Need help selecting guide/maps for PA AT hike (complete noobie here)

[C&F]

Hello everyone, I'm completely new to AT hiking and need some help! I'm planning a short (2-3 days) through-hike of the AT in Pennsylvania later this month, and I'm bringing my girlfriend and possibly my dog with me. We have plenty of experience camping but this will be our first time backpacking, and I'm not sure where to start in terms of actually planning this trip. I started googling and honestly I'm just overwhelmed with all of the different websites, trail guides, maps, etc., and of course everyone wants you to pay big bucks for a subscription to give you any info.

Can someone please talk to me like I'm 5 and tell me where to start? So far my best guess is that I should buy this:

https://www.atctrailstore.org/catalog/iteminfo.cfm?itemid=30&compid=1

Am I on the right track? Basically I just need to know where we can park our car, what hostels are available and whether they are pet friendly, where all the trail head entrances are, etc.

Also any advice for some new hikers is appreciated. We are all set for gear, but other than that we are pretty unprepared.

Thanks!

[SkeeterPee]

there are a couple different guide books. I have the Thru-Hikers' Companion. it shows distance between various sights, road crossings, etc. shows where shelters, camping, water, and parking is located. It covers the whole AT so you may want to copy the pages you need to take with you. It also has information on each area especially towns that are nearby were people may resupply on longer hikes. It also includes an elevation profile.

There are also a series of maps you can buy for PA. you can buy individual maps or the whole state.

if you want to go point to point, and you have two cars, you could leave one where you are getting off the trail and then drive to the start. There are also shuttle services listed at the ATC website. Usually they meet you at your finish and drive your start point so you can hike back to your vehicle.

I don't think you can assume you will get in a shelter or a hostel, so you have to be prepared to camp.

Lots of places you could hike 2 day in PA. One option might be Caledonia State Park to Pine Grove Furnace state park, or PGFSP to Boiling Springs.

[SkeeterPee]

btw, your link did not work for me so I could not tell what you were referring to. The other guide a lot of people use is AWOL. not sure which is best since I have the other one. Hopefully now that it is Monday you get other responses.

[JohnThe Snail]

One free resource that I have found helpful is appalachiantrail.rohland.org. This gives you a list of a lot of places to park and the mileage between them. Combined with AWOL's guide I have been able to plan my section hikes.

[dzierzak]

+1 on http://appalachiantrail.rohland.org/

Either AWOL's guide http://www.theatguide.com/ or Thru-Hiker's Companion https://www.atctrailstore.org/catalog/iteminfo.cfm?itemid=812&compid=1

You can also just buy the map/maps of the section of PA that you want to hike, no need to buy the whole package if you don't want it.
If you are looking closer to home (Doylestown?) you should be able to get by with the northern PA map.
IIRC, the AT maps show not just the trail, but also shelters, campsites, and water sources.

[C&F]

there are a couple different guide books. I have the Thru-Hikers' Companion. it shows distance between various sights, road crossings, etc. shows where shelters, camping, water, and parking is located. It covers the whole AT so you may want to copy the pages you need to take with you. It also has information on each area especially towns that are nearby were people may resupply on longer hikes. It also includes an elevation profile.

There are also a series of maps you can buy for PA. you can buy individual maps or the whole state.

if you want to go point to point, and you have two cars, you could leave one where you are getting off the trail and then drive to the start. There are also shuttle services listed at the ATC website. Usually they meet you at your finish and drive your start point so you can hike back to your vehicle.

I don't think you can assume you will get in a shelter or a hostel, so you have to be prepared to camp.

Lots of places you could hike 2 day in PA. One option might be Caledonia State Park to Pine Grove Furnace state park, or PGFSP to Boiling Springs.

Thanks! I found that book an Amazon and I'll probably buy it today.

We are definitely prepared to camp, the only reason I was thinking about a hostel is because we were considering driving out the night before and staying at a hostel or hotel, then starting our hike in the morning.


btw, your link did not work for me so I could not tell what you were referring to. The other guide a lot of people use is AWOL. not sure which is best since I have the other one. Hopefully now that it is Monday you get other responses.

Not sure why the link doesn't work for you, but it is the APC "Set 05 - Pennsylvania Guide."


One free resource that I have found helpful is appalachiantrail.rohland.org. This gives you a list of a lot of places to park and the mileage between them. Combined with AWOL's guide I have been able to plan my section hikes.

Great, thank you!


