the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of South Middleton Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land18% of the land · typical PA town 8% · U.S. 4%ATrails0.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (32 mi) · PA 0.4 · U.S. 0.4B+Park land90 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,504 acres) · PA 14 · U.S. 13AParks close to home47% of residents within a half mile of a park · PA 73% · U.S. 72%C+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 82%
LessMore
Pennsylvania towns of 2,500+ (1,037)Ahead of 74%
Pennsylvania towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 8%; the U.S., 4%), so South Middleton Township’s 18% is ahead of 76% of Pennsylvania towns, while its trails per square mile lead 65% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Mount Holly Marsh Preserve, with 5.4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
State Game Lands Number 305
Managed by Pennsylvania Game Commission
672 acres2.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Michaux State Forest
Managed by Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry
583 acres1.4 mi of trail
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
All 7 parks & preserves
Mount Holly Marsh Preserve603 acres · 5.4 mi of trail
State Game Lands Number 305672 acres · 2.2 mi of trail · Pennsylvania Game Commission
DirectionsSpring Meadows Park88 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
DirectionsMichaux State Forest583 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry
Seven Gables Park11 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsSouth Middleton Township & Leaman Park32 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTrine Park6 acres
Who protects it
5,612 conserved acres
18% of South Middleton Township’s land. Who manages South Middleton Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
County6,731 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits1,515 ac
National Park Service1,296 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government966 ac
State fish & wildlife774 ac
State natural resources659 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)593 ac
Agricultural Easement · 7,324 acState Resource Management Area · 1,977 acNational Scenic or Historic Trail · 1,267 acLocal Conservation Area · 674 acPrivate Conservation · 578 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,884 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 120 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michaux State Forest State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 1,314 | Open |
| Appalachian National Scenic Trail National Scenic or Historic Trail | National Park Service | 1,267 | Open |
| State Game Land 305 State Resource Management Area | State fish & wildlife | 663 | Open |
| Mount Holly Marsh Preserve Local Conservation Area | Other or Unknown Local Government | 566 | Open |
| White Rocks Land Acquisition Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 457 | Open |
| White Rocks Acquisition Local Recreation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 396 | Open |
| South Middleton Township Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 99 | Open |
| Spring Meadows Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 91 | Open |
| Letort Spring Garden Preserve Private Conservation | Not recorded | 74 | Open |
| Mount Holly Marsh Preserve (Cumberland County-Owned) Local Conservation Area | Not recorded | 68 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
16 places to go in South Middleton Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in South Middleton Township
5 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Peaks in South Middleton Township
Long Mountain1,572 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Holly1,506 ft elevation
DirectionsKeller Hill1,276 ft elevation
DirectionsThe Peak1,257 ft elevation
DirectionsPlus 4 peaks without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in South Middleton Township
Deer Run Camping ResortFee
DirectionsWestern Village RV ParkFee
DirectionsPlus 1 campground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
10 named trails and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 2.4 miUnpaved · 6.4 mi
Appalachian National Scenic Trail9.5 mi
LeTort Spring Run and Nature Trail2.4 mi
Ridge Trail1.6 mi
Creek Trail1.4 mi
Briar Trail1.2 mi
Marsh Loop Trail0.8 mi
Letort Cress Bed Trail0.5 mi
Spring Trail0.5 mi
Blue Trail to Appalachian Trail0.2 mi
Shelter Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
18 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
18 mi
off-road bike paths
LeTort Spring Run Nature TrailBike route
2.4 miCourts & fields
11Baseball
7Soccer
4Basketball
2Tennis
2Pickleball
1Volleyball
1Equestrian
1Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →4 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The best walking months in South Middleton Township: April to June and August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.6 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.4 | 15.0 | 14.8 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 9.9 | 9.3 |
| High (°F) | 38 | 42 | 51 | 63 | 73 | 82 | 86 | 84 | 77 | 65 | 53 | 43 |
| Rain (in) | 3.1 | 2.6 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 3.5 |
February is the driest month (2.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 86 °F). 4.6 inches fall in September, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 86 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in South Middleton Township →
Next door
South Middleton Township and its neighbors
South Middleton Township has the second most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Dickinson Township54 miSouth Middleton Township32 miMonroe Township17 miHuntington Township17 miMiddlesex Township15 miLatimore Township12 miSilver Spring Township12 miCarlisle8.0 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Middleton Township | 18% | 0.7 | 90 | 47% | A− |
| Carlisle | 4% | 1.4 | 8 | 95% | B+ |
| Monroe Township | 24% | 0.6 | 150 | 45% | A− |
| Middlesex Township | 11% | 0.6 | 30 | 49% | B+ |
| Dickinson Township | 40% | 1.2 | 325 | 24% | A |
| Huntington Township | 21% | 0.7 | 4 | 2% | B− |
| Latimore Township | 12% | 0.6 | 47 | 39% | B+ |
| Silver Spring Township | 9% | 0.4 | 15 | 54% | B |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in South Middleton Township
Where can I hike in South Middleton Township?
The longest trail networks: Mount Holly Marsh Preserve, 5.4 miles; State Game Lands Number 305, 2.2 miles; Spring Meadows Park, 1.5 miles; Michaux State Forest, 1.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of South Middleton Township is conserved land?
18% of its land, against a typical 8% for a Pennsylvania town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on South Middleton Township’s trails?
Mount Holly Marsh Preserve and State Game Lands Number 305 don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in South Middleton Township?
18 miles of bike routes are on the map: 18 of off-road paths. Named routes: LeTort Spring Run Nature Trail.
Is there public land near South Middleton Township?
46,605 acres of parks and open public land lie inside South Middleton Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 3,721 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does South Middleton Township have?
Ahead of 82% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #273 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from South Middleton Township neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →