Rock Springs Barrens

History

Rock Springs is a large and relatively well-watered serpentine barrens complex. At one time, the barrens vegetation was more or less continuous south along the Conowingo Creek as far as Pilot Barrens. The area was the site of deep chrome mines and iron ore mining. The property passed through the hands of the Nature Conservancy and then to the Lancaster Conservancy, the present owner. The area was scraped and burned before the property transfer, but it has undergone rapid regrowth of Virginia pine and at present is largely forested, with a few small grassland openings.

Visiting

There is currently no public access to the Rock Springs Preserve and the parking area has been gated off.