I hiked this section while on the way to a family reunion in the Lancaster, PA area. As the trail leaves Pen-Mar County Park, it quickly enters the woods. At .1 mile, the trail crosses a railroad track. As I crossed the railroad track, a train was very slowly coming into sight. I waited and watched it. The engineer waved as he approached. I waved back, then turned and walked on down the trail to Pen-Mar Road (1300'). At 1.1 miles, the trail crosses Buena Vista Rd. (1334'), then at 2.2 miles it crosses old PA 16 (1200'). At 2.5 miles, it crosses PA 16 (1300'), 1.8 miles west of Blue Ridge Summit. At 2.8 miles, it crosses Mentzer Gap Road (1250'). At 3.1 miles, it crosses Rattlesnake Run Road. Then at 4.5 miles, the trail passes Deer Lick Shelter (1420') and a spring on the right. Then at 4.9, miles it crosses a pipe line clearing (1476'). At 6.8 miles, the trail reaches Antietam Shelter (890') and at 7.0 miles reaches Old Forge Park (900') and picnic grounds and the end of the section.
The trail descends at the beginning then ascends back to the starting elevation in the first mile or so. The last mile or so descends again. As best I recall, this section is all woods trail except for the road crossings and the shelter and parking area at the end (Old Forge Park).
The starting point for this hike was at the Appalachian Trail crossing of US 30, east of Fayetteville/Chambersburg, PA. Leaving US 30, the trail immediately begins to ascend, gradually at first then more steeply. At 3.0 miles, a blue blazed trail to the east accesses the Rocky Mountain Shelters. Then at 4.7 miles, the trail reaches PA 233. At 8.3 miles, a blue blazed trail leads to Chimney Rocks. At 9.6 miles, the Tumbling Run Shelters are reached. At 10.7 miles, the trail reaches Old Forge Picnic Grounds.
October 4, 2015 was a Sunday. I attended the service at Trail of Hope Church/Hostel, then hiked in the afternoon. The day was heavily overcast - the last day of a period of about two weeks of cloudy/rainy weather, including rain Saturday evening. However, despite the cloudiness, drying had been occurring for probably 12 hours or so prior to the hike. So while the trail was damp, it was not soggy. Late in the afternoon, I climbed up on Chimney Rocks - still under cloudy skies. However, while I was there, I saw the sun's rays begin to hit the side of the mountain which was across the valley below me. Within 30 minutes, the skies had largely cleared and the sun was brightly shining.
This was the first of five consecutive days of hiking - between Old Forge Picnic Area and Yellow Breeches Creek/Boiling Springs. The skies remained clear and the temperatures ideal for hiking throughout - 60s the first day, then in the 70s.
The starting point for this hike was at the Appalachian Trail parking area on Shippensburg Rd, a nice level, graveled lot. At 1.3 miles, the Birch Run Shelter is reached. This shelter is set in a pleasant grove of evergreen trees, with the trail skirting across the front of the shelter, perhaps 25 yards away. At 3.8 miles, the trail crosses Milesburn Road. The PATC Milesburn Cabin is located here. As I approached the road, I heard loud, raucous and, I must add - inappropriate (human) noise. The source of the noise was three or four men near a vehicle parked outside of the cabin. I quickly made my way up the bank/trail to the left of where they stood and continued up the trail. Thereafter, the trail crosses a series of roads - Canada Hollow, Dughill Trail, Middle Ridge Road, then an area known as Sandy Sod.
At 8.7 miles, the trail arrives at Quarry Gap Shelter, which is actually two shelters with an additional covered picnic table area. This is also essentially the entry point to Caledonia State Park. After leaving the shelter, the trail gradually descends, passing through some very nice sections of rhododendron, including two rhododendron tunnels. The trail then levels out for a while, then descends more steeply across about .5 mile before reaching a wide park maintenance road at 10.5 miles. At 10.8 miles, the trail crosses, Conococheague Creek on Caledonia Park Bridge. At 11.2 miles, the trail crosses a bridge over a former canal, then reaches US 30 at 11.3 miles.
