November 14: Muddy Run History & Hydropower Hike Ticket

Description

📅 Saturday, November 14, 2026
⏰ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
📍 Meet at Muddy Run Park, 172 Bethesda Church Road W, Holtwood, PA 17532

Discover the surprising story behind one of Lancaster County’s most fascinating engineering landmarks while enjoying a late-autumn hike around the scenic Muddy Run Reservoir.

Join local educator Chris Rachor on Saturday, November 14, 2026, for a guided exploration of the Lakeshore Trail at Muddy Run Park. Along the approximately four-mile route, Chris will explain the history of Muddy Run, how pumped-storage hydroelectric generation works, and the important role the facility has played in supplying electricity to the regional power grid for more than half a century.

When commercial operations began in 1966, the Muddy Run Pumped Storage Facility was the largest pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant in the world. Today, its eight generating units can produce up to 1,070 megawatts of electricity during periods of peak demand.

But how does a pumped-storage facility actually work? Where does all that water go? Why is electricity used to pump water uphill at night, only to release it again later?

Chris will answer these questions and share stories about the facility, the surrounding property, and the history of this corner of southern Lancaster County.

The hike will follow the Lakeshore Trail around much of Muddy Run Park’s 100-acre lake. Along the way, participants will encounter wooded shoreline, open grassy areas, waterfowl, lake views, and plenty of moss-covered rocks. The park encompasses approximately 700 acres of woodlands and rolling fields, providing a beautiful setting in which to enjoy the outdoors while learning about the remarkable facility hidden within the surrounding landscape.

Your Guide

Chris Rachor is a lifelong Lancaster County resident, Penn Manor High School graduate, and avid hiker. He is an operations instructor at Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, an adjunct professor at Millersville University, and a longtime teacher at Solanco High School. Altogether, he brings nearly 20 years of professional and educational experience to the hike.

Chris’s technical knowledge, teaching experience, interest in local history, and familiarity with the Muddy Run area make him uniquely qualified to explain the science, engineering, and history behind one of Lancaster County’s most impressive but often misunderstood landmarks.

Chris is leading this hike independently and not as a representative of Constellation Energy. This Uncharted Lancaster event is not sponsored, organized, or endorsed by Constellation Energy.

Hike Details

Date: Saturday, November 14, 2026
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Muddy Run Park
Street Address: 172 Bethesda Church Road W, Holtwood, PA 17532
Meet at: The upper snack bar parking lot above the boat launch. GPS coordinates: 39.847968, -76.284500.
Distance: Approximately 4 miles
Duration: 2 to 3 hours
Terrain: Dirt, rocks, and grass
Difficulty: Moderate, primarily over level terrain

Although the route has relatively little elevation change, it should not be mistaken for an easy walking path. Portions of the Lakeshore Trail are rocky, uneven, and close to the water, creating several places where participants could slip or stumble. Attendees should be comfortable walking approximately four miles over rugged natural terrain.

Sturdy hiking shoes with good traction are strongly recommended. Participants should dress appropriately for November weather and bring water and any snacks they may need during the hike.

This hike is perfect for anyone interested in Lancaster County history, local industry, engineering, energy production, or spending a late-autumn morning exploring one of the county’s most beautiful recreational areas.

Come discover how water, gravity, electricity, and more than 50 years of Lancaster County history come together at Muddy Run.

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Supersize Your Adventure

Supersize your adventure by including one of Adam Zurn’s books with your adventure ticket purchase.

📖 Learn about the many unique places Lancaster County has to offer when you step off the beaten path with Uncharted Lancaster: Field Guide to the Strange, Storied, and Hidden Places of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. This one-of-a-kind 239-page guidebook uncovers 56 fascinating sites, from the county’s very own fountain of youth to the oldest continuously operating short-line railroad in the western hemisphere.

📖 Uncharted Lancaster’s Ghosts, Monsters, and Tales of Adventure takes readers on a spine-tingling journey through Lancaster County’s haunted history, eerie legends, and hidden treasures. From ghostly apparitions to outlaw loot, these 64 true local stories blend real history with gripping folklore.