Black forest PA

[rjjones]

Anyone hike the black forest.I'm wondering where the best location to park is in order to gain access to the trail.Is it rt 44?Bully Bob

[QiWiz]

Hiked it last summer. We parked at the trailhead just N of Slate Run. Hiked counterclockwise; this seemed to be good way to go. My favorite PA trail (so far). Lots of views.

[handlebar]

Check this site for maps and trail description: http://www.midatlantichikes.com/id194.htm

There is a parking area along Pine Ck on PA414 at Slate Run just before the bridge that the group I hiked with used. We did this on a 3 day weekend pulling into the Slate Run parking area around 11pm and hiking up to the campground just before the ford of Slate Run and making camp at one of the sites shown on the map at the link. The advantage is you can stop at the nearby cafe for breakfast or lunch on your way out. They have a great Sunday brunch if you're planning for a 3 day weekend.

[Cookerhiker]

Anyone hike the black forest.I'm wondering where the best location to park is in order to gain access to the trail.Is it rt 44?Bully Bob

There's already a good WB thread on the Black Forest Trail. You'll find a lot of info and answers there: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...t=black+forest

[Toolshed]

Ditto on cookerhiker's suggestion.
Also, there are quite a few spots to park, which are all right along the trail - I guess one would have to know what you mean when you say the "best place to park to access the Trail".

[rjjones]

Thanks for all the info.Buy best place to park i guess i meant parking with easiest access to the trail.On my map the parking area at pine creek doesnt show a trail leading to the trail head{other than the high water route}.Thanks for the help.I can now map out my trip.Bully Bob

[Toolshed]

OK, so you can park along Pine Creek on Naval Run road (a very small dead end road with a picnic area at the end of it. Basically you take 414 to Slate run village, turn and go over Pine Creek. After you cross the bridge, turn Left and drive slowly to the end of the road (many, many, many deer come down here and mill about in the evening, plus there are a few camps/homes along this road.
You can start on the BFT by going up the feeder creek (you can't miss it, along the Naval Run trail where it intersects with the BFT in about 1/2. Left takes you up to thru stands of Hemlocks to a beautiful dry camp (steeply up) at the top of the plateau and back down Callahan run, coming back up eventually to deer lick road and Then Rte 144 just S of BF Village).
right off Naval run takes you up a vista lined trail intersecting with the Baldwin Gas Line on the top of the plateau and then steeply, (very steeply) down to Little Slate Run with great camping at the confluence of Little Slate Run and another run (can't recall the name) It is in this section, just before Little Slate Run that there were some boundary disputes by loggers years ago and they left a huge old hemlock or Oak tree standing. Back in 1994, there were 12 of us and we could just barely hold hands all the way around it.

So anyways those are some options near Pine Creek These spots, by the way are the closest camping and hiking spots to pine Creek on the BFT, otherwise it loops N & W away from Pine Creek.

So I hope I am still pretty accurate I'm going by memory some 4-5 years since I was last there, but it was my stomping ground for many years....

PS If you turn right after the bridge over Pine Creek, you go past the all new Hotel Manor (great food and beer) you can park in their back lot (Unless they have changed it over the years - just stop and ask) and start at Slate run - Cross it and start clockwise up the Algerine Trail Section.

[Dannoh]

I was at Hotel Manor this winter and asked if I could park there while hiking if it was the only plowed lot in town. I was politely told "no".