This was a pleasant section to hike on a very beautiful day. I met, and spoke with numerous people throughout the day. One gentleman, a factory worker, was out running the section. I met several others at the Quarry Gap Shelter. When I reached the park maintenance road at 10.5 miles, I met an older gentleman who offered me a ride back to the Trail of Hope Hostel, where I had a car parked. He was gracious enough to drive around to the AT crossing of US 30, including waiting a bit for me so that I could complete the section. What a blessing to be spared the nearly 1 mile walk along US 30, after having already hiked more than 11 miles.... Praise God.
The starting point for this hike was in Pine Grove Furnace State Park, in the parking lot below the Appalachian Trail Museum. The trail goes up the grassy bank to the left of the Museum, then turns left on the road, passing in front of the Ironmasters Mansion Hostel. It then crosses PA 233 and ascends, initially between what appear to be summer homes.
At 1.6 miles, the trail reaches the Sunset Rocks trailhead on the east side of the trail. Imagining that the ridge would provide some views of the surrounding countryside, I made the mistake of taking this side trail. The trail to the rocks was so steep that I decided I didn't really want to go back down it, so I proceeded to cross Sunset Rocks. They were much worse, but I got so far along on them that I decided I wasn't willing to go back through what I'd already traversed. Noting that the trail eventually came down to Michaux Road, I decided to continue on through, then hike the missed AT section later. When I got to Michaux Road, I decided it would be too much to try to get the missed section immediately, so continued south on the Appalachian Trail (from its intersection with Michaux Road).
Continuing on, I passed the Midpoint Sign, then Toms Run Shelter (one has burned down). In due time, I reached Shippensburg Road.
The next day, after hiking the AT section between PA 94 And Pine Grove Furnace State Park, I returned to the intersection of the AT with Michaux Road. I hiked the .9 miles to the Sunset rocks trailhead northbound, then returned to Michaux Road via a gravel road.
In general terms, the trail gradually ascends from Pine Grove Furnace State Park to Shippensburg Road, with a few small "bumps". By the way, they're was not really any view of any kind from Sunset Rocks. Don't go that way, I repeat - don't make the mistake of taking that trail.
The starting point for this hike was on PA 94, east of Mount Holly Springs. I had expected to find a parking lot (or at least a wide shoulder) adjacent to the trail crossing. However, there was only a nearby gravel driveway. I pulled into it to look at my map and try to figure out where I could park, when along came the owner of the property, who gave me permission to park in the driveway. However, I would not advise parking in that driveway without specific permission.
Shortly after I began the section, another hiker caught up with me from behind. It turned out that our hiking speeds were similar, so we hiked together for 4 to 5 miles - until we reached the point at which she took off down a side trail to return to her (local) home. We chatted at length about hiking, and especially the Appalachian Trail - noting that the entire trail south of where we were is generally easier (much less rocky) then the trail north of where we were (more rugged/rocky). She indicated that she had previously hiked the entire Appalachian Trail, and would like to do the southern half again (but not the northern half).
After we parted, I continued on to Pine Grove Furnace State Park. Since it was October (i.e. not summer), I wasn't able, or at least not willing to take a swim in Fuller Lake. Also, we were so busy talking that I missed the turnoff to Tagg Run Shelter, so have not visited it. I also chose not to take the side trail to Pole Steeple - because I needed the time to "make up" the section of trail between the Sunset Rocks trailhead and Michaux Road.
It was a pleasant sunny day, also the company of another hiker added to the enjoyment of this section.
