Port Clinton

[NJPacker]

Vern,
Nice comments. Right on the money! Cabela's may be a nice place to visit, but they are definitely not in tune with backpacker needs. It's great to see you here and I hope you will be around for a long time. I hope to see you this summer. NJpacker

[max patch]

Any town that gives hikers a free place to stay is "hiker friendly" in my opinion.

[Appalachian Outfitte]

Hey Footslogger I see tricks ablmost every weekend i will let him know you said hello, take it easy or take it anyway you can Later AO

[Grampie]

I guess the high point of the town is the hotel. My problem was I got to town on Monday and the hotel was closed. Nuts!! No french fries. I was soon to find out that the only public telephone was also in the hotel. Got a soda from the machine, on the front poarch, brought some nuts, from the nut store and was off back on the trail.
I think the town deffinately could use another public phone and it would be nice if you could buy a little something to eat when the hotel is closed.
The people that run the motercycle shop were kind enough to let me make a phone card call from their shop.
Grampie-N->2001

[Peaks]

The highlight of Port Clinton for me was the restraurant just up the road from the Pavillion. Very friendly people there. And great food besides. Wish they were open for dinners.

[Jester2000]

I want to begin this post by saying that Vern rocks. Rocks long, rocks hard. Rocks like Aerosmith before they started sucking. One of the best people along the trail, and a pretty good cook (although I'm still not sure what animal that meat came from).

In my opinion, the surprising thing is how cool Port Clinton is, despite the fact that there's not much there. Free digs, cool bar, river to dip your balls in, PO, Yeungling factory just down the road. Trix or myself to shuttle you about if we're there when you're there.

I have to say that the town folk we talked to were really helpful and accomodating for last year's Red Blaze Billville Hiker Feed, and for that I thank them.

By the by, Vern posted elsewhere that Bobby (the man who provides the pavillion with water and is a true stand up guy) is ill. Vern, any info on where to send a card or note? I'd appreciate it.

[Lone Wolf]

Where's Woody hiding?

[Crash]

Yeungling factory just down the road.

I forgot about that! Its a great tour of their facility and great beer. but I forgot how far it is from Port Clinton.

anyone know how far it is?

[Lone Wolf]

Around 15 miles.

[A-Train]

Vern,
If your still reading this I was wondering if I could get your mailing address thanks
A-Train

[rumbler]

The one danger with Port Clinton is how early the bar starts serving drinks. Shameful!

Word of warning: If you elect to hitch to get groceries the next morning instead of that evening, then get your groceries and head out of town immediately. Do not - I emphasize, do NOT - go into the hotel for a cool crisp draft before you head out. And avoid the firestation at all costs.

Port Clinton was unequivocally the longest drinking binge of my hike. Two wobbly thumbs up!

[bearbait2k4]

I have great memories of Port Clinton, although they were helped out by some massive trail magic by our friend, Mary Pary. I still dream of mango-chipotle ribs.

This was during my bar-blazing stint on the trail (one of the many reasons it stopped being a thru-hike). We started at The Doyle, and ended up at the Port Clinton bar, where we later ran into the owner of Mugshots, in Palmerton, and bar blazed up there. Pennsylvania is dangerous.

Anyway, if you don't want to pay for a room, then don't. The pavilion in town is free. How can you argue with a free spot to stay? The ride into the next town isn't really difficult to obtain at all, and you can usually get a ride back by asking around in the parking lot of the grocery store. The Outfitters couldn't be more friendly, and you can order food at the bar. No need to enter the dining room. Great happy hour, too.

[oyvay]

I stayed at the church property pavillion and ate in the bar section of the hotel after asking if they minded a hiker with a less-than-rosy aroma. I have been inside the new Cabela's, it's mostly a hunter/fishing/car camping place, but there are a few items a backpacker can use if desperate enough.

[Kozmic Zian]

Yea......Port Clinton. Not my favorite place on The Trail, simply because there's not much there and the Hotel is right on the Hiway. The Town seems rather odd, or like from a Stephen King Novel or something. Can't put my foots on it, exactly. I had an Ok stay there. The Hotel was friendly, had a few beers and passed out from exhaustion, from the rocks between Swatara and Pt. Clinton, and that down. Zowie, what a run that was! Hotel looks like the typical small town PA town, still in the depression. On to Eckville...Eck...KZ@

[Footslogger]

Hey Footslogger I see tricks ablmost every weekend i will let him know you said hello, take it easy or take it anyway you can Later AO

Thanks Vern ...and keep up the good work. Hope to stop in and see you again some day.

[Twofiddy]

Port Clinton,
Get into town, stop out outfitter store and say hello to VERN, get mail drop, get the hell out of town!!

Hotel Bar waitress does not like smelly hikers... emphasis on smelly... I did not see any other local people trying to suck suds down at noon on a the hot summer day that I hiked through except the hikers and I had to hear abot how rude and ignorat that we are etc (those of you who know that occasionally I am rude and ignorant by choice, also know that I expect every business to have the mentality that there customers are always right and that the customer is the greatest) anyhow.... the breakfast a the joint down the road from the pavillion was expensive.... 50 cents for butter, 50 cents for jelly, 50 cents for cheese, $2.00 for an OJ refill, not hiker appetitie friendly. I think that it cost me like $12.00 or something for breakfast and I was still hungry when I left.

I did not get much sleep either under that pavillion because there is a pot hole or two on the main highway that is only about 30 yards away and the tail gates on the coal buckets were banging all night long on that road...

My general opinion of port clintion... Armpit of Appalachain Trail in Pennsylvania. Vern, Jester, and Tricks are kinda like the deoderant. When they are in town I am sure that the place smells much better... I missed you guys and the hiker ho-down feed, and the other cool things that take place there. The telephone in the HOTEL did not work right, and my cell phone was out of service there, so all in all Port Clinton was difficult for me. I found some cute gals at the shelter just north of there though when I walked out of town that hot sweltering evening... made me forget all about the place.

[bearbait2k4]

Chunky's a pretty tolerant bartender; she's just abrasive.

It's Pennsylvania hospitality, you just have to get used to it.

[Kozmic Zian]

Yea......Chunky. She'll serve you up a cold Yuengling faster'n a NY minute. Good bath there, too. Not a total loss, that's for sure. But, like I said earlier there are more 'fun' places to be.....KZ@

[Cehoffpauir]

This could be beating a dead horse, but any prospective thruhikers considering a stopover in Port Clinton (as I myself was 1 year ago) might appreciate another view.

Port Clinton has a great feeling. I found few exotic services, but found what I needed at the time--PO, free lodging at the pavillion, inexpensive restaurants, other thru-hikers, incredible trail magic (even before Billville Hiker Feed). I zeroed there, hiked to Eckville Shelter, and hitched back for Billville.

The pavillion is right beside the highway, but the traffic quiets down in the evening. One can tent in the large lawn across the street, where it's probably a bit quieter. Ed, who voluntarily oversees things there, will make sure you're comfortable. The bar is cheap, with large servings, frequented by friendly locals (some of whom might buy your meal). 3C's up the street is a good little breakfast place--they might let you use their phone if the hotel/bar isn't open yet.

Billville is very worth the effort to get there--if you can time your arrival for the second week of July, I recommend doing it. Far better than Trail Days!

[Jack Lincoln]

Helen Carbaugh would have broke your back.......