Pine Grove/PA 233 to Mt. Holly Spring, PA - need advice

[PineGrove]

I am planning an overnight hike for this weekend. I plan to hike from Pine Grove State Park, PA to James Fry Shelter and from James Fry Shelter to Mt. Holly Springs, Pa the next day. Does any one have any suggestions or tips regarding this section of trail? Parking, shelter, water, etc? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[Terraducky]

Did this stretch back at the end of July.

We parked at the AT Conference center at Boiling Springs and hiked to our 2nd car at Pine Grove Furnace State Park.
Both places ask you to register your vehicle. If you can't get there before they close for the day just write the info down and stick it in the park office door mail slot (at Pine Grove), or put it in the box on the wall at the ATC: car description, lic#, name,addrress, phone #, departute and arrival date/times...oh, and who is in your group. The ATC parkling lot is the next right past the office, and on the other side of the lake.

The spring at James Fry was dry, but we followed it down hill till we heard water...this was directly below the tenting field past the shelter. Didn't check out the new privy since it was way up the hill and we were hiking further south. We had already walked a good half mile into the shelter and were heading out again.

At Whiskey Spring Road there is a reliable stream...and Alec Kennedy Shelter had a good flowing spring...there is a nice tent site before your reach it if your are heading north. There was a huge rowdy group of people there and we heard them yelling half the night (we were in the shelter).

Oh, and before you get to Whiskey Spring Rd, there are some awesome boulders and rocks to wander thru. Enjoy your trip, it is a very pretty section!

[ki0eh]

If by "Mt. Holly Springs" you mean the PA 34 crossing, look here: http://rohland.homedns.org/at/state/state_detail/AT_state_detail.aspx?stateID=1&sectionID=12 for directions on parking. There is basically NO parking at PA 94.

Definitely do the little side trip to look off Pole Steeple - it's easier (longer) to do it off the A.T. than to climb up the front like most do.

Otherwise, the highlight of PGFSP to PA 34 would be to look very carefully for an original A.T. diamond marker grown into a tree - some of that route is still the original A.T. that Earl Shaffer would have walked. The interesting rock formations either side of Whiskey Springs Rd are trail-north of PA 94, i.e. between there and Boiling Springs.

Useful nit to pick: The A.T. in PA passes both Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Cumberland County, and the vicinity of the borough and post office of Pine Grove in Schuylkill County. Consequently it's possible to confuse the two, so it's better to be careful.

[PineGrove]

Thank you very much for the help. I will be sure to check out parking directions page and keep an eye out fot eh diamond marker and rock formations.

[PineGrove]

Did this stretch back at the end of July.

We parked at the AT Conference center at Boiling Springs and hiked to our 2nd car at Pine Grove Furnace State Park.
Both places ask you to register your vehicle. If you can't get there before they close for the day just write the info down and stick it in the park office door mail slot (at Pine Grove), or put it in the box on the wall at the ATC: car description, lic#, name,addrress, phone #, departute and arrival date/times...oh, and who is in your group. The ATC parkling lot is the next right past the office, and on the other side of the lake.

The spring at James Fry was dry, but we followed it down hill till we heard water...this was directly below the tenting field past the shelter. Didn't check out the new privy since it was way up the hill and we were hiking further south. We had already walked a good half mile into the shelter and were heading out again.

At Whiskey Spring Road there is a reliable stream...and Alec Kennedy Shelter had a good flowing spring...there is a nice tent site before your reach it if your are heading north. There was a huge rowdy group of people there and we heard them yelling half the night (we were in the shelter).

Oh, and before you get to Whiskey Spring Rd, there are some awesome boulders and rocks to wander thru. Enjoy your trip, it is a very pretty section!

Thank you for the advice - I will be sure to follow-up when done.