The (Iron Works) parking lot at the south end of Children's Lake (in Boiling Springs) is the starting point for this hike (immediately adjacent to Yellow Breeches Creek). Leaving the parking lot, the trail crosses a small stream and enters woods. It briefly follows Yellow Breeches Creek, then emerges from the woods onto a road, crosses a bridge and turns left into a farm field. At .9 miles, it crosses Leidigh Road, turns left, then right and passes through another field. At 1.4 miles, the trail enters woods and gradually ascends to Center Point Knob at 2.8 miles. Here the trail intersects with the White Rocks Ridge Trail - the beginning of which brings one to some rocks offering a view to the south.
At 3.7 miles, a blue blazed trail leads to the Alec Kennedy Shelter - I don't recall going to it. At 5.8 miles, the trail reaches and crosses Whiskey Springs Road. At 6.0 miles, the crest of Rocky Ridge is reached. The next .4 mile of trail traverses a rock maze which I found to be surprisingly appealing. The trail weaves among the rocks in a way that is always interesting and intriguing - with solid footing. The trail then descends Rocky Ridge via switchbacks. It crosses several more roads before reaching PA 94 at 8.5 miles.
It was a bright sunny day, and despite the fact that temperatures were cooler (than summer, it being October), the field walking was still somewhat unpleasant. I find it's nearly always preferable to be in woods (shade), rather than open sun when hiking. This was the last day of a five-day hiking trip and was a fitting conclusion to nearly 50 miles of hiking across five (consecutive) days.
I needed to be in southeastern Pennsylvania on the day before this hike for a family reunion. Wanting to add another new AT section for the year, I arranged to hike this section before returning home. The day before the hike was heavily overcast, with raw, blustery winds. However, the morning of the hike dawned crystal-clear with temperatures in the upper 20s and no wind. I dressed with three bottom layers and four top layers. That was actually a bit too much, but it felt like a warm day as the temperature gradually rose into the mid-30s.
The section itself is nearly level with the highest and lowest elevations within 100 feet of each other. The trail in this area crosses the Cumberland Valley from the northern end of the Blue Ridge Mountains on the east side of the valley to the Allegheny Mountains on the west side of the valley (northbound). As indicated, I walked the section southbound.
The trail crosses over US Route 11 via a footbridge. I accessed the footbridge from the north side of US Route 11, then proceeded south. Initially the trail is in a narrow strip of woods with fields on either side of the woods. As the trail nears Appalachian Drive, it turns right and follows a tree line with a field to the left. At the end of the field the trail turns left along the side of a house and then reaches Appalachian Drive. The trail turns right on Appalachian Drive, then soon crosses the Pennsylvania Turnpike and bears to the right into woods. After several tenths of a mile in the woods, the trail finally crosses Appalachian Drive. Soon the trail follows another tree line with a field to the left. The trail then passes a cemetery with headstones dating mostly from the early 1800s. It reaches old Stonehouse Road at 2.2 miles.
The trail continues on, sometimes in woods and sometimes along the edge of woods with a field on one side or the other. At 2.8 miles the trail crosses Ridge Road. At 3.9 miles, the trail crosses Trindle Road. At 4.3 miles, the trail crosses Byers Road. Then at 4.9 miles, the trail crosses Lisburn Road. At 6.0 miles the trail crosses PA Route 74 (York Road) - there is parking at this point. At 7.7 miles, the trail reaches PA Route 174. The trail turns right and follows the left side of the road into Boiling Springs, PA. At 8.0 miles the trail reaches the Northeastern Regional Office of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. The trail then follows the eastern shore of Children's Lake, one of the beautiful spots on the AT. At the end of the lake, the trail crosses into a township Park with a restored iron furnace and parking for the Appalachian Trail. At the far end of parking area, the trail turns right and crosses Yellow Breeches Creek on a bridge.
I had previously used a shuttle to leave my car in that parking area. When I got to the vehicle - in preparation for the drive home - I removed all the extra layers of clothing. Then it felt like a cold day. The hike was beautiful on an ideal day - with bright sun and no wind. The views across the fields (and over to the mountains in the southern part of the section) were very nice. I met and talked with several people - mostly local people enjoying the outdoors on a pretty day.
