Stepping Back In Time At The Stepping Stone Farm And A Hike In The Susquehanna State Park In Maryland

 

I didn’t sleep well my last night in Havre de Grace in Maryland last weekend. I had injured my shoulder on a fall in Elk Neck State Park that morning. I wasn’t sure if the extent of the injury, but I decided to still hike in the Susquehanna State Park before picking up some blue crabs and heading home that morning.

After some coffee in my apartment, I drove 10 miles to the Lapidum Boat launch where I watched the sunrise over the Susquehanna River. I reflected on the many times I observed the sun slowly rise over the Council Crest mountain along the Susquehanna River when I hike in the wetlands there near my home in Luzerne County Pennsylvania. I often wondered about the Native Americans who lived along the river, and the first explorers and settlers who navigated the waters of the ancient river.

I learned that the famous Captain John Smith of Pocohantss story explored the other side of the river, where the sun was rising, in 1608. I learned this is the furthest point north in the river that is navigable by deep water ships.

I left the boat lunch , which was already busy with boats being lowered into the Susquehanna River. I was planning on hiking a trail along the river that appeared on my All Trails App. It was closed so I walked up to the road where I learned the town of Lapidum once exited. I first came to the foundation of the hotel that was first built here in 1868.

I have learned the town prospered from the traffic on the Susquehanna River. Lumber, coals and crops were floated here and to , the port on the other side of the river. The town grew when a first canal was built connecting the town to Wrightsville Pennsylvania.A school, church and a number of house were built here. Again I reflected on my reflections along the Susquehanna River on my week kit visits 120 miles north.

I was now at the edge of the Susquehanna State Park. I found a trail on my AllTrails App, the Susquehanna Ridge/Mason Dixon Trail. Unfortunately it began by leading me up a steep root covered cliff similar to the one I tripped my hike the previous morning. My shoulder was sore, but I took my sling off and was able to use my camera. I hiked up the trail but a lot slower and more carefully than my usual pace.

The trail took me up a ridge and through a woodland of more large ancient trees, mostly tulip with some maple, oak and sycamore trees.

Like the previous day it was dark under the canopy of leaves formed by the trees,

and once again there were many small paw paw trees growing under the shade of the tall trees. Many had unripe fruits but I did smell the unmistakable, and delicious smell of ripe paw paws. I didn’t leave the trail took find the ripe fruit because of the injury to my shoulder.

Occasionally there was a clearing and I could see the brilliant sunshine on the Susquehanna River below.

There was not a lot of the invasive Japanese stilt grass along the trail and so I saw more native plants including two I was familiar with, white snake root flowers and

Christmas ferns, and,

two species I hadn’t seen before, rich weed,

and broad beech ferns. Again I am no expert and rely on my iPhone app for identifications. I love learning about the history of, flora and fauna of the places I visit.

There was not a lot of bird activity on the trail. I did see a few pileated wood peckers in the tree tops and heard some eastern wood pee wees singing in the woodlands but wasn’t able to get any photos of them.

I came told a split in the trail, where one path continued as the Land of Promise Trail. I continued on the Susquehanna Ridge/ Mason Dixon Trail up the ridge.

Soon, I was high enough on the ridge that the sunshine filtered through the dense canopy of leaves,

Illuminating the surrounding woodlands.

I now came to another fork in the trail and saw  it led to the Stepping Stone Farm Museum.

I followed the trail  up the ridge and soon came to another fork old stone wall,

and the came to  a few warehouse like  buildings. I later learned that historic farm tools and machinery were stored in these buildings.

I continued on a paved road and  came to this old barn built  poles with a plaque indicating it was a corn crib. I have since learned it was built in the early 19th century.

I next  this  house, which I learned was the restored  Stephenson House , originally owned by James Stephenson, and was built in
a sometime around the turn of the 18th century.

The farm itself was part of the Land of Promise grant and  a mill was built here in 1746.  There were ancient  trees,

and fields nearby but not another person. It was like walking back in time.

I roamed the farm in the early morning sunshine.

There was a pavvilion,

a  gazebo,

a large red barn

and many other building associated with farming and woodwork in the 17rth, 18th and 19th centuries.  They is also a black smith shop and other exhibits on the museum grounds.

The museum was closed and I could have roamed here for hours. However I had to pick up my order of steamed blue crabs at 10 am so I couldn’t do much exploring.

I  walked  to some old stone ruins,

and the gift shop.

Here, in the trees along the trail I saw  a few birds including a red-bellied woodpecker,

a gray catbird,

a white eyed vireo

and this chipping sparrow. It looks like this would be a great palce to watch the song bird migration in the Spring.

As I was leaving the museum, I found the Stepping Stone monument   commerating  J. Edmund Bull the man who had a passion for woodworking tools and donated hiscollection to the museum.

I walked back to the trail  listening to the bird song and the sound of the tree horns crossing the bridge over the Susquehanna River.  I hope to return here soon and explore more of this historic place. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos from my brief visit to this historic farm. Havre de Grace Stepping Stone Farm. August 31 2025.

I now had to walk down the steep,  root covered trail. I find it is easier hiking up a steep trail than it is hiking down.

I carefully hiked down the trail. The sunlight now bathed the trail. It was a slow,but an enjoyable hike.

I made it down the trail without another fall, and crossed a bridge  over the first abandoned  Susquehanna Tidewater Canal.

I walked  back to the boat launch and down to the shores of the ancient Susquehanna River. I again reflected on how, almost every week, I watch the waters of the river flow past the Susquehanna Wetlands, a private nature preserve in Luzerne County and now know this is where these waters flow. I love this river and hope to keep exploring it for many years.

I finished my 2  1/2 mile hike around 8 am and drove back to the Vandiver Inn where I enjoyed a wholesome breakfast on the front porch.

I slowly showered, being careful not to aggravate my injured shoulder, packed  and left my apartment at the Inn. I was off to the  River City Crabs and Seafood in Havre de Grace. I got to know the owners from talking on the phone. . It was nice to meet them in person. They had steamed  a 1/2 dozen of #1 male crabs and a half dozen jumbo crabs, put them on ice and loaded them into the cooler in my Jeep.  The crabs were awesome and everyone at my nephew’s party enjoyed them.  I would  highly recommend this place if you want good streamed blue crabs.   I accomplice all three of my goals on the trip, I found some paw paws, honey mushrooms and blue crabs. I also accomplished something I didn’t want to, the injury ot my shoulder, it is torn and may require surgery. As my beloved Aunt Mary would say que sera, sera. I will get better and hopefully hike the Beaver  Marsh Trail again. I love this area of Maryland, where our Susquehanna River enters the Chesapeake Bay.  Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos from my hike in the Susquehanna State Park.   Havre de Grace Susquehanna State park August 31 2025.

“…man is a bundle of relations, a knot of roots,
whose flower and fruitage is the world…” Ralph Waldo Emerson

“There is a saying in Baltimore that crabs may be prepared in fifty ways and that all of them are good.”  H. L. Mencken

“My favorite food in the world is hard shell crabs from Maryland. ”  David Benioff