View Full Version : Section 4 PA (Route 309 to Port Clinton)
New to the board and looking for some info for section 4 in PA route 309 to Port Clinton. On my AT PA map sections 1 - 6 there are a couple points along the profile of section 4 where there is a note reading "no camping..." but there is no lines or call outs showing the limits of the camping restriction. I can imagine that the area that passes through the Hawk Mount Sanctuary is off limits to camping. I'm planning on spending the fist night near the Eckville shelter and the second night near the Windsor furnace shelter. Not really crazy about staying inside the shelter and would rather pitch a tent. I really wound love to camp up by the Pinnacle. I did section three this past labor day and camped up at the top of Bake Oven knob which was really awesome. Any info would help.
Dont camp up at the Pinnacle. If you get caught its a big fine.
Stealth Hhammocking is always possible.
You can camp and several good spots south of the Eckville rd. on your way up to the Pinnacle. You are on Game Lands so you cant camp more than 100' from the trail. There is a stream on the way up.
The trail really doesnt go thru Hawk Mtn Santuary. You could camp on the ridge prior to going down to Eckville. But that means carrying water from the Allentown Shelter. The area south of the ridge to Eckville rd can be really buggy.
fiddlehead
04-19-2006, 23:19
the problem is that much of the AT in that area goes thru state game land property and their rule is: NO Camping. There are many places to stealth camp. Just get off the trail and out of sight. Don't tell anyone i told you this. You can tent at Eckville shelter across the road.
saimyoji
04-19-2006, 23:55
the problem is that much of the AT in that area goes thru state game land property and their rule is: NO Camping.
Really? I thought it was within 100' of the trail and any water source. With exceptions of course.
How bout tenting at Windsor Furnace, will I be ok there? Also I notice on my map there are a lot of springs labelled throughout section 4. Are there some that aren't as reliable as others. Cause when I did section three the spring near Bake Oven was bone dry. I later found out that particular spring isn't very reliable. Thanks for the info so far though
I tented at Windsor Furnace Shelter last fall while sectioning in this area. There are many good tent/hammock sites at the shelter area and also just south on the trail (there is a large field about .1m S). The spring was dry but .1m S of the shelter there is a nice stream which should have plenty of water for you.
Can't comment on many other springs, but I remember that the Pocohantas spring (a few miles north of Port Clinton) was bone dry last fall and it has been pretty dry up here lately.
Ridge Rat
04-20-2006, 15:45
I hiked section 4 last week. Just for the record, every spring I came across in sec. 4 was running. I ended up sleeping in eckville and windsor furnace shelters alone. It was a great hike and I would recommend to anyone, also, for the record widsor furnace has the biggest tenting area not even 100 yards from the shelter that I have ever seen and it too has a fire pit for your enjoyment. I went from shelter to shelter and was out in 3 days 2 nights. Maybe good if you want to lose the weight of the tent. Go now so you can beat the thru-hikers if you want a great night sleeping w/ the squirrels.
sunlike_lady
04-21-2006, 04:27
Does any of you know anything about hiking, trekking or mountain biking contests/races organized in the appalachians?
CAMPING IS ALLOWED within 100' of the trail but not near any road, stream, etc. There are signs posted that dont list all the regulations.
Thanks for the help so far. Clears up a lot of confusion I was having. I have another question a little off topic but not really. Anyone know the situation with Furnace Creek right near Windsor Furnace Shelter? I wanted to do some fly fishing one evening after setting up camp. Going to strap the rod to my pack. I'm hearing that it is closed to fishing? Something with the reservoir water shed. The other option I had in mind was the stream that appears to flow in the vicinity of the Eckville Shelter. Anyone with any info or thoughts on that? As always catch and release especially since it's a wild trout population.
P.S. Really love'n this site. :banana
Ridge Rat
04-22-2006, 02:44
. Anyone know the situation with Furnace Creek right near Windsor Furnace Shelter? I wanted to do some fly fishing one evening after setting up camp. Going to strap the rod to my pack. I'm hearing that it is closed to fishing? Something with the reservoir water shed. The other option I had in mind was the stream that appears to flow in the vicinity of the Eckville Shelter. Anyone with any info or thoughts on that? As always catch and release especially since it's a wild trout population.
P.S. Really love'n this site. :banana
According to the KTA guidebook, Swimming, bathing and fishing is prohibited in the Furnace creek. I think it's more of a thing that the company that owns that land that enforces this rule. I am sure if you tried it, no one would be around to enforce these rules since I didnt see anyone there when I was there, but I wouldn't take the chance and ruin such a great place to stay for the rest of the hikers.:( One thing about the Widsor Furnace shelter that is annoying is the fact that you will hear all night, large trucks backing up and whizzing by from god knows where. But all in all its still a nice place to stay for the night as I stated before.
fiddlehead
04-23-2006, 22:36
OK, i checked it out. apparantly the PA game commision has changed it's rules and it now says: " Illegal activities include: camping (except along the Appalachian Trail for through hikers), swimming, tree-cutting, driving motorized vehicles on roads or trails, and motorized boating (electric motors are permitted on Shohola Lake)."
