Muddy Creek is a hidden gem home to fly fishing, hiking, tubing and more

Tucked within the farmland of York County, Pennsylvania is a surprisingly-scenic tributary known for its trout fishing, historic villages and swimming holes where the stream meets the Susquehanna River.

The main stem of Muddy Creek starts just north of the Mason-Dixon line where the North and South branches converge. Here, you’ll find an old railroad village appropriately named Muddy Creek Forks. The settlement was once a bustling industrial hub along the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad, but today, restored general stores and railroad tracks take visitors to a time when “workin’ on the railroad” was a way of life. Visitor’s can take a tour of the town’s historic buildings—structures with names like “roller mills” and “coal bins” that have escaped the modern vocabulary.

As the stream flows through York County’s Peach Bottom and Lower Chanceford Township, its character shifts from an agricultural stream to that of a mountain river, decorated with huge boulders, flat pools, mountain laurel and hemlock groves, all of which are very suitable for trout.

Locals spend hot summer days in the swimming holes along this section of Muddy Creek. Tubing, kayaking and hiking are popular activities in the various trails and pools throughout the stream. Some outdoor enthusiasts choose to hike along a section of the Mason Dixon Trail, which begins at the intersection of Muddy Creek and Paper Mill Road and goes to the Susquehanna River. Paddlers enjoy this section of the creek, particularly in the early spring, when the entire stretch is canoeable.

Trout fishermen from all over the country flock to Muddy Creek. Right above the Muddy Creek Forks are streams stocked with trout spread throughout rural communities. A two-mile section between Bruce and Bridgeton is particularly popular as a catch and release fly-fishing only area. Still others speak about the scenery between Woodbine and Castle Fin, a section of the creek only accessible via the old railroad bed.

Muddy Creek meets the Susquehanna River north of the Conowingo Dam, shortly before it flows into the Chesapeake Bay.

To learn more about efforts to restore Muddy Creek and improve trout fishing, check out Muddy Creek’s Chapter of Trout Unlimited.