Buttonwood Nature Center is aligned with the wetland and conservation in general. Its mission is to guide the people of the Cumberland Valley region to become stewards of their natural and cultural worlds. For more than 30 years, Buttonwood/The Institute has created and delivered programs for students of all ages. As interest in school programs soared, so did additional programs and workshops for adults and older teens, including weekend events and festivals for families, summer programs and workshops. Research in cultural history and natural science are ongoing at the Institute. For more on Buttonwood Nature Center, see buttonwoodnaturecenter.org.
The Appalachian Trail crosses Route 16 just a half mile west of Happel’s Meadow Wetland Preserve. The longest “hiking only” trail in the world, it is approximately 2200 miles long, running continuously from Springer Mountain, Georgia in the south, passing through 14 states to the northern end at Katahdin, Maine. Over 2 million hikers travel parts of the trail each year. For more information see the National Park Service (www.nps.gov/appa/index.htm), the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (appalachiantrail.org), and the National Forest Service (www.fs.usda.gov).
Red Run Park is located on Route 16, 2.4 miles west of Happel’s Meadow Wetland Preserve. In addition to a beautiful, forested park and small lake with numerous picnic tables and pavilions, it is also the site of the 9/11 Tribute, dedicated in 2013 to the memory of the three terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001. For more on Red Run Park, see www.washtwp-franklin.org/red-run-park/, and for the 9/11 Tribute, 911tribute.org.
Renfrew Museum and Park is the perfect mix of history and nature, just 5.2 miles west of Happel’s Meadow Wetland Preserve, on Rt 16. Renfrew invites you to explore the historic grounds and miles of nature trails at a centuries-old farmstead in beautiful Waynesboro, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The Museum and Park is composed of 107-acres that includes historic structures, the museum, a visitors’ center, hiking trails, and much more. There is a pavilion available for special events, several picnic tables, and a playground area. For more information on Renfrew Museum and Park, see www.renfrewmuseum.org.
Accommodations:
The area features a wide range of restaurants and cuisine.
Overnight accommodations are available at the Cobblestone Hotel and Suites (www.staycobblestone.com/pa/waynesboro/), or the Days Inn Wyndham (www.wyndhamhotels.com/days-inn/waynesboro-pennsylvania/days-inn-waynesboro-pa/overview?CID=LC:DI:20160927:RIO:Local:SM-dimatl&iata=00093796).