LANCASTER, Pa. (WHTM) — A local waterway is Pennsylvania’s “River of the Year” for 2026.
“Pennsylvania’s 2026 River of the Year is the Conestoga River, and we are excited to spend the year celebrating the beauty and majesty of this wonderful waterway,” Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources said. “This once-polluted river is an example of what can happen when we prioritize clean, healthy waterways. Its transformation has made the Conestoga a hub for outdoor recreation, providing a boost to the region and demonstrating that rivers build thriving communities.”
The river begins in Berks County, flowing through the Lancaster area before joining the Susquehanna River below the Safe Harbor Dam for a length of 61 miles.
DCNR calls it “one of Lancaster County’s most scenic waterways and is a popular spot for canoeing, kayaking, tubing, and fishing.”
It was chosen as River of the Year through an online vote, receiving 2,510 votes out of 5,604. The other finalists were the Lower Schuylkill River and the Chillisquaque Creek.
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“The Conestoga River being named 2026 River of the Year is an honor that celebrates a history woven into the fabric of life in Lancaster County,” said Conestoga River Club Executive Director Malinda Harnish Clatterbuck. “From the legacy of the Conestoga people to the iconic wagons that helped shape a nation, to the community families that recreate in its meandering shallows, the Conestoga River is deeply beloved.”
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