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chickadee
05-19-2009, 00:36
I'm starting a new blog on PA hiking and I'm interested in some input.

:-?
Looking for information on hiking in PA:

What are the best trails to hike in PA?
What is the longest trail to hike in PA?
What are the worst trails? Why?
What is the hardest trail?

Thanks for the helping hand!

Chickadee
AT '06 PA--> ME

chickadee
05-19-2009, 00:38
You can also email me at: [email protected]

emerald
05-19-2009, 00:42
Click KTA (http://www.kta-hike.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=92&Itemid=65) for a map and information about Pennsylvania hiking trails. You'll find plenty of ideas for your blog.

sly dog
05-19-2009, 07:06
Yo girl...whats up?
Brian

Cookerhiker
05-19-2009, 07:19
Try the Laurel Highlands Trail. I hiked it last winter (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=221885) because I enjoy winter hiking but the next month would be rewarding with all the laurel and rhododendron blooming. Hiking northbound, the longest ascent is 1,100' around Mile 5; afterwards, the trail is entirely on ridge with little up and down. While paralleling the AT which lies over 100 miles east, the LHT is nowhere near as rocky.

Nasty Dog Virus
05-19-2009, 09:30
I'm pretty sure that the Mid-State trail is the longest trail in Pa followed closely by the AT. The Tuscarora trail is very nice and runs from a little NW of Harrisburg all the way down to SNP.

Ridge Rat
05-19-2009, 09:33
Worst Trail... Wissahickon Green ribbon trail... Followed closely by the horseshoe trail... nothing to see or camp on wissahickon and the horseshoe starts out great but gets real bad as you approach valley forge as the whole thing becomes either a paved path or a roadwalk... once again no where to camp unless you stealth. Best trail in my mind is west rim... closely followed by the midstate, but I havent finished the midstate yet... PM me if you want to know more about the trails... also have done loyalsock and others in PA and NJ also.

Nasty Dog Virus
05-19-2009, 09:46
Best trail in my mind is west rim... closely followed by the midstate.

I just hiked the West Rim trail N-S a few months ago. I have to agree that this is a great one. Pine Creek Gorge is incredible!

My favorite short trail (7 mile loop) is the Falls trail at Rickett's Glen St. Park. 22 waterfalls on a 7 mile loop!!!

Skyline
05-19-2009, 10:24
Try the Laurel Highlands Trail. I hiked it last winter (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=221885) because I enjoy winter hiking but the next month would be rewarding with all the laurel and rhododendron blooming. Hiking northbound, the longest ascent is 1,100' around Mile 5; afterwards, the trail is entirely on ridge with little up and down. While paralleling the AT which lies over 100 miles east, the LHT is nowhere near as rocky.



Good journal, Cookerhiker! It brought back memories . . .

I first did the LHT in two parts in '97 and '98, and have hiked sections since. Last visit was just this past October from Rt. 30 to Seven Springs area. It seemed to me that state maintenance on this trail (or at least this part of it), previously flawless, had suffered in recent times. I'm thinking budget cuts, which means maybe it's time to develop a volunteer maintainer network a la the AT to supplement the state workers who have traditionally taken care of the LHT.

The foul-tasting water from some of the shelter pumps convinced me after my '97 hike to cache water along the way. Not that hard to do a day in advance if shuttling between end-points, and since you are encouraged to deposit trash in cans at each shelter area no LNT issues.

The LHT is one of the East's best kept secrets. I'll be there again.

PUNKINPUSS11
05-19-2009, 10:58
I agree with darkstar, Ricketts glen loop is 1 of the best trails ive been on. I have a pic posted of one of the waterfalls,,, check it

medicjimr
05-19-2009, 11:20
well I just started section hiking the Baker Trail which is part of Rachel Carson Trail. it starts north of Pittsburgh and goes 141 miles north to Allegheny national forest there are 8 shelters currently along the way. I just bought the guide book yesterday and plan on doing allot of hiking there this year. Not a well none trail since it was not maintained well untill recently by the Rachel Carson Trail association.

Cookerhiker
05-19-2009, 11:28
....The foul-tasting water from some of the shelter pumps convinced me after my '97 hike to cache water along the way. ...The LHT is one of the East's best kept secrets. I'll be there again.

The water was just as bad in '08. After one taste, we then resorted to streams for our water. Fortunately during that time of year (March) there was plenty of water - not sure about summer.

Cookerhiker
05-19-2009, 11:31
2 trails in North-Central PA which I've heard about for years but never hiked: Black Forest Trail and Loyalsock Trail. I believe both are loops or can be made into loops.

Ridge Rat
05-19-2009, 11:53
2 trails in North-Central PA which I've heard about for years but never hiked: Black Forest Trail and Loyalsock Trail. I believe both are loops or can be made into loops.

Both have loop options but are linear trails... The loops do not complete the trails in entirety... But both are nice... I have hiked them both the linear and loop trails

Skyline
05-19-2009, 12:09
The water was just as bad in '08. After one taste, we then resorted to streams for our water. Fortunately during that time of year (March) there was plenty of water - not sure about summer.



Most of my LHT treks have been in summer or fall, during dry times. Streams were not reliable as sources.

I noticed last October it's gotten so bad the state closed a couple of the pumps due to contamination.

JokerJersey
05-19-2009, 13:13
While I haven't personally done any of these yet, here is a list of all the National and State Forest hiking trails in PA.

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/hiking/index.aspx

When you click on a trail, it will bring up a page listing distance, nearby cities, skill level, trail type, and trail catagory for you to look at.