This was a make-up section, dropped from an earlier trip in October of the same year. A winter weather advisory was posted for light icing overnight. However, I arrived at the trailhead around 2 PM. I parked at a motel just to the west of the US 11 AT crossing east of Carlisle, PA. Despite having encountered a few raindrops on my windshield just prior to arriving at the trailhead, there was no precipitation during the hike....
Heading north, the trail passes through some woods, then drops into a farm field and onto a farm road just before reaching Bernheisel Bridge Road. The trail turned left on Bernheisel Bridge Road, and immediately crossed I-81. On the other side of I-81, the trail drops down into a field on the right side of the road. At the next intersection, it crosses the road, then crosses a stile and drops into an area between two fences that is obviously a "passageway" for cattle - it was characterized by at least 4 inch deep and soggy mud. After crossing another stile, the trail continues through a farm field and enters woods. It then follows Conodoguinet Creek (on one side) and a gradually steepening bank on the other side until it reaches Bernheisel Bridge. The trail crosses the bridge, then makes a right turn (in front of the Scott Farm Trail Work Center), crosses the road and continues to follow the creek until it reaches Sherwood Road.
To return to the starting point (and not wanting to have to return through the soggy cattle area), I followed Sherwood Drive to Bernheisel Bridge Road. When I got to Bernheisel Bridge (which was under construction), a nearby resident (who was talking with the road crew), offered me a ride back up Bernheisel Bridge Road. After a long chat (in his SUV), he dropped me on the other side of I-81, where the trail leaves Bernheisel Bridge Road. I quickly completed the hike, back to US 11 and the motel, then continued on to several days of visiting relatives....
This was the last day of a 5+ day hiking trip. Rain was moving in - the day was characterized by heavy clouds - but fortunately the rain did not start until well after I completed this section. Nevertheless, I decided to cut the 3.4 miles immediately south of this section from the plan for the day.
Despite the fact that the southern portion of this section is in the Cumberland Valley, it was mostly in woods. The most memorable feature in this section was a tunnel - which takes the trail underneath PA 944. I later met a gentleman who apparently helped build it, and asked me what I thought of it. It certainly was much nicer than walking across the road, and it also made for a very interesting landmark.
At the Darlington Shelter, I met a gentleman who was hunting (small game). He seemed respectful of the woods and the trail (despite the fact that he chose the shelter to eat his lunch).
It was a pleasant hike, and a fitting end to a bit over 60 miles on the AT in 6+ days over a 10-day period. It was nice to be able to include 2+ days of visits to relatives in southeastern Pennsylvania as part of the trip (not to mention being able to take a couple of days break from the hiking).
At the beginning of this section, the trail crosses open fields. It crosses PA 850 just east of a small parking lot on the south side of the trail. Heading north, the trail soon enters woods. It gradually begins to ascend and then later more steeply. At 5.0 miles, it reaches Cove Mountain Shelter. Then at 6.9 miles, it reaches Hawk Rock. This rock affords a nice view over woodland below and (hard to the right), Duncannon and the Susquehanna and Juniata rivers. The trail then descends along a rocky trail (including crossing a rockslide) to an old road, which leads to the intersection of US 11, 15 and PA 274. The trail then follows the main street of Duncannon to the post office - at 9.1 miles.
As best I recall, this was a bright sunny day. The view from Hawk Rock is nice, however there are much nicer views along the ridge line north of the Susquehanna River. When I got to Hawk Rock, a "tight rope" was stretched between two trees just in front of the rock. A tight rope walker and a photographer were taking pictures with the rock in the background. Having walked all day to get to the view from the rock, I walked around them and sat on the rock while eating a couple of snacks. Perhaps I should've asked permission to do so - I did not. Soon enough, they were able to continue with their photography.
There was a mile or so of road walking to end the section, as well as another mile (or so) at the beginning of the next section - through Duncannon and environs.
