Recommendation for 3 day hike near Harrisburg, PA

[rjstew234]

My girlfriend and I are planning a 3 day/2 night/30'ish mile hike over the October 25th weekend. I was originally looking at the Tuscarora Trail, starting 30 miles south of where it intersects with the AT, hiking North and having someone pick us up on the AT just North of the intersection. However, what I've read about the Tuscarora trail is that although it's not very traveled (we're looking for seclusion), it's also extremely rocky with lots of elevation gain and loss. We did the Presi Traverse last summer, which I'm sure this is less rocky, but we'd prefer a nice walk where we can enjoy the foliage and not have to look down the entire time. It also appears to be on a ridge as well as through a state park, so pitching a tent won't be the easiest.

That being said I was also looking into hiking the AT from the Susquehanna River North 30 miles through State Game Lands 211, ending around I-81. However, I read a bit about hiking in 211 (couldn't find much) and it appears the AT through this section is more of a wide forest road than a trail. We're essentially looking for a happy medium between a forest road and a rock crawl.

Am I completely wrong with either of my assumptions based on what I could find online? Does anyone have any other suggestions? We'd be interested in anything within a 45 minute ride of Harrisburg and can be point to point since we'll have someone who can pick us up.

Many thanks in advance!

[ki0eh]

There are a couple of rocky bits on Peters Mountain "south" of 325 (mostly "south" of 225, one little area well "north" of 225). Less than average for north of there, and far less than the north end of Tuscarora which is the most bruising trail in the state.

The state by state official guide has for decades called the A.T. on Stony and Sharp mountains "north" of 325 an "old carriage road" or something like that. Frankly it takes a great leap of imagination to see that nowadays. It's well beaten singletrack through the laurel everywhere, the only road-y part is just a little bit (you notice this as it goes up and down) on north flank of Stony near the top coming out of 325 trail-northbound, and that only because it was an active gated road into the 1960's when there was a fire tower. Much of the A.T. was relocated off the lower/wetter part of the old fire tower road about 6-8 years ago.

Oct 25 weekend should see fairly good color through this stretch. There are no real postcard views. Probably the best views are a couple of spots approaching the Susquehanna.

Personally if someone's dropping me off, then picking me up, I'd rather hike this southbound. There is only a roadside at PA 72, and just after the river bridges (noisy but scenic, watch for holes in the Juniata River Twin County bridge) there is the justly infamous Doyle Hotel where you can have great food and a cold beer while waiting for the people to pick you up. If they are dropping you off and you're hiking back to your own car, the official overnight lot in Swatara State Park is the one on PA 443 just west of the PA 72 junction. You're not missing much between the 3rd crossing of PA 443 where this lot is, and the A.T. crossing of PA 72 literally in Swatara Gap.

This part of A.T. is not the most secluded. Small game hunters and Boy Scouts will be out. The camping rules are a bit peculiar http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/058/chapter135/s135.42.html

Regarding Tuscarora Trail, PATC is building a new shelter a couple of miles south of PA 74, Waggoners Gap. The pictures look great. There is no water there, but you would want to pause there, as the treadway in that stretch is looking at the ground for every step. If you start at Cowpens Rd (good graded gravel forestry road) and hike northbound, there is really only one big climb out of Doubling Gap toward Flat Rock. That climb is on old log skids so not terribly bad treadway wise. Flat Rock just north of Doubling Gap is a better vista than any on the A.T. in PA, and that weekend is likely peak color. You won't be alone there (popular side trail from Colonel Denning State Park) but you probably will be on the rest of the trail (except for hunters). Waggoners Gap hawk watch is a good view too but you might not feel the need to divert there after seeing Flat Rock.

If you go Tuscarora, an alternative north destination could be just to cross the A.T. and continue north on Darlington Trail. The Darlington Trail actually pre-dates the A.T., although much of its current treadway is recently constructed under the direction of a talented landscape architect/volunteer trailbuilder, Tom Scully. Or, you could take the A.T. on north into Duncannon and wait for your ride at the Doyle as previously indicated. I personally think the A.T. between PA 850 and Duncannon is more scenic than the Tuscarora between Cowpens Rd and PA 233, you wind up passing the locally iconic Hawk Rock as you start your descent toward the Susquehanna. A ways down from Hawk Rock, the A.T. goes right and re-climbs the end of the mountain for a bit to stay on land the NPS could acquire. If you stay straight at this point as the locals do, you come out at the local recycling station in a short cut to the Doyle.

