Our first ever visit here was in 2009, and we heard about it from whispers among fellow botanical enthusiasts relating unbelievable tales of these hillsides covered in Mertensia virginica and vast patches of Trilliums almost two feet tall, and Dicentra covered trailsides. All located in this magical ravine along the Lower Susquehanna River. We found directions online and painstakingly drove there, ending up on a treacherous and very isolated dirt road with a creepy abandoned railroad tunnel we had to drive through and eventually the road ended and there was a meager sign announcing that this was the place. Indeed it was, and we were overwhelmingly enchanted. My pictures from that day are lost forever in the digital black hole, except one or two that have survived. Since the Lancaster Conservancy has become the new caretaker, there has been a whole generation of improvements and popularity. It was nice to see these infrastructural improvements and also signage to remind people to stay on the trails and not trample the flowers. We have been here almost every year since 2009 and have written extensively in past posts about the flowers including some in depth discussion about the Susquehanna Trillium, a unique Trillium erectum v. album, that is particular to this specific localized region. Lastly it must be noted for the record that Shenks Ferry is truly the most iconic of the many beautiful rich ravines of the Lower Susquehanna. A regionally beloved natural preserve such as this can hopefully be an engaging tool towards reinforcing a public awareness of the many threats faced towards sensitive habitats and species diversity.