The trail passes through the town of Duncannon for about 2 miles. I began this section at the post office in Duncannon. From there, the trail shifts over to a residential street and follows it to the north end of the town. The trail then crosses a bridge over the Juniata River and then makes a right onto the Clarks Ferry Bridge (over the Susquehanna River). At the end of the bridge, the trail crosses under US 22/322, then crosses another road and a railroad track. It then begins a sidehill climb along a very steep slope. At about 2.9 miles, the trail reaches the blue blazed Susquehanna Trail (which is a bypass trail around a rather rocky AT section). The AT then makes a hard left turn, continuing to more gradually gain elevation along a sidehill trail and somewhat less steep slope.
However, the trail soon enters a rather lengthy ridgeline section comprised of large rocks/boulders. This probably continues for at least 1/2 mile and makes for rather slow going. Eventually though, the rocks do diminish and the trail becomes a generally pleasant ridgeline walk. At 3.4, 5.5 and 6.4 miles, there are very nice views of the town of Duncannon and the confluence of the Juniata and Susquehanna rivers. At 5.2 miles, a blue blazed side trail leads 300 feet to the Clarks Ferry Shelter. While there, a cousin who years ago hiked all of the AT in Pennsylvania called me. When he learned where I was, he delightedly told me that he and his wife than had stayed there. He was calling to finalize a weekend visit with him and his family (and a brief break from the trail).
Duncannon is a rather interesting town and most especially the Doyle Hotel. The owner is reported to refer to it as a five-star hostel. I used it is a place to get a shower (at $7.50 each), an evening meal and a place to park my mini RV overnight. Also, it is one of the most talked about of the Appalachian Trail landmarks.
The trail crosses over PA 225 on a metal bridge. There is an AT parking lot at the north end of the bridge, (not visible from the road below). Heading north, at .2 miles is a view south toward Harrisburg and Dauphin Narrows. At .6 miles, there's a nice "powerline" view to the north - note that there is also a nice view to the north on PA 225, just west of the bridge that takes the trail across the road. At 2.0 miles, Table Rock provides a good view to the south. At 2.8 miles, the Peters Mountain Shelter is reached. The weather forecast for the day was calling for a 20% chance of rain. The shelter has a tin roof, and while I was there, it began to rain - large drops - but fortunately it only lasted for about 45 seconds. The moisture was visible on the trail, but had no effect on footing. Later, it briefly rained for several minutes more - much more lightly. Thankfully, that was the last of it.
Numerous side trails intersect the AT in this section, most (if not all) of which descend to a road in a valley below. At 5.5 miles, Kinter view is reached, with good views of Clarks Valley (blue blazed trail to the east of the trail). At 6.2 miles, the trail reaches Shikellimy Rocks, a "boulder field" making for more rugged footing and slower going. The descent at the end, to PA 325, was somewhat steep, but gave evidence of the "gracious" trail building of the Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club.
Despite the rain, this was an enjoyable section - most of it a ridgeline walk, enhanced with some very nice views.
The trail crossing on PA 325 occurs in the middle of a long valley, with a ridge rising from each side of the road. A large parking area lies below the road on the south side (of the road), largely hidden from view - but with entrances on either end. Heading north from the parking area, the trail immediately crosses a bridge over a stream, then parallels the stream. The trail then steadily climbs about 900 feet across 1.7 miles.
During this climb, the trail passes through rocky areas, especially on the lower slopes. However, this climb was characterized by the "most gracious trail building" that I've seen anywhere along the Appalachian Trail (so far). Rather than going through boulder fields, the trail skirts around them. In many places, large boulders had obviously been moved onto the trail tread in such a way as to provide both level footing and a consistent pitch to the slope. Streams, even the smallest drainages had large rocks placed so as to make the crossing the easiest it could possibly be: narrow drainages that could easily be stepped across would have a large rock (perhaps 4 inches wide and a foot or two long) embedded in the ground on both sides, wider streams would have two or three large supporting rocks underneath a much larger flat rock, which provided the "level" foot bed of a bridge.
