by Betsy Meyer
The Healthy Adams County Physical Fitness Task Force’s fall walking schedule is full of walks, showing off Adams County’s natural beauty at a wonderful time of year for walking. As Albert Camus said, “Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” We hope you will find some time this fall to get outside and join us for a relaxing walk to take in nature’s autumn show. We are again offering led group walks at 1:00 with an interesting speaker. The benefit of the group walk is meeting/getting to know other outdoor walkers, not having to worry about staying on the path and learning something new from an interesting speaker. If you can’t make 1:00, all the walks are offered later in the afternoon when you walk the route on your own or with family/friends – we provide a map. We are offering a perfect attendance prize of a $10 gift card to Hollabaugh’s Bros Farm Market at our final walk. We also have two walks, Labor Day and Saturday, September 23rd, that will count as make-up in case you miss up to two of the regular weekday walks. Here’s the schedule:

MON. SEP 4, 8:00 AM, Highmark Wholecare Labor Day FREE 5K, Wyndham Hotel, Gateway Complex. Arrive 30 minutes early to register or sign up in advance at runsignup.com/race/PA/Gettysburg/LaborDayFree5k. Race/walk kicks off from the Wyndham Hotel in the Gateway Complex off Rtes 30 and 15. Medals for all children who finish. (3.1 miles, paved roads, some gentle hills)
Wed. SEPT 6, 1:00 led walk, 4:00 – 6:00 open, Gettysburg College/Peace Light, 300 W. Lincoln Ave. Walk from the Gettysburg College Musselman Athletic Field parking lot to the Peace Light. At 1:00, there will be a group walk led by Gettysburg College history professor Peter Carmichael. (3 miles, paved road, sidewalk, and a bit on a gravel trail and is a bit hilly with little shade.)
Wed. SEPT 13, 1:00 led walk, 2:00 – 4:00 open, ADAMS COUNTY WINERY, 251 Peach Tree Rd, Ortanna. Walk around the vineyards, gardens, and buildings of the winery. (Walk is 2 miles, flat and hilly, with some gravel and some field grass.
Wed. SEPT 20, 1:00 led walk, 3:00 – 5:30 open, HUNDRED FOLD FARM, 1400 Evergreen Way, Ortanna. Walk the gravel roads of this quiet cohousing community and around the adjoining Halbrendt vineyards, which are being converted to wildflower meadows. (~ 2 miles, hilly, gravel trail, some shade, very scenic)
SAT. SEPT 23, 4:00 led walk. KNORR & SCOTT ROADS. Park at 380 Knorr Rd. Walk on a very quiet rural road with beautiful scenery and mostly preserved land. The walk will also venture onto a short meadow trail that meanders along Marsh Creek and then ends with a lookout pier over the creek. (~2.5 miles, mostly road, short trail section, partial shade, rolling hills).
Tues. SEPT 26, 1:00 led walk, 4:00 to 6:00 open, BLUE & GRAY AIRFIELD. 360 Confederate Cavalry Avenue, off Route 30, east of Route 15. (~3 miles, flat road surfaces)
Wed. OCT 4, 1:00 led walk, 4:00 – 6:00 open, New Walk – McSherrystown, Park at St. Joseph Academy 69 Main St, McSherrystown, in the Convent Lot, turn into a one-way driveway, at the split goes right. (~2.5 miles, mostly flat, some shade, trail).
Wed. OCT 11, 1:00 led walk, 4:00 – 6:00, New Walk LITTLESTOWN FALL FOLIAGE. Park at the high school, 200 E. Myrtle Ave, Littlestown, or along Crouse Ave. Check-in at the Crouse Park Gazebo. Walk the quiet neighborhood streets while enjoying spectacular fall colors. (2 miles, paved, relatively flat)
Wed. OCT 18, 1:00 led walk, 2:00 – 4:00, Hollabaugh’s Orchards. 545 Carlisle Rd, Biglerville. Enjoy fall’s colors by walking the orchard lanes of the farm. Sorry, no dogs are allowed. Enjoy apples & cheese at our last walk of the fall season. (Almost 2 miles, gravel trail, a bit hilly)
Hope to see you there. For more detailed information, please check the website at adamswellness.org.
Betsy Meyer is a member of the Physical Fitness Task Force and an outdoor enthusiast.