View Full Version : Horse-Shoe Trail: Google Earth Track
Strategic
09-18-2008, 15:31
Here, as I'd mentioned over in the Mountains to the Sea thread on Google Earth tracks, is the Horse-Shoe Trail track that I've been working on. It's a pretty accurate track, as well as I've been able to check on the ground, but I'd still buy the map/guide from the Horse-Shoe Trail Club (http://hstrail.org/) if you plan to hike it.
This is a two-part .kmz file, with both the track and a set of waypoints (including all six HST register boxes.) It should give folks a good idea of just what the trail faces as you try to follow the track and take a close look at the lands it passes through. If you can, promote this trail to help keep it from dying out.
Thank you very much for your contribution. The HST passes through Berks County where I reside and Breknock, one of it's more rural and beautiful townships where I once lived.
Years ago, when I lived in PA, I hiked sections of this trail near Valley Forge and the sections in and around French Creek. Had it on my list of possible trails to thru hike. Nice trail, from what I saw.
Go here (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=28749) for a thread I began about Breknock Township's efforts to protect the HST.
Strategic
09-19-2008, 00:05
Thanks, Shades of Gray. I hope that there can be other purchases like that one. There's been a lot of development down here at the southern end of the trail and too much is on roads as it is. I just hope that the HSTC can get more property owners on board.
I started this track a while back because I was trying to figure out a thru-hike of the HST. It's no easy thing, since there are some places where it's almost impossible to stay on the trail overnight without stealthing on private land (or pre-arranging permission to camp.) I'm still trying to figure out if it can be done at this point.
But what all the scouting for this has produced is this track, so it seemed a shame to keep it to myself.:D
Strategic
09-19-2008, 00:11
By the way, if anyone wants to post this elsewhere (Google Earth forums or other venues I don't know about, which is most) please feel free. As far as I'm concerned it's public domain (though I certainly won't mind a credit if you do post it somewhere.)
Mr. Parkay
09-19-2008, 09:11
Excellent Work! I didn't realize there was a hiking trail from the AT to Philidelphia, but now that I know about it, I'm gonna have to hike it one of these days!
Thanks again! It's good to see another trail in google earth.
--Mr. Parkay
Excellent Work! I didn't realize there was a hiking trail from the AT to Philidelphia, but now that I know about it, I'm gonna have to hike it one of these days!
--Mr. Parkay
When the Schuylkill River Trail is complete there will be two which in conjunction with the A.T. connector will form a circuit.
Strategic
09-19-2008, 19:57
When the Schuylkill River Trail is complete there will be two which in conjunction with the A.T. connector will form a circuit.
I've been following the Schuylkill River Trail (http://www.schuylkillriver.org/Detail.aspx?id=548) very closely, since I live just a few blocks from it here in Philly. I could already walk out my door now, get on the SRT to Valley Forge, and then the HST to the AT; named trails all the way.:D The proposed extensions of the SRT all the way to Port Clinton are even better. It looks to be a fantastic circuit hike once the whole route is in place (and the SRT is a multi-use trail, so it's also going to be a big promoter of bike commuting all along the route, as it already is for the Philly/Conshohocken corridor.)
There are other possible circuit hikes in southeastern PA involving the AT, though some can be a little interesting to follow. The HST intersects with two other small trails (the Brandywine Trail (http://www.geocities.com/brandywinetrail/) and the Conestoga Trail (http://www.yorkhikingclub.com/conestoga.html)) both of which intersect with the Mason-Dixon Trail (http://www.masondixontrail.org/) and through it back to the AT at Whiskey Springs in PA. That could be put together for a quite long circuit hike, though it's certainly not an unknown one. Indeed, the full circuit of the HST/Brandywine/Mason-Dixon/AT would be about 396 miles. Substituting the Conestoga for the Brandywine would be a much shorter hike (how much I can't tell right now as I can't find the requisite guidebooks.) But it's an interesting idea that there could be a lot of these circuits and more forming as trail systems here in the east get connected.
I have sectioned hike the first half of the HST from Valley Forge to just past French creek SP. The only spot that didn't have a legal spot was about 13 miles from Valley Forge. The rest seems to have enough public camping spots to use.
I am hoping to plan a hike this spring to finish the trail if anyone is interested.
Strategic, thanks for this!
I grew up in Birdsboro, just outside French Creek State Park, and hiked bits and pieces of the HST many times as a boy. I recently bought the guidebook in consideration of a potential thru-hike, then noted the gaps in legal lodging locations. I'd love to know if others have had success arranging camping in the West Pikeland/West Vincent Township "gap".
The HST/AT/MDT/Brandywine loop has similar issues. I understand the Brandywine isn't officially open year-round. Instead, the Wilmington Trail Club has sanctioned events that allow members and guests to hike on designated days. That's a shame; my "shuttle" to that loop would be a 1/2-mile walk from my front porch! :)
I have sectioned hike the first half of the HST from Valley Forge to just past French creek SP. The only spot that didn't have a legal spot was about 13 miles from Valley Forge. The rest seems to have enough public camping spots to use.
I am hoping to plan a hike this spring to finish the trail if anyone is interested.
My son's Boy Scout Troop is beginning plans on section hiking the whole HST; We're located near the middle of HST in the Lancaster-Lebanon area. Do you have any suggestions or recommendations from your experiences on HST?