At 3.3 miles, the trail reaches the crest of Stony Mountain. At 6.5 miles, the trail reaches the Yellow Springs Trail (in a narrow ravine) - the AT goes straight across the ravine. Then at 6.7 miles, the Yellow Springs Village Site is reached. This is an open grassy area. The trail guide indicates that remnants of stone foundations can still be found in the area. Then the trail gradually descends until it reaches the turn off (blue blaze trail) for the Rausch Gap Shelter (at 11.3 miles). In front of the shelter is a continuously flowing spring which is fed into a stainless-steel trough. At 11.8 miles, the trail reaches an old railroad bed, which is now a service road and multi-use trail. The trail briefly follows the road (to the left), crosses Rausch Creek, then turns right into the woods.
The trail then gains about 500 feet, reaching the saddle of Second Mountain at 13.0 miles. At 14.4 miles, the trail begins to descend. Then at .6 mile before the end of the section, it crosses Greenpoint School Road and PA 72. After crossing PA 72, the trail descends through some woods towards a hollow, then turns and parallels PA 72 for about half a mile, gradually working its way back towards PA 72. Just before it reaches PA 72, it crosses over a wide stream on a very large log/tree. Shortly thereafter, the trail passes under a bridge (which carries PA 72). Immediately thereafter, the trail reaches PA 645 and crosses over it into the parking area.
I note from the data book that the maintaining club of this section, and also of the descent to PA 325 from the South, is the Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club. They don't have a very long section, but again I emphasize - their trail building is the most "gracious" that I have seen. I very much appreciated it and enjoyed it as I walked through this entire section. I also particularly enjoyed the "open field" walk in the late afternoon sun, just before reaching Greenpoint School Road.
There is a nice, tree shaded parking area for the AT on the left side of PA 443, immediately after turning off of PA 72. The trail is nearly level for the first half mile or so, then briefly climbs to a ridge, the top of which feels like it is directly above PA 72. The trail then descends to PA 72. After crossing PA 72, the trail crosses a repurposed "road" bridge (Waterville Bridge), then reaches a small parking area at the end of an access road (which appears to be primarily a Greenway, at least to the left/north of the parking area). The AT follows the road (right/south) for about a third of a mile, then turns sharply left and steeply up a bank, passing under a long bridge carrying I-81 overhead. Up under the bridge, I found a cooler filled with trail magic - bottled water and granola bars. It was a welcome preparation for the climb to come.
The trail then gains about 700 feet in the next mile, while winding around the left (north) side of a ridge. An additional 300 feet of elevation gain over about a mile and a half results in an overall gain of around 1000 feet. The trail then stays close to 1500 feet in elevation until it reaches William Penn Shelter. Thereafter, the trail gradually descends, then more steeply, just before reaching PA 645.
When I reached PA 645, I found a young man just returning to his car, after some late afternoon hunting. He had a story (that he just couldn't contain and had to tell) about a squirrel (or two) that he was sure he had shot and killed, but could not find when he searched for it. It was clear from his comments that he was using the Appalachian Trail as (at least) part of his "expedition".
This was a pleasant, "all day" hike - including a good, moderately challenging climb. I didn't find any of the views, but it did put me in position to do 16 miles the following day.
This was the first section of a 6+ day hiking trip, covering a total of 60.7 miles (from Sherwood Drive, west of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to US 501 (southeast of Pine Grove, Pennsylvania). I chose to do this short section just before dark (after driving all day) in order to set up the possibility of doing 16 miles two days later!
It felt pretty much like a level section, although it does gain a couple hundred feet of elevation. The lookouts are very nice, especially Kimmell Lookout. However, the views were limited by the encroaching darkness. However, this an area I'd like to visit again, to make the short hike from 501 to Kimmell Lookout and perhaps also, the several miles to Round Head and Shower Steps.
