View Full Version : Lickdale, PA
The crossroads of Lickdale, PA, 3 miles down a side trail or a little shorter roadwalk on PA Route 72 from the A.T. at Swatara Gap, has experienced a dramatic growth spurt in the last year. The community's location is shown on both of the KTA color A.T. maps.
In addition to the car campground that seems to receive mixed reviews from WBers, there is now: a Love's truckstop; 2 hotels; Wendy's; and McDonald's.
There is no post office, the area has a Jonestown, PA mailing address (watch out if someone offers you purple Kool-Aid :D ). Of course it has an exit from I-81, it is exit 90 which PENNDOT calls "Lebanon" although the City of Lebanon is some distance away.
Wise Old Owl
03-29-2008, 20:04
Ok I looked it up on Google Earth, why does this benifit folk's - I must be missing somthing here,..... Do you like to Car Camp there? Great place to launch a Mountain Bike from... please tell me more.
Truckstop = shower, light resupply, battery/electronic gizmos, etc. for those so inclined. Just opened, very late last fall. That and 2 motels might launch it ahead of Boiling Springs, which although it has a PO and a pretty lake has not many other trappings of "civilization."
take-a-knee
03-29-2008, 20:15
Truckstop = shower, light resupply, battery/electronic gizmos, etc. for those so inclined. Just opened, very late last fall. That and 2 motels might launch it ahead of Boiling Springs, which although it has a PO and a pretty lake has not many other trappings of "civilization."
Most truckstops allow you to shower for a fee. Laundry also. That is good info. Thanks.
fiddlehead
03-29-2008, 20:54
I remember when the trail went right thru Lickdale.
It was only about 10 or 15 homes with a small Mom & Pop store. I think the store was run by a woman named Lydia Louch or something like that.
Maybe Warren remembers?
ki0eh, where's the nearest tap to the AT at a place of business where a hiker might obtain drinking water? I've been intending to drive there and investigate for some time. Maybe you know the answer.
I stopped in lickdale on during my long section this fall, had a rough day on the trail (spent too much time in my head) got a ride in from a archer on hiking out on the trail, he gave me a ride to the hotel which was charging triple their normal amount for a double room, since there was some big car show thing near by, so i went over to the lickdale campground, (mostly for rv's) they were also full, but since it was just me and my one little tent they let me set up near the stage for $20 (i think). when i asked if they had towels for hikers, they didn't but the boy at the register gave me one that was for sell for free (don't repeat that don't want to get him in trouble) i had no problem paying for it, but he insisted on giving it to me. there was also a campfire and halloween hay ride going on. had a hard hitch out (well had a hard hitch anywhere in pa)
so all in all an okay town with potential
jamarshall
03-30-2008, 09:19
http://www.lickdalecampground.com/
Here's their website. I hiked in on the old railroad grade and stayed in one of their cabins when I did a section hike through the area about 5 years ago. Normally I would have rented a tent site, but it had been raining. Most of their tent sites are bare dirt which was pretty muddy then. No problems with availability in late April.
Went acrossed the street for a burger at Wendy's. Picked up some supplies at the campground store and walked back to the trail in the morning. It's a mile or two, but flat walking.
I remember when the trail went right thru Lickdale.
It was only about 10 or 15 homes with a small Mom & Pop store. I think the store was run by a woman named Lydia Louch or something like that.
Maybe Warren remembers?
You might be thinking of Green Point. There was a pay phone there too, right on the AT as I recall.
Don't know where a water tap would be. I think the only business closer to the A.T. than the new sprawl stuff would be the Tyco Electronics factory and I didn't scan the outside of the building for hose bibbs. However Pine Grove did fix their sewer plant recently so I might be more inclined to dip and disinfect the Swatara than try the nearly six mile round trip to drink from the RV flushout at Love's.
I'm pretty sure the second hotel (Best Western) wasn't there early fall last year, I was shocked enough at seeing it next to the Love's that prompted this post on coming back from chain-sawing my section. And, yes, I'm "fortunate" to live in the municipality that hosts the world's largest antique car show each fall. Fortunately I know the back roads well enough that I can escape (most likely to the GET :) ) that weekend every year.
