By Avery Van Etten, Lancaster Conservancy Marketing & Communications Manager
With dozens of different species of wildflowers that bloom at the beginning of spring, Shenks Ferry Wildflower Preserve is a Lancaster County gem with regional renown. These wildflowers, known as spring ephemerals for their short bloom time, flower for just a handful of weeks when the weather starts to warm up before the trees get their leaves and block sunlight from reaching the forest floor.
Updates Coming Soon…
We are eagerly waiting for the first spring ephemerals to arrive! Once they start blooming, you can visit this page for weekly updates. Check out last year’s spring ephemeral updates to get a sense of the order in which the flowers typically bloom.
Prepare for the emergence of the spring ephemerals with this Nature Hour presentation by the Conservancy’s Vice President of Engagement & Education Keith Williams:
Know Before You Go
If you’re visiting Shenks Ferry Wildflower Preserve, there are a few things you should know to make sure you — and the wildflowers — have the best experience possible.
1. Visit during the week
Shenks Ferry is very busy during spring weekends, so visiting on a weekday can mean fewer people and more space to enjoy the flowers.
2. Leave No Trace
When you visit Shenks Ferry, take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints! Please stay on the trail so you don’t trample any flowers, and make sure you remove any waste you bring onto the preserve. Learn more about Leave No Trace principles here.
3. Know what you’re looking at
Want to identify the flowers you’re seeing? Download the Shenks Ferry Wildflower Preserve brochure! It details some of the most common spring ephemerals found at Shenks Ferry. You can also use an app like Seek by iNaturalist to help identify plants you see around the preserve.
4. Where to park
Please enter the preserve via Shenks Ferry Road, which will take you to the improved parking area and access trail. Green Hill Road south of the preserve is closed, which may not be reflected on GPS programs like Google Maps.
5. Group visits
Planning to organize a group visit to Shenks Ferry? Events on Lancaster Conservancy preserves (formal or informal groups of 15+ individuals or 5+ vehicles) require Conservancy approval. Learn more and fill out the event notice form here.
6. Support the stewardship of Shenks Ferry
Caring for this special wildflower sanctuary is an ongoing effort. Your support of Lancaster Conservancy allows for the continued careful stewardship of Shenks Ferry for the benefit of both nature and our community. Thank you for considering making a donation to ensure this special place is here for generations to come.
Thank you to our generous sponsor Brookhills Investment Group for making educational programming about Shenks Ferry Wildflower Preserve and the native plants it protects possible.
