Schiavoni Park is located in Swatara Township and is named after Mario and Clorinda Shiavoni. The park was built in 2013 and is open 7-days a week from dawn to dusk. If you're unfamiliar with the area it's located at 9060 Bridge Road in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania. It's part of the Swatara Water Trail and you'll find a map about the trail located at the trail entrance.
You'll see signs at the entrance of the park. Once in you'll find plenty of free parking in the parking lot. There is no running water but several porta-potties are located nearby. On the other side of the parking lot you'll find park benches and trash cans if you wish to bring along a brown bag lunch.
The park is popular with locals for walking and jogging. It runs alongside Swatara Creek and you'll find an area right off of the parking lot that has a boat entrance for those who wish to bring along their kayaks and/or canoes. Fishing is permitted. You can walk your dog in the park as long as it remains leashed.
There are two black-top paved trails for you to walk. The first one is the Shiavoni Trail that loops around for a total of .4 miles. The McNaughton Park Trail loops around for a total distance of .8 miles. Both are clearly marked and the trails are maintained throughout the spring, summer and fall seasons. During the winter they don't do any snow removal.
We found both trails to be an easy walk. They're paved so those who are disabled and in wheelchairs can enjoy them too. On hot summer days there are shaded areas along the way that you can use to help stay cool. There are a few park benches that you can sit on and people watch if you prefer that.
You'll want to wear comfortable walking shoes, dress appropriately for the current weather conditions and bring along a bottle of water. We recommend applying sunscreen and bug spray before you head off for your walk. You're walking along a creek area...so bugs can be bad on certain days. The bugs aren't too bad as long as you stay on the trails and away from the Swatara Creek.
Along the Shiavoni Trail you'll find a professional disc golf course. There are a total of 9 baskets (par 3) and is enjoyed by novice and professional players. You can bring along your own discs or pick up discs at the local bike shop which is within walking distance from the park. Please be aware of the walkers and joggers who are also enjoying the area.
If you're in the area and looking for something free to do...check out Schiavoni Park. You can take a leisurely walk, jog, play a round of disc golf or bring along your own kayak and canoe for some fun out on the water. A nice hidden gem in Dauphin County.
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