We're looking at doing Old Logger's Path, Pinchot Trail, and Thunder Swamp Trail at one point or another this season, as well as a couple of trips to the PA AT.

Hope this helps in some way or another. :D

emerald
05-19-2009, 13:33
Click on KTA awards (http://www.kta-hike.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=21&Itemid=40) for information about their recognition program. Consider promoting these awards and encouraging blog readers to pursue them.

DCNR recognizes hikers who complete all of Pennsylvania's state forest trails. These pages or memos where the individuals were named may or may not still be available online.

Here's a fun post (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showpost.php?p=340980&postcount=9) and blog idea which may provide inspiration and an appropriate goal for some readers.

JokerJersey
05-19-2009, 13:44
This is the link to the State Forest Trails Award that Emerald mentioned...

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/trailaward.aspx

b.c.
05-19-2009, 14:05
The STS (Susquehannock Trail System) in Potter County is one of the best trails in PA. It is an 85 mile loop starting at Coudersport. Mentioned above is the Black Forest Trail in Tioga County, is another great trail, a 44 mile loop.

There are two short trails connecting the STS with the Black Forest and so it would be possible to do a 140 mile loop-de-loop, crude figure 8 shape trail. Combined I can't imagine a better stretch of PA trail.

The North Country Trail from NY line through Allegheny National Forest to Baker Trail through Cook's Forest is a stretch of great hiking. I did the northern 100 miles of this in Dec/Jan and was able to follow without much problem despite the snow cover.

PA hiking, central and west, sure offers a lot of solitude for the most part.

Skyline
05-19-2009, 15:06
I did a chunk of the NCT in Pennsylvania in 2002. Was presently surprised at the lack of Rocksylvania-type terrain I'd become all too familiar with on the AT in eastern PA. Lots of solitude. Only met two hikers, both coming the other way, the whole trip. Just one shelter in '02; otherwise it was stealth camping.

One thing I'd never encountered before that hike was the smell coming from natural gas wells. The same odor you get at a home when there's a gas leak. It was present at various points along the NCT. No big deal, we just didn't fire up any stoves in the presence of that smell!

Started southwest of Cooks State Forest, and hiked well into Allegheny National Forest but south of the NY border. Well maintained, blazed, and graded trail for the most part. In '02, plenty of tall hemlocks still thriving unlike here in the SNP area where the wooly adelgid has caused their near-demise. Even some old-growth at Cooks Forest.

Two Tents
05-19-2009, 17:04
My vote- check out the Baker trail which runs into the NCT.

Jaybird62
05-19-2009, 17:30
The Conestoga Trail in Lancaster County is cool....I have only hiked the southern portion, but I really enjoyed it.....The trail follows along the east bank of the susquehana river. It has some short but steep climbs, and several nice vistas......On the other side of the river the Mason Dixon trail also has some beautiful sections.....

ki0eh
05-19-2009, 21:26
You might be interested in these sites that discuss "other trails" in PA as well:

http://www.pahikes.com/
http://www.midatlantichikes.com/pa.htm
http://www.satc-hike.org/hikemap.html
http://www.slackpacker.com/map_pa.html

ki0eh
05-19-2009, 21:37
I'm pretty sure that the Mid-State trail is the longest trail in Pa followed closely by the AT. The Tuscarora trail is very nice and runs from a little NW of Harrisburg all the way down to SNP.

The MST is now 526 km which makes it some 40% longer than the PA A.T. http://www.hike-mst.org/

Newport, eh? The population center of PA!

Lellers
05-19-2009, 23:21
The Allegheny Front Trail is an interesting 40-mile loop.

stranger
05-20-2009, 06:31
I agree that the Susquehannock Trail combined with the Black Forest Trail would be hard to beat. I love both of those trails, in particular the Susquehannock Trail. That would be a great hike.

In addition to what's been mentioned, there is:

The Quehanna Trail, 70 mile loop

The Baker Trail, about 140 miles I believe

The Donut Hole Trail has been extended, not sure about total length now, maybe 90 miles?

The Solemates
05-20-2009, 09:39
we've done the AT through PA, the Laurel highlands trail, and parts of the MST. headed back to the MST in august (hopefully we will not die of heat stroke) and then again in november for our annual thanksgiving hike.

the portion of the MST from Poe Paddy down southwards around Penn State was a nice section, and I would recommend that area for a first shot at PA trails. Its nice and scenic with lots of ridgetop walking with nice views, but also dips into the valleys which are nice places to camp at night.

emerald
05-20-2009, 23:55
This is the link to the State Forest Trails Award that Emerald mentioned...

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/trailaward.aspx

Click recipients (http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/news/resource/res2003/sftrailsaward1003.htm) to read about the first two so recognized.

jmitchell
06-11-2009, 14:48
Best PA backpacking trails, in no order:

Black Forest Trail
Mid State Trail
Old Loggers Path
West Rim Trail
Loyalsock Trail
Quehanna Trail (east end of loop w/ cross connectors and x-country ski trails)
Susquehannock Trail
Allegheny Front Trail
Laurel Highlands Trail
Minister Creek Trail
Morrison Trail
Tracy Ridge Trail
Quebec Run Wild Area

Loyalsock has the most waterfalls of any PA backpacking trail

BFT is one of the most rugged

Best unknown trail- Standing Stone Trail, some amazing views and rock formations- some of the best views in PA. Very rugged in parts, plus the 1,000 Steps.

Longest trail- Mid State Trail, superior to PA's AT.

Best short weekend loop- Loyalsock-Link Loop