I asked about a tap because the spring at William Penn Shelter failed last year toward the end of summer. An alternate spring has been identified, but it might be a good idea for a NOBO to secure water before leaving Swatara Gap were it convenient to do so.
I've thought it might be desirable for Swatara Gap SP to install a frost-free tap near the AT at some point if feasible and to develop a primitive group camping area within a reasonable distance of the AT, but I don't know whether or not they have any such plans.
Agreed, heck, even a parking lot for access to old 72 would be nice!
I asked about a tap because the spring at William Penn Shelter failed last year toward the end of summer.
last summer/fall water everywhere was failing, only used my filter pump 3 times during the entire state of pa, carried extra water out and used places w/ a tap, it was a wk and a half into the hike when i saw water flowing for the first time, but that was near eckville shelter which has a tap
See evidence above hikers will not necessarily dry up and turn to dust in Pennsylvania when summer comes if they plan ahead!:D
Trailbender
10-03-2010, 18:34
http://www.lickdalecampground.com/
Here's their website. I hiked in on the old railroad grade and stayed in one of their cabins when I did a section hike through the area about 5 years ago. Normally I would have rented a tent site, but it had been raining. Most of their tent sites are bare dirt which was pretty muddy then. No problems with availability in late April.
Went acrossed the street for a burger at Wendy's. Picked up some supplies at the campground store and walked back to the trail in the morning. It's a mile or two, but flat walking.
I took that two mile blue blaze trail to Lickdale. When I got to the campground, I went inside the general store or whatever it is there. I had to go to the bathroom really bad, but the cashier said there was no public restrooms. I looked at her and said, " I am going to take a crap in about 15 seconds, you can decide where". They let me use the bathroom there.
Altogether, mostly seemed like a fairly unfriendly town.
Toolshed
10-03-2010, 20:54
You might be thinking of Green Point. There was a pay phone there too, right on the AT as I recall.
That was the old trail, before the relo to Rte 72, right?
Wise Old Owl
10-03-2010, 23:04
I took that two mile blue blaze trail to Lickdale. When I got to the campground, I went inside the general store or whatever it is there. I had to go to the bathroom really bad, but the cashier said there was no public restrooms. I looked at her and said, " I am going to take a crap in about 15 seconds, you can decide where". They let me use the bathroom there.
Altogether, mostly seemed like a fairly unfriendly town.
Wow very bold and good for you!
That was the old trail, before the relo to Rte 72, right?
Yes, long since moved from there, but a few white blazes could still be seen on the poles when I last visited. It wasn't apparent to me where the store stood, but I didn't have much time to devote to sorting it out.
Beyond Green Point, the A.T. followed PA72 past where Waterville Bridge now stands, passing under I81 before turning left and crossing Swatara Creek on a bridge above Inwood where it connected with Old State Road on the opposite bank.
I took that two mile blue blaze trail to Lickdale. When I got to the campground, I went inside the general store or whatever it is there. I had to go to the bathroom really bad, but the cashier said there was no public restrooms. I looked at her and said, " I am going to take a crap in about 15 seconds, you can decide where". They let me use the bathroom there.
Altogether, mostly seemed like a fairly unfriendly town.
No longer necessary with the new truckstop and many other newer facilities, don't need to depend on one less welcoming individual.
Parking for through or section A.T. hikers is on SR 443 just west of SR 72. Hikers may leave an itinerary with the park for emergencies.
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/swatara.aspx (http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/swatara.aspx)
I'm hopeful additional A.T. hiker ammenities will be provided by DCNR as Swatara State Park is developed, but it appears they are only interested in a day-use facility at this time.
flemdawg1
10-12-2010, 15:17
Isn't Swatara Creek pretty reliable? Went in July '09 and it was flowing well.
Isn't Swatara Creek pretty reliable? Went in July '09 and it was flowing well.
Need to filter & disinfect it - several towns and old mines upstream.