My hike today is on the AT just north of Harrisburg PA. After a couple hours on the AT, a sidetrail, the Horse-Shoe Trail heads 140 miles southeast to the Philadelphia area. My route included only 1/2 mile of this trail, just to the Devils Racecourse.
With a name like "Devils Racecourse", naturally, one is curious. Pennsylvania has a series of long NE/SW oriented mountains. If you look at a roadmap of the state, this is obvious. The racecourse is in the valley between two such mountains. Over time, rock outcrops on both mountains, slowly made there way down to the bottom. I'm told this occurred in periglacial conditions.
Starting out at Clark's Creek trailhead on the AT, I walked through pleasant woods, not far from the creek. It was not long before I came to an old homesite. This one was ablaze with Forsythia and tiny yellow trumpet daffodils.
The AT followed an old road with rockwork here and there. There was evidence of coal deposits as well. I saw a number of pits, some of which had coal piles nearby.
Looking uphill as I walked, rocks were piled everywhere. AT hikers hate the Pennsylvania rocks.
Siberian Squill
Finally, the trail smoothed and I didn't have to watch every step of the way. When I reached the highest point, there was a gap allowing an easier route to the valley between the mountains.
That is where the terminus of the 140 mile Horse-Shoe Trail is located. It is called Horse-Shoe since this is both a trail for riders and hikers - Horse and Shoe. However, it does appear to be quite old. On one map, it was called Stagecoach Road. The trail opened in 1935 and is cared for by the Horse-Shoe Trail Conservancy. The trail is a mishmash of public lands, easements and agreements with private landowners.
It was a short hike down a rocky trail to the valley below and the racecourse..
As I approached the bottom, I passed a series of foundation walls, spaced within about 50 feet of each other. There were 6 or 7 of these. They were small and possibly small one room cabins.
The racecourse is about 100 feet wide and I am told extends 3300 feet with additional rocks mixed with trees for about a mile. Rattling Run Creek flows underneath the rocks. I could hear water but could not see it. Local lore says the water noises were the devil roaming the depths of hell.
After some exploration, I'm headed back the way I came. The total distance was between 8 and 9 miles.
Great rockwork along the AT
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