William H. Kain County Park Trails

Directions:

From exit 4 of I-83, take Leader Heights Rd. west to S. George St.. Turn left on S. George St. and follow into Jacobus.

For Lake Redman Area: Turn left on Church St. in Jacobus. Follow 1/2 mile to boat launch area on left.

For Lake Williams Area: Turn right on Water St. in Jacobus. Go 1/2 mile to main parking area on right.

General Description:

The largest of the York County Parks, picturesque William H. Kain County Park consists of 1,637 acres and 2 lakes, Lake Williams (220 acres) and Lake Redman (290 acres).

The park offers 12 miles of scenic, wooded trails surrounding the lakes, for mountain biking, hiking and horse-back riding. Facilities include boat launches, a volleyball court, a playground, horseshoe pits and picnic pavilions. Rowboats, paddle boats, canoes and kayaks are available for rent on Lake Redman.

Located near the Iron Stone Hill Road parking lot, is a 350 foot walking deck and a quarter mile gravel loop trail, which are both ADA accessible and stroller friendly. It offers a great view of the backwaters of Lake Redman, providing excellent opportunities for birdwatchers, especially during the spring and fall migrations. (Horses and bikes are not allowed on the deck and feeding waterfowl is prohibited.)

York County hosts a variety of events during the year. Some of the events at the Park include:

• Moonlight Boat Ride - enjoy boating after dark. Includes a 30-minute astronomy tour and snacks. Registration required.
• Spring Happening by the Lake - a popular craft show is held in May.
• Concerts in the Park are held weekends in August and September.

The Trails:

There are over 12 miles of marked trails arranged in a series of six interconnecting loops of varying lengths from 1.4 to 2.7 miles. The woodlands surrounding the two lakes are quite hilly and the terrain is varied. You'll be riding on a combination of wide grassy fire roads and very rocky, rooty, technical single-track. Several long, steep climbs and descents as well as the challenging terrain makes this an intermediate to advanced ride only.

Despite the Park's proximity to the suburbs and busy surrounding streets, the world outside disappears with the scenic water views and scent of the tall pines that fringe the lakes. You can ride these trails in any number of configurations and design your own ride. You won't find it hard to devise a full day of riding.

A good place to start from is the parking lot below the dam on South George Street. If the parking lot is full, try parking at the Redman Boat Launch Area.

From the parking lot below the dam:

Ride north from the lot and backtrack on South George Street. A short distance past the bridge Trail 2 (a gated fire road), starts on the left. Across South George Street is the start of Trail 1.

Ride south from the lot and climb the hill to reach Trail 4 (on the right) and Trail 3 (on the left).

From the parking lot at Redman Boat Launch Area:

From here you can catch Trail 3 to the left of the boat launch. From here it travels along the lake shore or you can ride the other way towards I-83 and hook up with Trails 5 and 6.

Note: It is suggested that Trail 1 be ridden in a counterclockwise direction in order to avoid an especially steep and technical downhill section.

These trails are closed to mountain biking during "muddy conditions", as determined by the park rangers. For up-to-date trail conditions, refer to the trail open/close signs located in designated parking lots, or call the park office at (717) 840-7440 for trail updates (available 24 hours a day).

For more information:

William H. Kain County Park
Water Street
York, PA 17402

Phone: (717) 840-7440
Website: William H. Kain County Park

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