Capital Area Greenbelt facts for kids

The Capital Area Greenbelt is a fun, 20-mile loop trail in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It's a great place for people of all ages to hike, bike, skate, or jog. You can also fish, walk your dog, and enjoy nature. The trail goes around Pennsylvania's capital city. Most of it is a special path just for the Greenbelt.

Locals often call it "The Trail." It follows the Susquehanna River. You'll pass through cool spots like Reservoir Park, Riverfront Park, the Five Senses Garden, and Wildwood Park and Nature Center. Plus, you can see famous places like the grave of John Harris Sr., the Governor's Mansion, and the National Civil War Museum.

How the Greenbelt Began

A New Vision for Harrisburg

Back in the early 1900s, Harrisburg wasn't the cleanest place to live. Many roads were dirt, and trash piled up along the river. The city's sewer system also dumped waste directly into the Susquehanna River. People even used river water for drinking, which led to many cases of a sickness called typhoid.

A botanist named Mira Lloyd Dock grew up in Harrisburg. She came back from Europe with exciting ideas for how to make the city better. She hired a landscape architect named Warren Manning. He helped her plan new city parks. Manning then suggested building a big road that would circle the city. This road would connect all the parks. This was the first idea for what would become the Greenbelt.

The Trail's Journey Through Time

For about 20 years, people strongly supported the Greenbelt project. A lot of progress was made. But by the 1920s, the project stopped. This was partly because many city residents moved to the suburbs. This made the city's money problems worse. Most of the planned parkway was never finished. Some parts became roads for cars. A small section of the trail was even used for railroad tracks.

In 1990, a group called the Capital Area Greenbelt Association (CAGA) was started. Their goal was to fix up the parts of the greenway that were already built. The city of Harrisburg and four nearby towns worked with CAGA. They helped to improve the trail. Over the 1990s, they received important grants. These grants helped them almost finish the entire 20-mile loop. Today, CAGA still works to make the trail better and safer. They get most of their help from donations and dedicated volunteers.

Building the Trail

How the Greenbelt Was Made

About 60% of the original parkway plan was built. When CAGA took over, they started building the unfinished parts. Volunteers first made dirt trails in South Harrisburg. Other sections were made with grass and woodchips. These parts have since been changed to a surface of crushed limestone. The Greenbelt also has several bridges that cross over creeks and streams. Most of the trail is easy to use for everyone.

What You'll Find Along the Trail

The Greenbelt has many helpful things for visitors. You can get onto the trail at several popular spots. These places have plenty of parking. Some of these spots include City Island, the Five Senses Garden, and the Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) campus.

You can find restrooms at many local businesses and restaurants near the trail. There are also picnic areas in parks along the trail. These include the Five Senses Garden and the Wildwood Lake Sanctuary. About ten information kiosks are placed along the trail. They give you facts about the trail's history and current details. Water fountains are available along the riverfront. For trash, it's usually "carry-in, carry-out." This means you should take your trash with you. However, there are a few trash cans along the trail. Most of the trail also has markers to show you how far you've gone.

Mountain Bike Trails

On October 29, 2016, new mountain bike trails officially opened. These trails are part of the Parkway Trail System. All of them start and end near the Capital Area Greenbelt. The three main areas for mountain biking are Cameron Parkway, Dock Woods, and Paxtang Parkway. The trails have different difficulty levels. They are rated using a green, blue, and black system. There are currently 7 miles of these trails. They plan to expand them to 10 miles over time.

The Greenbelt Community

Who Supports the Trail?

The Capital Area Greenbelt Association (CAGA) supports the trail. CAGA is a group of volunteers. They are a non-profit organization. Their job is to help organize and plan how to care for the Capital Area Greenbelt trail. CAGA does not own the trail. Instead, five towns and Dauphin County own it. These five towns are: Harrisburg, Swatara Township, Paxtang Borough, Penbrook Borough, and Susquehanna Township. The trail also goes through three pieces of private land in South Harrisburg.

Many local groups also support the trail, including:

• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
• Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
• Pennsylvania Game Commission
• Pennsylvania Department of General Services
• Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
• Harrisburg Area Community College

Fun Events on the Greenbelt

Every summer, CAGA holds its biggest event called the "Tour de Belt." This event is a 20-mile bike tour. It passes by many interesting places in the Harrisburg area. The Tour de Belt is the main way CAGA raises money for the Greenbelt. CAGA also organizes a Butterfly Release each year. They do this event with the Hospice of Central Pennsylvania.