After arriving at US 501, I chose to find/walk to the 501 Shelter. It was completely dark by the time I got there. As advertised, it is completely enclosed and there's also a caretaker's house located nearby. It it is clearly one of the nicer shelters on the AT.
My wife and my dad joined me on this section. After a bit of searching for the trail crossing on Pennsylvania 183, we parked on the wide shoulder of the road and began hiking southbound. The first .3 miles follows an old road across an open field. The trail guide indicates that there's a historical marker for Fort Dietrich Snyder near this point, however we failed to notice it (or at least I don't remember it). At 3.7 miles, the trail passes through Shuberts Gap (1163'). Shortly thereafter, at 3.8 miles the trail reaches the Hertlein Campsite, then crosses a brook. At 3.9 miles, the trail turns left to Shikellamy Summit, which is a very nice overlook. The view was compromised somewhat by the heavily overcast skies. The trail then continues along the ridgeline among lots of Mountain Laurel, which was in bloom at the time.
The trail becomes rather rocky, as the AT in Pennsylvania has a reputation of being. This is the only time my wife has hiked a section with me and she found the rocks very difficult to negotiate. As a result the last few miles were rather slow going and we ended up finishing in rain.
We did not go to Round Head - it is reached via a blue blazed trail that leaves the AT (1600') at 6.2 miles. At 8.0 miles, the trail reaches PA 501. The Route 501 shelter is .1 mile away on a blue blazed trail. Because of the rain, we did not try to find the shelter. I would like to go back again and at least visit Round Head. It would also be nice to visit Shikellamy Summit on a clear day. Perhaps I'll have the opportunity to do these things at some point.
To access this section, I parked in the parking area about .2 miles south of the Port Clinton Hotel on the southbound side of PA 61. I used the short blue blazed trail (at the backside of the parking area) to access the AT. At the end of the blue blazed trail, turn right on the AT, go about .2 miles to a left on Broad Street, cross a bridge and then immediately turn left on the railroad bridge over the Schuykill River. Briefly follow the railroad/road, watching carefully for the blaze on the right indicating the place at which to cross the railroad tracks. Climb the steep bank to an old railroad bed. Turn left for a couple hundred feet, then turn right uphill. The trail ascends very steeply - as one person whom I met and who is familiar with the trail described it, "straight up" - for the first .5 mile.
At 2.5 miles, Auburn Lookout is reached, which is a rock outcrop to the east of the trail. At 8.9 miles, a blue blazed trail leads .3 miles to Eagles Nest Shelter and the AT enters State Game Lands - Weiser State Forest. At 14.7 miles, the trail passes Rentschler Marker, and reaches PA 183.
The trail gains 1000 feet in the first 2 miles after leaving Port Clinton. The first 6 miles are very rocky. Thereafter, the trail passes through a maturing forest with pleasant, mostly rock-free hiking. The trail crosses a couple pipelines, some side trails and repeatedly crosses a State Game Lands Road. I apparently missed the Auburn Lookout, and didn't find any other views. It was a reasonably pleasant hike, at least after the very steep beginning.
Hamburg, PA is just south of Port Clinton on PA 61, and also is adjacent to I-81. There are a number of restaurants, including a Cracker Barrel. There's also a Walmart and a Cabela's store (the largest one in the country). The Cabela's store contains a couple large aquariums, and numerous displays of stuffed large (and small) wild animals. It gives the opportunity to see close-up, many animals that you would not want to get very close to in the wild. I was fascinated, and spent a considerable amount of time there. They also allow overnight parking in their parking lot.
This section begins at Reservoir Road, about .5 mile north of the parking area for the Hamburg Borough reservoir (overnight parking reservation required). The trail crosses a grassy field to the left, then enters the woods. At 5.1 miles, the trail reaches a road crossing, then at 5.2 miles passes under the PA 61 highway bridge. The trail then turns right along the Schuykill River, reaching the blue blazed trail to the PA 61 parking area at 5.6 miles.
