Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club (CVATC) dedicated its newest parking lot at Trindle Road (Route 641), midway between Carlisle and Mechanicsburg, on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
The dedication began at 10 am, followed by two guided hikes. The new parking lot is just south of the intersection of the Appalachian Trail and Trindle Road, in Middlesex Township, Cumberland County. It features eight parking spaces, including one space with handicap access and a rustic sign kiosk.
Jim Foster, President of CVATC, said: “We’ve long needed a formal parking lot at Trindle Road, because lots of hikers have used the informal parking lot that used to be next to the trail. The old lot was very unsatisfactory, since it frequently became a mud pit after rains. Also, making a left turn onto 641 towards Mechanicsburg was dangerous due to the short sight distance. The new lot is getting lots of use, often being completely full on the weekend.”
Club Vice President Christine Lauriello noted: “There are so many folks to thank for this improvement to our trail. Club member Tom Scully designed it and helped supervise the construction. Grant money came from the South Mountain Partnership and Mountain Club of Maryland’s Miles Fund. The Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau provided funding for the sign kiosk and other displays. Many, many volunteers helped with the construction under the supervision of Trailmaster Craig Dunn. Sign builder extraordinaire Vern Graham built several signs for us.”
Jim Foster added, “The biggest thank you goes to our friends at Middlesex Township. When we spoke to them in early 2011 to let them know of our plans, they surprised us by saying they could provide some in-kind services, such as hauling gravel from the quarry at no cost. What they actually did was much, much more. Using their road building equipment, they removed the topsoil, hauled in the stone, installed the base stone and surface gravel, and compacted the completed lot. Recently, they helped us plant trees and perennials using their heavy equipment.”
In addition to the elected Middlesex Township Supervisors Steven Larsen, Don Geistwhite and William H. Goodheart, special thanks goes to the following Township employees: Zoning Officer Mark Carpenter, Parks and Rec. Supervisor Denise Jumper and, especially, Road Supervisor and Police Chief Barry Sherman. CVATC is extremely grateful for their help.
Pennsylvania Rep. Stephen Bloom (R-199), whose PA House district includes Middlesex Township, led a hike immediately after the lot dedication at 11 am. An alternative hike, two miles long at a slow pace, was available for children and adults interested in a less strenuous walk.
About CVATC - CVATC is one of 31 volunteer clubs that maintain the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (AT). CVATC maintains 17 miles of the AT from Center Point Knob atop South Mountain through the Cumberland Valley to the top of Blue Mountain. The AT is the nation’s most famous and most heavily used long distance hiking trail. It extends approximately 2180 miles from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Katahdin, Maine. More information on CVATC is available at www.cvatclub.org, on CVATC’s fan pages on Facebook and Google+, or by emailing the Club at cvatclub@gmail.com.