+1 on http://appalachiantrail.rohland.org/

Either AWOL's guide http://www.theatguide.com/ or Thru-Hiker's Companion https://www.atctrailstore.org/catalog/iteminfo.cfm?itemid=812&compid=1

You can also just buy the map/maps of the section of PA that you want to hike, no need to buy the whole package if you don't want it.
If you are looking closer to home (Doylestown?) you should be able to get by with the northern PA map.
IIRC, the AT maps show not just the trail, but also shelters, campsites, and water sources.

Excellent, thank you!

I'll do some more research and let you guys know what we decide to do. I'm really looking forward to this trip!

[SkeeterPee]

Thanks! I found that book an Amazon and I'll probably buy it today.

We are definitely prepared to camp, the only reason I was thinking about a hostel is because we were considering driving out the night before and staying at a hostel or hotel, then starting our hike in the morning.

I think you said 2-3 days so I was thinking you may camp some of that. I actually did something like this last fall. Where I stated in Boiling Springs at the Allenberry the night before. They have a special hiker rate. They let me park my vehicle in overflow parking then I got a ride 40 miles south on trail and hiked back. I tented 2 nights and stayed at a shelter one. There was a hostel at PGFSP but it was closed for the season. So ended up staying at the SP campground .5 miles off trail.

[C&F]

I think you said 2-3 days so I was thinking you may camp some of that. I actually did something like this last fall. Where I stated in Boiling Springs at the Allenberry the night before. They have a special hiker rate. They let me park my vehicle in overflow parking then I got a ride 40 miles south on trail and hiked back. I tented 2 nights and stayed at a shelter one. There was a hostel at PGFSP but it was closed for the season. So ended up staying at the SP campground .5 miles off trail.

Yeah, what I mean is we would drive out wednesday evening and set our cars up on either end of our planned route, and stay wednesday night in a hostel. Then start our hike thursday morning, and do a multi-day hike to our other car, camping out for thursday night and friday night.

[Studlintsean]

As a section hiker, I personally like these maps: http://www.antigravitygear.com/shop/pocket-profiles-guides-books/pocket-profile-appalachian-trail-elevation-profile-map/

PA is covered in maps 12-14.

[C&F]

Thanks everyone. I just got my copy of Thru-Hikers Companion. Looks like it's got a lot of info but I'll still need some good maps. I'm gonna check out the maps from Anti Gravity Gear, but in the mean time I'm using the interactive map on the ATC website. I hate to admit this but I didn't even know that was an option until I just found it today.

Anyway, I think we are going to drive out to the parking lot at PA 309 for the start of our trip. We'll be hiking for 2.5 days and try to cover about 8-10 miles per day. Now I just have to figure out if we should travel south or north from PA 309. Anyone have suggestions? Anything cool to see within 20 or so miles of PA 309?

[SkeeterPee]

I have not gotten that far east yet, but may get there in May. Lets us know what you think either way you go. I am sure others will be able to give you good feed pack.

[C&F]

I have not gotten that far east yet, but may get there in May. Lets us know what you think either way you go. I am sure others will be able to give you good feed pack.

Thanks, will do. Anyone?

[C&F]

Okay just looked in my book....I think we are gonna do PA 309 to Port Clinton. It should drop us off right at Cabelas which will be a good way to end the trip. Looks like about 25.7 miles in 2.5 days which I think is totally doable.

[Platypus2016]

Not sure if I just overlooked it or not, but if you have a smartphone and a carrier that has decent service, I would recommend you get the "guthook's AT guide" app, you can buy the Maryland and Pennsylvania section for 8.99 and it is seriously AMAZING, shows how far to next water from where you are, how far to next shelter, to next tent site.. and if you have service it will pinpoint your exact location on the trail to tell you how far you have let to reach your next goal, but definitely get the AWOL guide to go with that, I haven't had any experience with the companion but most hikers use the AWOL guidebook.

Best of luck, and take it slow and make sure your girl enjoys herself, if you push her too hard, or set too strick of a schedule and she isn't enjoying herself.... well this will probably be your last trip if you catch my drift.. **not insinuating that women can't keep up, hell I'd assume 80% hike faster than me. I am just saying if you are going as a couple, make sure you take the time to make sure BOTH halves get what they want out of the hike**

-Platypus
platypus2016blog.wordpress.com

[capehiker]

Fellow PA hiker here. I use The AT Guide in conjunction with the app called Guthook Hikes. It's solid 1-2 punch.