Perelman Park - 71: March 8, 2025

What follows is a random discussion of a Saturday, March 8 float from Perelman Park in Manheim Township to our house, a 4.1 mile, 2-hour paddle.

I love when I see people on the river doing what they do. I’ve seen muskrat trappers, fisherpeople, people hanging out smoking hookahs in their picnic-best - all sorts. Sure, if you are trapping muskrats or fishing, the river is pretty key, but for the rest of it - the running, the sitting, the hookah smoking, it’s the river that puts one’s experience over the top. I’m sure that was the case for the gentlemen on 3/8 who chose the Conestoga River at which to pray. Why wouldn’t a beautiful spot add that little extra to one’s appeals to the divine? 

I’ve done this float a handful of times and aside from the Lancaster Country Club, it's a pretty nice stretch. Even the spillover/waterworks off of 23 are kind of cool. I don’t especially like having to take out and portage, but whatever. 

There is a collection of houses along the way and these, for the most part, are pretty wild: big, great views, nice set-ups. One even has a pontoon boat, though it does seem like something from the Heart of Darkness. 

One massive house is in the process of going up and I’m sure their views of the river will be fabulous after the dozens of trees they have cut down. I guess they were just following the example set by the country club which cut down dozens of their own last spring or sometime. 

The country club section could actually be pretty cool. Throw some willows down on the bank and let 'em go. The whole thing can’t be a barren wasteland, can it? 

Although there are some houses (and the golf course), the vast majority of this stretch is undeveloped and Conestoga-wild. You know, not like Western Montana-wild, Conestoga-wild. One of the nicest spots is down from the Water Works until the bend where N Conestoga Drive meets the river. The river is a bit wider in some of this stretch and with the shallower water, the uneven, rocky bed creates a bit of turbulence and makes the surface shimmer. Super nice in the early afternoon as the sunlight sparks around.

Other bits I could write about but will just list out here: lake-like conditions under a couple of roads (30 and 23), one rocky drop off but totally doable, most graffitied stretch (don’t mind it), usual mix of shallow spots and rocky bits where the elevation dips, the usual awesomeness as far as the birds go, no people (come on, people!), so much lawn, property with tons of kayaks that looks like a cool place to hang out.

Property with tons of kayaks that looks like a cool place to hang out? Look me up. Let’s get out there!

Conestoga Wild