East of Williamsport Revisited

Cumberland Valley Railroad bridge to Lockwood Road

Start Mile: 99
End Mile: 97.3
Time: 1.5 hours
When: Evening 3/13/06

Directions: Route 11 to Williamsport. Take 68 east. Just before I-81, turn right onto Lockwood Road. Turn right at the storage units. There is not a parking area but there is room for about 4 cars before you get to the power plant.



It was a long hard day that included working through lunch and a couple miserable meetings. I needed a break and the unseasonable weather made it down right hot. Buck was suffering from cabin fever and kept looking longingly at the truck in the driveway. I put on some shorts and we were off.



You can see the Paul R Smith Power Station at the entrance to the trail. This is a coal-fired plant that has been here since the 20s.




You get the first good look of the Potomac about 1/8 mile into the walk. There is a clearing where some power lines cross the river. Another 3/8 mile and you are under I-81. The truck traffic never stops and can be heard for most of the walk. Just west of the highway is a large spring. It doesn't look like much in pictures, but is fairly impressive in person.



There are few landmarks until the Winchester Western Railroad Bridge at mile 97.4. I wonder what it would be like to be on the trail when a train goes by? The railroad is not nearly as high as the highway.



This is the remains of the Cumberland Valley Railroad Bridge. I love the old stonework of the embankment and the piers. The entire hillside is covered in stone.




It was getting dark so we double-timed it back to the truck just in time for a rain shower.