I'm up for a quick trip this month, a preGSMTR run.
Regarding where the park is:
From Rausch Creek's webpage:
http://www.rauschcreekoffroadpark.org/directions.asp
For those coming up from the south, below are directions from Lynn, an owner, taken off the MD Creepers site is a bypass to the Rt 81 construction:
Back Road Directions to Rausch Creek
To avoid the construction zone on Route 81 between the 78/81 split and Exit 100, follow these directions. This route will take longer, but you’ll at least keep moving and there’s only one small hill along the way.
GETTING TO THE PARK:
From Route 81, take Exit 85 for Fort Indiantown Gap. This is the last exit before the 78/81 split. Just before the Mobil gas station and Funck’s Restaurant, take a LEFT on Asher Miner Road (there’s a sign for 2nd Mountain Hawk Watch and Swatara Creek State Park). Asher Miner Road becomes Moonshine Rd.
Follow that road to the next stop sign. Go STRAIGHT. You’ll go a few miles until you get to the crossroads with Route 443 and 72. Take a LEFT. You are now heading directly to Pine Grove. When you get to Exit 100 interchange, you can jump on 81 and head north to Exit 1074. Or you can continue on into Pine Grove. At the traffic signal in Pine Grove, go straight for Route 125. This will bring you out to where the Exxon at Exit 104 is.
Exit 104 for Ravine (Exxon, Raceway Restaurant). They are on the right after you come off the ramp. To get to the park you would go left off the ramp, follow Molleystown Road west for about 5 minutes. At the fork in the road for Lincoln, bear right for Joliett. When you get near the top of the road, our entrance is just past the intersection with Lincoln Road on the Left.
LEAVING THE PARK (edited). From the park’s exit, make a right, head down to the Exxon. Make a right onto 125 to Pine Grove. At the light in Pine Grove, go straight. You are now on Route 443. You’ll eventually come upon Exit 100. Keep going past that. You’ll then make a right onto 443 West (Moonshine Road becomes Asher Miner Rd. Follow that road to the stop sign. Go STRAIGHT towards Annville (Asher Miner Road). At the next stop sign (Mobile/Funck’s), make a right. From there you can hop on 81 below the construction zone, or continue straight and pick up 22 leading into Harrisburg.
ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE. When you get to Harrisburg, follow 322 to Dauphin, pick up Route 325 which takes you to 209 in Tower City, follow that north up the mountain and you’ll be in Joliett. I’ve only taken this route on my way home to stop at Whaley Enterprises a couple times. Can’t really say how much longer it takes.
If I need to go up Friday night, I skip the Harrisburg rush hour traffic by taking 15 to 11/15 Harvey Taylor Bridge, go into the city and pick up 22. There's a major commercial store zone in Colonial Park, but once past that, it's usually clear sailing 55-60 mph all the way to the Gap.
