The White Cliffs of Conoy

The White Cliffs of Conoy ajbergey (Atlas Obscura User)

Located along the Susquehanna River a few miles south of the infamous Three Mile Island power plant, an unusual landform exists: large white cliffs on the Lancaster County side of the river.

In the mid to late 1800s, a limestone quarry existed near the site, which also provided dolomite rock. The cliffs are thought to be the by-product of operations, which have since ceased. Now, they are accessible via public land owned by Conoy Township, and have been billed as possibly “the world’s first industrial waste tourist attraction.”

Visitors can access the Bainbridge trailhead of the Northwest Lancaster County River Trail at Koser Park and walk, or bike, south to the cliffs. The cliffs also provide excellent views of the Susquehanna River. Adjacent to the site is the ruins of a company town, Billmyer, long abandoned.

Know Before You Go

Although the cliffs themselves are relatively safe, there is other ruins/remnants of the quarry and town that visitors may want to avoid (scrap metal piles, etc.)