Wildwood Park and Olewine Nature Center are conveniently located on the outskirts of Harrisburg and offer a place to relax, explore and learn. Owned and managed by Dauphin County Parks and Recreation Department, the 229-acre park is known for its 90-acre shallow lake, six miles of trails, 1 mile of boardwalks and is a convenient stop for exercise enthusiasts and nature buffs. The Park is supported by Friends of Wildwood – the Park’s vital non-profit support group.
This Park evolved from a booming recreation destination in the early 1900s as part of the “City Beautiful” movement to a lifeless city dump in the 1940’s and 50’s and finally to the present day urban wetland park attracting over 100,000 visitors annually.
Today this amazing jewel of preserved public land is, surprisingly, surrounded by highways. Forested buffers around the Park help shield it from the busy roadways. The 90 acre wetland benefits the community by reducing flooding, improving water quality and supporting biodiversity. It also functions as an ingenious flood mitigator for the City of Harrisburg.
Wildwood is an excellent place to get up close to nature. The urban wetland trails provide terrific access to interesting wetland habitats with viewing opportunities for a variety of animals including birds, frogs and turtles.
The Park has a popular 3-mile loop trail around the lake called “Wildwood Way Trail”. Part of this trail is also a section of the Capital Area Greenbelt, a 20 plus mile trail circumnavigating Harrisburg and connecting with Fort Hunter Park two miles to the north.
The Park offers outdoor recreation opportunities including birding, picnicking, hiking/walking, dog walking and more. Photographers take advantage of close encounters with wildlife. Art In The Wild installations offer visitors a chance to reflect on trailside natural art.
Bring your camera, bring your friends and family – it is a terrific place to enjoy your surroundings and commune with nature. Join our efforts and support the Park today!
The Park is open daily from dawn to dusk.