The Conodoguinet Creek originates in Horse Valley, Franklin County, next to Kittatinny Mountain at an elevation of 1,680 feet. From there, the Conodoguinet flows through the fertile Cumberland Valley and joins the Susquehanna River near Harrisburg.
The Conodoguinet Creek is approximately 90 miles long and drains 540 square miles of diverse lands. Forested areas cover the upland basin, giving way to intense agriculture throughout the valley. Much of the Conodoguinet Creek watershed still has a strong agricultural flavor, including numerous cozy villages and small towns. While farming remains a prominent land use in the western part of the valley, dramatic growth in the Carlisle to Camp Hill area has converted much agricultural land to residential and commercial uses. The Conodoguinet meanders toward the suburban west shore of Harrisburg through a series of elaborate bends and loops. “Conodoguinet” comes from an Indian word meaning “a long way with many bends.
Early pioneers envisioned the waters of the Conodoguinet as an avenue of commerce linking the Susquehanna and Potomac rivers. Plans for a canal joining the headwaters of the Conodoguinet with the headwaters of the Conococheague Creek never materialized. However, the Conodoguinet was far from abandoned.
The Conodoguinet Creek powered many mills. The mills of Cumberland County were the small industrial centers of their time. Besides grain, cider, nails and wood, these mills refined diverse products such as sumac leaves, which were made into tanning and dyeing materials. Distilleries were also located at a number of these sites. In 1840, the Conodoguinet Creek provided the power for more than 140 mills throughout the county. But by 1909, only 13 mills
remained, and today the industry is largely forgotten.
Today, the Conodoguinet Creek is most valued for its water resources and recreational opportunities. Communities in the eastern part of the Cumberland Valley pump millions of gallons per day from the creek to meet residential, commercial and industrial water demand. Much of the water returns to the stream, but not before passing through one of several treatment plants in the basin.
On a typical summer day, one can also find avid canoeists and anglers enjoying the creek’s ribbon of greenery, alive with herons, kingfishers and other streamside creatures. Osprey and eagles may also be seen over the stream. In winter, after prolonged periods of cold, the creek’s waters freeze and give the Conodoguinet an idyllic Currier-and-Ives picture-postcard beauty.
source - www.fish.state.pa.us/watertrails/conodoguinet/
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