Camp Michaux — Attraction in Cooke Township

We used to really enjoy this particular area when the ruins still were standing and before it became more of a “destination” parking hiking area but it is still a nice place to go to and explore, Like a lot of hidden gems, the more it is trafficked the less we go to visit, but still a nice hike

Update: we went today, 2/3/23….we definitely miss the old Camp Michaux, pre-barn ruins falling-before real trails, and no publicity- We recognize nothing stays the same forever- busy parking lots, lots of loud people- we used to never hear a soul. I hope if it is shared with the public it is also protected from the public. Change is hard.

The trails are well maintained now and there are many plaques and markers - the caretakers are doing a nice job with the maintenance- if you never went before it was a park it would be a nice experience- it is a nice experience- we just miss having camp Michaux without so many others around while we hike- no getting around it -one of my videos we were walking around, noise was from other visitors -great history, even pre- pow interrogation camp- hard to believe barracks for the prisoners were turned into Christian camping 🤣 download the pdf before you leave no reception area- not much in the way of gas stations after route 30 rutters Fayetteville so...

Went here a couple of days ago for an afternoon outing. Got there, and there was a sign and a gravel road. You could see a crumbling building if you look over the trees and brush. About that time, a man drove up and got out of his car. He was wearing a shirt with "Volunteer" on the front. Turns out he was one of the caretakers and told us quite a bit about the placed. Told us how to find the things on the map.

Had he not pulled up when he did, we probably would have just drove off.

Really fascinating place. A lot of foundations still there. Really unique fountain. Can you imagine being a German or Japanese POW, and finding yourself the middle of nowhere, in a country that really doesn't like you?

It is a nice walk, not difficult to navigate (I'm 70). But just stay on the lookout for critters crawling/slithering on the ground 🙂. We didn't see any, but something you should watch for.

Don't know if the person we met reads these, but if you do, thanks for the info you provided. We had a very enjoyable afternoon. We will be back to...

We took a drive out to this spot as I read about it in an article. I never knew that our area had a World War II prisoner of war camp so close to Gettysburg. After the war, it became a church camp [Camp Michaux]. Aside from that, you can also get a glimpse of the barn walls from a farm with 1787 roots.

Since there are 3 things tied to this place, I highly recommend getting the Tour Map at the site or better from an online location. Not certain the flyers will be there all the time. There are numbered posts for you to coordinate with the tour map. We did note that the map isn't perfect, but we did use it as a reference guide as it did help. There will also be some illustrated plaques throughout that provide you some more information on what transpired here.

Make sure to bring your walking shoes as you will walk all over the place to see all the site locations. The majority of them will be across the street from the parking areas. We didn't get to find all the site locations, but it was fun...