The Mighty Susquehanna River
Pinnacle Overlook
The Susquehanna River is a mighty view to behold. As Pennsylvania's second-largest river, it glides through the state's eastern domain. It holds significance to me because, from 2017-2020, I lived in Eastern Pennsylvania while in a graduate program. To destress from a hectic day of studying or take a break after my long work days, I would drive through Lancaster county and find nature trails. One of my favorite finds was the Susquehanna River, whose width and isles reminded me of the Mississippi, a river I grew up around in Tennessee.
This past November, while working in Honduras, my school required me to obtain documentation from the states. I needed to get manuscripts from Philadelphia and Lancaster and apostille them in the state capital of Harrisburg. So, I grabbed my passport, packed my drone, and flew to Pennsylvania. Between the processing and paperwork, I took time to stop and take photos of one of my favorite rivers in the world, the Susquehanna. I stopped and took pictures in two places. My first visit was to Pinnacle Point, a lookout in West Lancaster County. The lookout point is lovely because it is elevated, contrasting the flat fields you typically see. Once at Pinnacle Point, you can walk different trails and get the prettiest river views through the overlook. I flew my drone and caught some of the best autumn colors I have ever seen in Pennsylvania. I was also shocked at how far my Mavic 3 drone flew as it went as far as Reed and Duncan island. Small isles are some of my favorite features of large rivers in the United States. They caught my curiosity as a child and, to this day, make me daydream of leisure away from the city.
My second river shoot came in Harrisburg after getting my university degree apostilled at the capital building. I stopped by the Susquehanna river in downtown Harrisburg on returning to Lancaster. I was shocked at what I saw from the sky. My favorite view was City Island, a large isle in the middle of the river with a baseball and football field. With the autumn colors, the island looks like it comes out of a movie. These views reminded me of how happy I was living in Pennsylvania and how typically 'American' the state looked. If you ever want to see some fantastic sites that appear out of a 1950s American movie, I recommend visiting Central Pennsylvania because much of the state looks like this. After completing my photo shoots and paperwork, I returned to Honduras and wished Pennsylvania and its perfect autumn weather a farewell.
I hope you can one day appreciate the mighty Susquehanna as I do. If you ever find yourself in Pennsylvania, I highly recommend visiting the two places I photographed, Pinnacle Point, also called Pinnacle Overlook and Harrisburg. Or, make me jealous and follow the river on a Kayak, something I have always dreamed of doing. In the meantime, spread the word that Pennsylvanian nature is worth visiting. Pittsburg and Philadelphia get all the praise, but it is Central Pennsylvania where you can find some of the best people and places in the United States of America.
By: Rainier Lee
