Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site Trail Map (click to enlarge)

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site is surrounded by French Creek State Park, so there is no shortage of hiking trails in the area. However, nearly all trails are in the state park, and National Park Planner only reviews trails within the National Park property. That leaves part of the Lenape Trail, Buzzards Trail, and Racoon Trail, and the Bethesda Church Trail to the church itself as possible hikes within the park boundary. The following trail report covers a hike to Bethesda Church with a short loop on segments of the Racoon and Buzzards trails on the return trip. This is a nice hike that is fairly easy and passes four historical sites.

Before starting any hikes within Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site or French Creek State Park, be sure to get the French Creek State Park brochure. This has a trail map for the area. Notice that on the map the intersections are numbered. These numbers correspond to numbered posts at the actual intersections, which helps hikers figure out where they are. Unfortunately, the printed map is not accurate as far as numbered posts go. The online version is more updated, but it too is incorrect. In regards to the hike described in this review, the map at the top of this page has been corrected.

Download the French Creek State Park Trail Map (PDF)

Numbered posts along the trails in Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site correspond to numbers on the printed trail map

Length:  1.9 mile round trip
Time: 1.5 hours with stops at the historical sites
Difficulty: Easy with a few small hills

The hike to Bethesda Church, a non-denominational meeting house built in 1782 that later became a Baptist church, can either start at the Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site Visitor Center or from a parking lot on Hopewell Road just east of PA 345. There is no reason to start at the Visitor Center since the hike from there is along the park road and not on an actual hiking trail, so unless you just want to log some extra milage, save yourself time and effort by starting at the Hopewell Road parking lot. It was closed when I visited (gated), and if that is the case when you do the hike, just park along the road or in front of the gate and walk in.

Parking lot on Hopewell Road for the Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site trails

At the far end of the parking lot is a short trail that connects to the main trails within the park. This is marked by a wayside exhibit about the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the organization that built the park back in the late 1930s and early 40s. Take this connector to the Lenape Trail.

Connector trail from the parking lot on Hopewell Road to the Lenape Trail in Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

Just down the road from the gravel parking lot is another roadside parking area with its own connector to the Lenape Trail. Regardless from where you start, the two connectors merge. The connector from the gravel parking lot where I started from dead ends into the other connector trail just past a footbridge over a small creek, so take a left to continue. The intersection of the Lenape and Buzzards trails is just up ahead (Intersection 74 on the trail map). From the parking lot, this intersection is less than .2 mile.

Intersection 74 on the hiking trails within Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

There is also an old CCC picnic pavilion at the intersection. This section of the park was the Baptism Creek Picnic Area many years ago.

Civilian Conservation Corps picnic shelter on the Lenape Trail in Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

Continue straight ahead at the picnic shelter, following the sign towards Bethesda Church. At this point you are on the Buzzards Trail, which is an old dirt road. The intersection with the Bethesda Church Trail (75) is less than 200 yards from the picnic pavilion.

Intersection of the Buzzards and Bethesda Church trails, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

Not long after making the turn onto the Bethesda Church Trail is a crossing of Baptism Creek. When Hopewell Furnace was in operation, the creek was diverted into the headrace (flume) that carried water to the furnace’s water wheel. Today it follows its natural course. The creek got its name from the baptisms performed at Bethesda Church.

Bethesda Church Trail crosses Baptism Creek, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

Just a couple minutes past the creek is the ruins of an old house built around 1800. This was actually one of the tenant houses owned by the Hopewell Furnace company that was rented to employees until it closed in 1883. The owners of the furnace property, the Brooke Family, continued renting the house to local farmers. People were living in it up until the property was purchased by the federal government in 1935. The last repairs to the building were made by the CCC in 1941.

Ruins of a Hopewell Furnace tenant house along the Bethesda Church Trail, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

Ruins of a Hopewell Furnace tenant house along the Bethesda Church Trail, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

The trail narrows and becomes very rocky just past the building ruins and continues that way until it crosses Hopewell Road. The distance from the start of Bethesda Church Trail to the road is just a quarter mile.

Rocky section of Bethesda Church Trail near Hopewell Road, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

Intersection of the Bethesda Church Trail and Hopewell Road, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

On the other side of the road is the house of Thomas Lloyd III, the man who built what would eventually become Bethesda Church. The original house was smaller than what stands today, which is the result of an addition. The exact date of construction is unknown, but tax assessments suggest that the original section was built around 1807. The house was inherited by Thomas’s son, David, and he owned it until selling the property in 1879. The Brooke Family descendants purchased the house and property in 1919, and of course the federal government purchased everything from the Brookes in 1935. The house is part of Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, but it is not open to the public. It is currently a rental property.

Thomas Lloyd House, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

Bethesda Church is less than .2 mile from the Lloyd House (.7 mile into the overall hike). Thomas Lloyd did not intend the building to be a church of any particular denomination and in fact called it the Lloyd Meeting House. It only became a Baptist Church in 1827, seven years after his death in 1820. The church is not open, and you can’t enter the cemetery either, but both are close enough to the parking lot that you can get a good look.

Bethesda Church, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

Bethesda Church and cemetery, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

When done at the church, head back to the intersection of the Bethesda Church and Buzzards trails (.4 mile). At that point you can turn left and return to the parking lot or take a right to make a small loop from the Buzzards and Raccoon trails, which is what I did.

Buzzards Trail at the intersection with the Bethesda Church Trail, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

The trail crosses the path of the old east headrace. Rivers and creeks on both the east and west sides of Hopewell Furnace were diverted to carry water to the water wheel. Today the headrace is just a small gully.

Remnants of the east headrace for the Hopewell Furnace water wheel, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

Beyond the east headrace, the trail becomes a traditional hiking trail. Sections of it get a little rocky and rooty, but most of the trail surface is relatively smooth. Along the way is a post with a 76 on it. This isn’t on the map, and there’s not even an intersection here, so just ignore it and continue hiking.

Rough section of the Buzzards Trail between intersections 75 and 71, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

Take a left at both Intersection 71 and 73, which are just a stone’s throw from each other. Between the two is the ruins of another building, only here there is no wayside exhibit identifying the structure. (Note that the printed map shows Intersection 73 as 54, but this is corrected on the PDF version and on the trail map at the top of this page).

Building ruins between the Raccoon and Buzzards trails in Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site (intersections 71 and 73)

Building ruins between the Raccoon and Buzzards trails in Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site (intersections 71 and 73)

Turn left onto the Raccoon Trail, which is just past the building ruins. The trail heads downhill, but the descent is very mild. The loop portion of this hike covers the hilliest terrain.

Typical terrain on the Raccoon Trail between intersections 73 and 52 in Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

The next turn comes at the intersection of the Raccoon and Lenape trails (52), which is .3 mile past intersection 73. Take another left. From here it is just a tenth of a mile back to the CCC picnic pavilion. Once there, take a right to return to the parking lot.

Civilian Conservation Corps picnic shelter at intersection 74 on the Lenape Trail in Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

I love historical buildings, so seeing the picnic pavilion, two building ruins, and Bethesda Church makes this hike well worth the effort. There are a few hills on the loop portion, but overall it is an easy hike. My daughter went with me, and she didn’t even complain, which is a testament to it being a decent trip.

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