The Union Canal was a towpath canal that existed in southeastern Pennsylvania in the United States during the 19th century. First proposed in 1690 to connect Philadelphia with the Susquehanna River, it ran approximately 82 mi from Middletown on the Susquehanna below Harrisburg to Reading on the Schuylkill River.
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A lovely and well maintained park that provides an oasis from the "city". Great place for families, couples, single folks, pets...just about anyone I would think could find some enjoyment here. The water in the canal is typically stagnant so it's kinda gross but that doesn't really detract from one's ability to enjoy nature. The paths around the fields are NOT paved and only have rocks in some areas so I would not recommend coming here after heavy rains. You'll get very wet feet. There's plenty of benches scattered throughout the park for resting and relaxation. There's also a pavilion that you can rent for parties/large groups I believe or you can just use it for your small group if no one is around. Additional picnic tables are somewhat adjacent to the pavilion. This is a great location to take engagement photos or senior portraits etc. (I actually had some of my senior photos taken here years ago and they turned out lovely, especially those taken at the prime photo op spot-the small "dock" closest to the entrance of the tunnel.) Worth checking...
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As the president of the American Canal Society I tend to seek out parks like the Union Canal Tunnel. This park is owned and operated by the Lebanon County Historical Society and features a watered section of the old Union Canal and a short tunnel that cuts through the small low ridge. Canal tunnels are rare in the USA so this is worth a look if you are in the area. We were there on a Friday so we didn't have the opportunity to take the boat ride through the tunnel, but it might be worth a trip in the future. Parking is free in this city park. There are picnic tables available and even a porta-potty. The section of watered canal is short and you can easily walk around it. The tunnel is off to the left a short walk from the parking lot. A very nice park. Make certain to visit some of the other Union Canal sites while you are...
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Wow! This Park is amazing. My family of three, my wife, two year old daughter, and me, really enjoyed this mix of history and nature.
I'm a huge Canal History buff and had never heard of the Union Canal. This was one of our stops on a three day long family road trip. We spent an hour walking the tow path trail and sunny side trail that make up a 0.7 mile loop around a section of the Canal
For the history buffs this park has a watered section of the Union Canal. With a special and rare feature... a Canal Tunnel. Of my five years learning about and visiting different canals in PA, NY, NJ, and MD I've never seen a watered Canal Tunnel.
For the nature lovers this is a great place to see robins, chickadees, wild flowers, fish, and dragonflies. My daughter loved picking flowers and leaves...
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