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Storm
09-03-2011, 12:15
Just finished my circuit hike of the Susquehannock Trail that was started last June. No, I don't hike quite that slow. Myself and a freind were going to do the whole trail last June but issues came up that forced us off the trail after three days. We hiked from Denton Hill state park to Ole Bull state park in a clockwise direction.

I returned to Ole Bull In August and thanks to some very nice folks, Dolly the secretary at Ole Bull and Mike the ranger for the area, was given a ride back to Denton Hill to complete the hike in a counter clockwise direction.

This trail is very under used and was very overgrown in places. Especially in the Hemmersly Wild area. In many places it took some effort to get around blow downs and to even locate the trail at times. Maps and a guidebook are reccommended.

If you like solitude this is the trail for you. On our first three days we saw only four other hikers. It took me six days to complete the trail and I saw no other hikers the entire time.

I spent one night at the motel in Cross Fork to avoid the remnants of hurricane Irene. They have some rooms upstairs in the main house that only cost $15. No phone, no TV, and the bathroom was down the hall. Just what I needed, a hot shower and soft bed.

Overall this would be a great trail if it got a little more use. I saw lots of deer, a few turkeys, two rattlesnakes, some grouse and a couple porcupines. I would not reccommend this trail for anyone too far out of shape. There were some really hard climbs. At least they seemed hard to these old legs.

Now I have to start looking for my next hike.

Cookerhiker
09-04-2011, 12:23
My experience hiking the STS last Fall is described in the main STA thread (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?57574-Susquehannock-trail-system). While the trail was overgrown in some places, I found it generally easy to follow because the blazing was fresh & frequent. I didn't mind the few long uphills as much as the slabs in some places where you had to walk partially on the sides of your feet.

Storm
09-04-2011, 13:32
Hey Corkerhiker, I see on the Club website you were the last to recieve the circuit hiker award. Congratulations. I will be applying soon.

Doesn't sound like you had any problems with the trail. I found some of the growth in the Hemmersly wild area to be shoulder high and obscuring some of the blazes. Also some pretty large blowdowns. Glad I hiked it though. Going to try the AT next year and need to get in much better shape.

Toolshed
09-04-2011, 14:43
As you can see from the attached link, there is ongoing trail maintenance. Hammersley WFA always seems to need a bit of brushing out, but as far as blow down, there was a bad storm that hit in early August where folks in WNY and NPA lost some trees and power. the Blow down you encountered may have been the result of that recent storm.
http://www.stc-hike.org/Newsletter/201107.pdf

Storm
09-04-2011, 19:12
Toolshed, yeah all of the blowdowns I encountered looked pretty new. Trees still had leaves and some of them barely wilting. Not knocking the trail just saying what I encountered.

AndyB
11-17-2011, 20:55
I'm wanting to hit this next summer with my son. What are we looking at as far as terrain? Similar to the trails in Alleghany Nation forest? He'll be 11 and I plan on a week or so, is that pretty realistic?

Cookerhiker
11-18-2011, 00:34
I'm wanting to hit this next summer with my son. What are we looking at as far as terrain? Similar to the trails in Alleghany Nation forest? He'll be 11 and I plan on a week or so, is that pretty realistic?

Have a look at this thread (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?57574-Susquehannock-trail-system) which has more info. on the STS including my write-up of my thruhike. A week is feasible. There are ups and downs but in general, the terrain is easier than the nearby Black Forest Trail.

Toolshed
11-18-2011, 14:34
I'm wanting to hit this next summer with my son. What are we looking at as far as terrain? Similar to the trails in Alleghany Nation forest? He'll be 11 and I plan on a week or so, is that pretty realistic?
Andy, I think the terrain is easier than any trails I hiked in the ANF. I think the footbed of the trail is nicer as it follows old tote & Logging roads as well as old Shay rail lines. Very little in the way of stumbling and the grades are easily manageable. One of my favorite trails...