Free fun in the Chambersburg area
Just about every municipality in Franklin County has its own park, and many Chambersburg neighborhoods have parks within walking distance.
Choose from parks with large pavilions for family picnics, basketball and tennis courts, and walking paths. Find the play equipment for children, water features, and more in this list of local parks:
• CHAMBERSBURG (www.borough.chambersburg.pa.us/rec_dep)
Chambersburg Memorial Park: McKinley Street and Stouffer Avenue. Features a play area for tots and pre-schoolers, a bandshell and a large pavilion which seats 150.
Donald "Mike" Waters Memorial Playground: South Second Street; two lighted basketball courts, large playground structure, a 35-seat picnic pavilion and Splash Pad.
Chambers Park: Orchard Drive and Byers Avenue; playground, open grass area and a small play structure.
Fort Chambers Park: North of Memorial Square off King Street along Falling Spring stream; this walking area with benches is the site of the Founding Father's statue.
Fourth Street Skate Park: Fourth and Nelson streets; amenities for street skaters, a small playground and a basketball court.
Henninger Field and Playground: Poplar Avenue and Vine Street; sandbox, tennis court and 25-seat pavilion.
Hillcrest Park: Westgate Drive; pavilion, picnic table and some open space.
Mill Creek Acres: Between Hollywell Avenue, Channing Drive and Eisenhower Drive; separate pre-school and school-age play areas, swing sets and a 1/4 mile walking/bike path.
Park of the Valiant: North Second Street, next to fire station; a brick walkway leads to a fountain with benches and open space.
Pinewoods: Dump Road; a natural area with a small boat dock along Conococheague Creek.
Reservoir Hill Park: Reservoir and Center streets; a children's playground, walking path lined with benches and green space and two picnic benches.
• GUILFORD TOWNSHIP
Franklin County Eco-Park: Franklin Farm Lane, Chambersburg; A 3/4-mile hiking/nature trail features a wetland, planted with native moisture, loving trees and shrubs. Along the trail, signs identify a variety of trees and other plantings. Three picnic tables are situated along the trail.
Norlo Park: 3050 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg; hiking and jogging trails, a dog park, sand volleyball courts, horseshoe courts and a community center building with kitchen and rest rooms; www.norlopark.com.
• GREENCASTLE
Antrim Township Community Park: 12315 Grant Shook Road; Whispering Falls Disc Golf Course with 27 holes, paved handicapped-access trail, mountain biking trails; www.twp.antrim.pa.us.
Enoch Brown Park: 2730 Enoch Brown Road; pavilion, walking trails, play area and primitive rest rooms. Site of the Enoch Brown School massacre of 1764, a common grave and monument mark the site; www.twp.antrim.pa.us.
Jerome R. King Playground: 240 N. Carlisle St.; T-ball field, tennis courts, horseshoe pits, band shell and rest rooms; www.kingplayground.zoomshare.com.
Martins Mill Bridge Park: 3505 Weaver Road; the covered bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, closed to vehicles; pavilion, creek-side picnicking and primitive rest rooms; bit.ly/1GjbMww.
Shady Grove Community Center Park: 2100 Buchanan Trail East; maintained by Shady Grove Ruritan Club with basketball court, tennis court, sand volleyball court, ball fields and soccer nets; www.shadygrovepa.com.
Tayamentasachta Environmental Center: 500 E. Leitersburg St.; associated with Greencastle-Antrim School District, the park is used for environmental education purposes; has trails, historic sites and rest rooms; see Facebook page under the same name.
• MERCERSBURG
Charles Brightbill Environmental Center: 4881 Fort Loudon Road; operated by Tuscarora Wildlife Education Project, the center houses more than 500 animal specimens, collections of skulls, rocks and minerals, and nests; there is an outdoor pavilion and trails winding through the grounds; www.twep.org.
• NEWBURG
Hopewell Township Park: 218 Shippensburg Road; two soccer fields, two pavilions, wooded picnic area, walking trail, disc golf; www.hopewelltwp.com/parks-recreation.
• SHIPPENSBURG
Dentler Park: 25 Mount Rock Road; baseball field, basketball and volleyball courts, horseshoe pits and pavilion; www.southamptontownship.org.
Dykeman Park: Off Dykeman Road; surrounding historic Dykeman Springs is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with a wetlands nature trail, picnic facilities, walking trails and a baseball/softball field; www.southamptontownship.org.
Shippensburg Township Park: 304 Britton Road; amphitheater stage, playground equipment, water play area, two lighted ball fields, paved walking path, Bubba's Happy Tails Dog Park and soccer field; see Facebook page of the same name.
Shippensburg Veterans Memorial Park: Adjacent to Park Place along U.S. 11 west of Shippensburg; Veterans Stadium, a 6,000-person capacity lighted baseball and football stadium, playground equipment with rubber mulch footing, large swimming pool with rest rooms, four rental pavilions, a public botanical garden with benches and chairs; www.borough.shippensburg.pa.us.
Southampton Township Municipal Park (Cumberland County): 200 Airport Road; one-mile oval walking trail with additional hiking and walking trails through the woods, soccer complex, three pavilions, a 13-stage exercise trail; main.southamptontwp.com.
Southampton Township Multi-Purpose Center (Cumberland County): 56 Cleversburg Road; football and T-ball field, pavilion, banquet hall with kitchen and gym; main.southamptontwp.com.
• WAYNESBORO
Northside Park Pool: 138 Brown St.; swimming pool with water slides, kiddie pool, basketball court, pavilion and concession stand. Dog park along North Potomac Street; www.waynesboropa.org/northside-pool.
Waynesboro Memorial Park: Between Clayton Avenue and Walnut Street; ball fields, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, pavilion and walking trail, three play areas and memorial; www.waynesboropa.org/memorial-park.
Franklin Street Park: Mt. Airy Avenue; play areas, walking trail, pavilion, basketball court, rest rooms and memorial.
Renfrew Museum and Park: 1010 E. Main St.; stone farmhouse museum and visitors' center (see Museums); within the park are a picnic pavilion, picnic tables, historic buildings and gardens, rest rooms and five miles of hiking trails; catch-and-release fishing allowed in Antietam Creek; www.renfrewmuseum.org
Antietam Meadow Park: 11876 Country Club Road; fishing and passive recreation; www.washtwpfranklin.org.
Happel's Meadow: 14356 Buchanan Trail East; a trail on the south side of Pa 16 near the wetlands area; www.washtwp-franklin.org.
Pine Hill Recreation Area: 12684 Mentzer Gap Road; skate park, three miles of hiking/nature trails, gazebo and rest rooms;
Red Run Park: 12143 Buchanan Trail East; miniature train ride, horseshoe pits, pavilions, hiking/nature trail, fishing (in season); free live entertainment in summer; www.washtwp-franklin.org.