Capital Area Greenbelt

Originally conceived by landscape architect Warren Manning (a disciple of Frederick Law Olmsted), the Capital Area Greenbelt is a 20-mile ring of parks and trails encircling the Pennsylvania Capital city of Harrisburg. Segments of the greenbelt were originally roughed in by volunteers using grass and wood chips and have now been converted to a crushed limestone surface or paved. Where necessary the greenbelt uses signed road routes to connect the trail sections. The Greenbelt is a loop trail with many access points along its route but the best parking is on City Island in Harrisburg, a popular multi-use recreational destination in the middle of the Susquehanna River. The Walnut Street Bridge (also called People’s Bridge), is a restored iron trestle bridge that takes you from City Island to the riverfront walkway along Front Street in Harrisburg. Icy floodwaters washed away the western span of the bridge in 1996; Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is leading efforts to restore the structure. At the northern edge of the city lies another popular starting point or destination along the trail. Wildwood Lake Sanctuary and Nature Center includes a large lake surrounded by more than 5 miles of trails along with an education and exhibit center.