I found that at the following website: http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=460&q=158266&tx=1
Apparantly, they have decided that through hikers are ok but no one else. that's strange i think. But my brother (who was a logger) told me a story about when he was with a PA State Game Commision official and they were marking timber up on the AT near Port Clinton, and a hiker came and asked them if he could camp there. My brother said, sure why not? and the official stepped in and said: "No, it's against PA state gameland regulations to camp on PA state game land"
Now this happened about 15 years ago, that's why i said it above. And after reading the posts, went and googled their rules and found the above discrimmating rule against section hikers.
Here is the actual regulation regarding the AT in all PA state game lands.
Note: Their definition of a through-hiker is not necessarily the same as the one used by folks here... (same goes for GSMNP btw).
Anyway, hope this helps.
Subchapter C. STATE GAME LANDS§ 135.42. Appalachian Trail.
(a) Scope. This section regulates through hikers who camp overnight on State Game Lands within the corridor of the trail.
(b) Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in this section, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
(1) Public access area—An area where the public enters or exits the trail on game lands.
(2) Spring—A source of water issuing from the ground.
(3) Stream—A body of running water flowing on the earth.
(4) Through hikers—Persons walking the trail from a beginning area to an exit area on the trail which is not the place of beginning.
(5) Trail—The Appalachian Trail as authorized by the Pennsylvania Appalachian Trail Act (64 P. S. § § 801—805).
(c) Overnight camping. Overnight camping along the trail shall be lawful only in accordance with the act and this part.
(d) Unlawful acts. It is unlawful to camp:
(1) Overnight at a distance more than 200 feet from the designated trail.
(2) More than one night at the same location. (3) Within 500 feet of a spring, stream or public access area.
saimyoji
04-19-2007, 11:20
I had read, but now forgotten where, that to be a though hiker you must end at least 10 mi. from where you started.
I think it all depends on exactly who is defining through hiking... In PA it seems like a fairly loose definition, in other areas it is more strictly defined.
Sounds to me that they define "through" hiking differently than most folks on WB would.
We usually think of "thru" hikers as those who hike from Springer>Katahdin or vice versa in one season. They seem to define it as someone who is continuing on his or her journey after camping within their jurisdiction--and not returning to a start point.
NativePennsylvanian
04-19-2007, 14:00
ADH, if you want some good fishing along the AT in PA go a little further south to Stony and Clark's Creeks, the trail crosses them both. Two of the best trout streams in South Central PA, both stocked.
I think it all depends on exactly who is defining through hiking... In PA it seems like a fairly loose definition, in other areas it is more strictly defined.
Nothing loose about the definition at all. It's quite precise and it appears in the PA code if you want to read it, but it applies only to hikers on Pennsylvania State Game Lands.
Those who wish to read the applicable code and PGC regulations will find links to them in the Rausch Gap Shelter thread posted by me recently. Go directly to these posts by clicking here (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=348003#post348003).
Camping by through hikers on SGLs permitted with 200 feet of the A.T. Please read the PA Code and SGL regs in Rausch Gap Shelter thread for other restrictions.
Much of the land traversed by the A.T. between Hawk Mountain Road (Eckville) and PA 61 (Port Clinton) is owned by the Borough of Hamburg.
The only camping permitted on their land is at Windsor Furnace Shelter. Tenting is allowed at the designated area nearby only.
The best thing to do when hiking through this area is to make use of shelters or tent near them but not right next to them. Legal tenting areas in this area other than those near shelters are few due to terrain and other restrictions.
If you would like more detailed information please feel free to PM me.
The other option I had in mind was the stream that appears to flow in the vicinity of the Eckville Shelter. Anyone with any info or thoughts on that? As always catch and release especially since it's a wild trout population.
P.S. Really love'n this site. :banana
The brook N of Hawk Mountain Road is quite small and not easily accessible due to thick rhododendron. Travel more than several hundred feet in either direction, you'll find yourself on private property. I've never seen legal sized fish there anyway.
The only place that might be worth fishing is the Schuylkill River at Port Clinton, but I cannot offer any advice to you on fishing at that location.
I'd suggest tenting across the road from Eckville Shelter in the designated area. Stop in with Mick at the caretaker's residence to let him know you intend to stay.
Walk uphill about 1.5 miles on Hawk Mountain Road to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary's visitor's center if you have never visited. You will be glad you did as the experience will add to your enjoyment and appreciation of the Appalachians.
Cabela's is less than 2 miles S of Port Clinton where PA 61 passes over I 78. This too is apt to be an experience you will enjoy.
[PGC decided] through hikers are ok but no one else. that's strange i think.Not strange at all when one considers State Game Lands are with few exceptions day use areas. We're fortunate a special provision to accomodate A.T. through hikers has been created. The Commonwealth provides many other opportunities for those individuals primarily interested in a camping as opposed to a hiking experience.
... discrimating rule against section hikers.
Careful readers will find no discrimination with respect to section hikers whatsoever, since those hikers commonly referred to as section hikers are included in the group defined as through hikers in the PA Code.