Ecology and Management
Steinman Run is managed for its passive recreation as being of highest and best use.
Steinman Run is defined by hilly terrain underlain with schist bedrock that, in areas, is exposed as small, scenic cliffs dripping into majestic seeps and deep, rich, wet marshes. Mesic riparian buffers to dry uplands provide for diverse stands of mixed-hardwoods accompanied by hemlocks. Young saplings sprouting from old stumps of American chestnut can be observed throughout the Preserve. Dense stands of shade-tolerant, canopy tree species prove the integrity of the Preserve’s interior forest habitat that host a wide array of plants and animals including spring wildflowers like wild ginger, Solomon’s seal, jumpseed, meadow rue, and a variety of ferns, amphibians, forest dwelling birds like hawks and owls, and large mammals.
Watershed
Steinman Run flows into Trout Run before joining the Pequea Creek and emptying into the Susquehanna River.
Planning Your Hike
Moderate. Multiple loops including the option of a figure-eight. Approximate total trail length 2.5 miles. This trail ascends gradually from a 520′ elevation to a 740′ elevation among large, mature trees.
Hunting Information
Steinman Run is open to Mixed-Use Hunting with areas of No Hunting. Respect property boundaries and safety zones. All Pennsylvania Game Commission Rules and Regulations apply. See ‘Where to Hunt’ for more details.
Report Hunting Violations: PA Game Commission Centralized Dispatch Center at 1-833-PGC-HUNT (1-833-742-4868) or 1-833-PGC-WILD (1-833-742-9453)
Acquisition History
The first tract in Steinman Run Nature Preserve was acquired in 1999 with funding from the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA DCNR). The McKeever family donated the next tract in 2002, and the remainder of the lands were acquired in 2009 and 2017 with additional funding from PA DCNR, Lancaster County Community Foundation, Steinman Foundation, Willis and Elsie Shenk Foundation, and a partial donation of land from the Bunting family.
Amenities
Parking. Preserve sign. Kiosk. Trails.