[ki0eh]

This is the map of Darlington Trail: http://www.satc-hike.org/documents/darlmap.pdf

[Red Cinema]

Check out the West Rim Trail, http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/recreation/hiking/stateforesttrails/westrimtrail/

Lots of trees and color opportunity. Some narrow trails, some elevation change, the north half in particular has gorgeous views.



My girlfriend and I are planning a 3 day/2 night/30'ish mile hike over the October 25th weekend. I was originally looking at the Tuscarora Trail, starting 30 miles south of where it intersects with the AT, hiking North and having someone pick us up on the AT just North of the intersection. However, what I've read about the Tuscarora trail is that although it's not very traveled (we're looking for seclusion), it's also extremely rocky with lots of elevation gain and loss. We did the Presi Traverse last summer, which I'm sure this is less rocky, but we'd prefer a nice walk where we can enjoy the foliage and not have to look down the entire time. It also appears to be on a ridge as well as through a state park, so pitching a tent won't be the easiest.

That being said I was also looking into hiking the AT from the Susquehanna River North 30 miles through State Game Lands 211, ending around I-81. However, I read a bit about hiking in 211 (couldn't find much) and it appears the AT through this section is more of a wide forest road than a trail. We're essentially looking for a happy medium between a forest road and a rock crawl.

Am I completely wrong with either of my assumptions based on what I could find online? Does anyone have any other suggestions? We'd be interested in anything within a 45 minute ride of Harrisburg and can be point to point since we'll have someone who can pick us up.

Many thanks in advance!

[rjstew234]

Appreciate the detailed info ki0eh. In regard to your final paragraph, are you recommending to hike the Tuscarora for the first 18 miles and then hike the AT the last 12 to Doyle? Below is a breakdown of the AT for 35 miles south of the river.

Red Cinema, We'll definitely hike the West Rim Trail at some point (top of our PA hiking list along with the Black Forest) but unfortunately that's a bit too far for our ride to pick us up.




Offset
Milestone


0.0
PA94-Mt. Holly Springs, PA


2.8
Whiskey Spring Road, PA


4.9
Alec Kennedy Shelter, PA (http://tnlandforms.us/at/m.php?wpt=AlecKenne)


8.8
PA174-Boiling Springs, PA


10.8
PA74, PA


16.8
US11-Carlisle, PA


19.1
Conodoguinet Creek-Scott Farm, PA


21.1
PA944-Donnellytown, PA


23.0
Tuscarora N-Darlington Trails, PA


23.1
Darlington Shelter, PA (http://tnlandforms.us/at/m.php?wpt=Darlington)


30.4
Cove Mountain Shelter, PA (http://tnlandforms.us/at/m.php?wpt=ThelmaM)


34.5
Duncannon, PA


35.7
Susquehanna River W, PA

[AegisIII]

I'm thinking you could probably make a good loop using the Tuscarora Trail and the local trails in Tuscarora State Forest. You could probably include the Masland and Hemlocks Natural Areas, and some other nice places along the way. Yes, some rocks and some steep climbs and drops. If you call the Forest, they'll mail you their shared-use trail system map, which would help in planning.

There's also I'm sure plenty of ways to make 30 mile loops in Michaux State Forest, but as these would likely include the unblazed, unsigned, and unmapped trails, it probably wouldn't be a good idea unless you're already familiar with those trails.

A 30 mile loop could also be made utilizing the Tuscarora Trail, Standing Stone Trail, and local trails of Buchanan State Forest near Cowans Gap, which would be very scenic in many places, and full solitude except by the lake and one overlook should be expected, but there would be two short bushwhacks, totaling less than half a mile together. Two trail shelters would be on the loop.

[ki0eh]

Appreciate the detailed info ki0eh. In regard to your final paragraph, are you recommending to hike the Tuscarora for the first 18 miles and then hike the AT the last 12 to Doyle?

That was one of my suggestions, more or less.

The 10/25 weekend would be past peak for the West Rim Trail or anywhere else up that way. WRT is less traveled than the A.T. but more well used than most "other trails" in PA.

Should be good time for areas described in post #6, which are pushing 1.5 hrs from Harrisburg, but loops as noted.

I might also suggest the north half of Standing Stone Trail for a less popular, view-filled route. However it's 1.5-2 hr one way from Harrisburg to the trailheads. http://www.hike-sst.org

[fiddlehead]

Rausch Gap.
Best part of the the trail in all of PA IMO.