Late summer PA hike a bad idea?

[theurbansuburban]

I'm currently in the early stages of planning hike from Port Clinton to the PA-MD border around late Aug. I know that in much of northern PA alot of the springs are dry this late in the summer. Is this also true in sothern PA? Am I going to need to carry alot of water if I only plan on 15 mile max days?

On a side note are there any good places to resupply, visit, be warned of, etc?

If I'm able to pull this off I'll have finished all of PA :banana

[Sly]

I wouldn't be worried about lack of water, afterall the southbounders make it through every year.

For resupply, you have the usual... Duncannon, Boiling Springs and South Mountain if need be.

[fiddlehead]

Since the AT is usually on top of the mt. and PA is a lot of ridge (level) walking, you may have to go a lot further down to find water that's running. Sometimes this means descending 500-800 ft. So, you can usually find water but do you want to go down every time you need a litre, or carry 2 or 3 and maybe only go down once a day? up to you! the past 2 or 3 years in PA have been some of the wettest on record. ( i think 2 years ago was the wettest ever) if that's the case again this year, of course you won't have to worry about it, if it's a drought year like it was about 4 years ago, it is much more of a concern or course. Have fun and the only special attractions in PA are the Doyle in Duncannon and the swimming to be found at Pine Grove Furnace state part (which also has a historical youth hostel that can be cool depending on who you meet there) (& the ice cream challenge, if it's still on????) ,swimming at Caledonia State Park, (lots of nubiles sometimes) and there used to be a good bar a few miles north of Penn/Mar. have fun.

[jamarshall]

South of Duncannon there's quite a bit of water available from state parks, small towns, campgrounds etc. North it could be a bit more challenging. It's been a wet spring so far, so it may not be much of an issue this year.

[c.coyle]

You won't have a problem unless we get a drought. These are approx. distances, and I know I left out some springs and little streams.

Port Clinton - water never a problem

== 9 miles ==

Sand Spring - reliable walled spring (haven't checked it out this year)

== 9 miles ==

Schubert's Gap - creek and swimming hole - reliable

== 5 miles ==

501 Shelter = Pilger Ruh, reliable spring

== 4 miles ==

Spring across trail from William Penn Shelter - slow but reliable except in very dry conditions

== 7 miles ==

Swatara Gap - Swatara Creek

== 6 miles ==

Rausch Gap - Rausch Creek, reliable spring at Shelter

== 7 1/2 miles ==

Rattling Run - reliable creek

== 4 miles ==

Route 325 - reliable creek. Fill up here.

== 7 miles ==

Peter's Mountain Shelter - spring is iffy and a pain to get to.

== 7 miles ==

Clark's Ferry Shelter - reliable spring (haven't checked it out this year)

== 4 miles ==

Duncannon. As jamarshall said, water's no sweat from here south.

[c.coyle]

...swimming at Caledonia State Park, (lots of nubiles sometimes) ...

I think Aqua Mira kills nubiles.

[LIhikers]

My wife and I hiked PA last August, Hawk Mountain Road to Boiling springs. Water was no problem at all.