This section begins with a gradual ascent, then a short descent and another (short) ascent. The section concludes with a descent of 750 feet over about a mile and a half. While the slope is steep, the manner in which the trail is graded and switchbacked made it a very pleasant and agreeable slope to descend.
This section begins where the AT crosses Hawk Mountain Road - Eckville Shelter is .2 mile to the east, on the right side of the road behind the caretaker's house. A wide shoulder on the south side of the road provides adequate parking for several cars. At 5.3 miles, a blue blazed trail to the east leads 80 yards to the Pinnacle (views). At 5.7 miles, a yellow blazed trail to the east leads downhill 1.3 miles to Blue Rocks and 1.5 miles to Blue Rocks Campground. At 7.3 miles, near a tower, there is an excellent view to the west on a rock outcropping. At 7.5 miles, Pulpit Rock (on the east) is reached. At 9.1 miles, a trail to the west leads 500 feet to the Windsor Furnace Shelter. At 9.3 miles, the trail reaches Reservoir Road, about .5 mile north of the parking area for the Hamburg Borough reservoir (overnight parking reservation required).
The trail in the first 2 miles of this section is very pleasant and easy to walk. Then, just before reaching the side trail to the Pinnacle, it becomes very rocky. The Pinnacle is reputed to be the most spectacular view along the AT in Pennsylvania. I enjoyed my lunch there while taking in the view. The AT heading south from there was rather difficult to find, but I finally found a non-standard marking on a tree which pointed the way. After the Pinnacle, for most of the descent, the trail is very rocky. Thankfully, shortly after Pulpit Rock, the trail becomes much smoother as it passes through woods. While walking Reservoir Road between the AT and the parking area, I spoke briefly with a woman who was walking the road regularly to help her recover from a health issue. It was quite obvious that she was not a seasoned hiker and as such, I was initially surprised to see her walking there.
This section begins at Fort Franklin Road, a gravel road. At 1.6 and 1.9 miles, blue blazed trails lead to the Allentown Shelter. At 3.2 miles, a blue blazed trail to the west leads to Tri-County Corner, the intersection of Berks, Lehigh, and Schuykill counties. At 4.2 miles, Balanced Rock is on the east side of the trail. At 6.4 miles, on the east side of the trail is Dan's Pulpit. The trail begins to descend at this point, first gradually, then more steeply. At 7.5 miles, a blue blazed trail to the west leads to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary's North Lookout, then to the headquarters and museum. At 9.3 miles, the trail reaches Hawk Mountain Road. Eckville Shelter is .2 mile to the east, on the right side of the road behind the caretaker's house. A gravity fed shower is also available there.
This was a very rocky and rather difficult section for me. Also, I missed some of the key landmarks, and so could not effectively determine how fast I was moving along the section. It was a great relief when I reached Dan's Pulpit, and realized that I was moving more rapidly than I thought I was. One of the issues was that I fell, and cut my forehead on a rock, no more than 2.5 miles into the section. Pressure with a tissue quickly stopped the bleeding, but I did not have a mirror, so could not really tell what the wound looked like. I put a Band-Aid over it and continued on my way, much more carefully. When I did gingerly remove the Band-Aid (the following day), I was thankful to discover that it didn't look like much - i.e. a couple of surface scratches, despite the fact that it was a pretty hard hit, as evidenced by ongoing discomfort in the area and down the side of my face for several months thereafter. I'm very thankful for the protection afforded to me by my Lord Jesus Christ - it could've been much worse. There were several others on the section that day, but none of them were near me at the time of the fall. By the time I did see others, I had already bandaged the wound, and nothing more needed to be done.
That said, I particularly enjoyed being able to visit Dan's Pulpit. Apparently Daniel K, Hoch held Sunday services up there on the mountain from time to time. Daniel was also one of the founders of the Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club. When I completed the section, I made my way to the Eckville Shelter, took a shower and briefly visited with the two men there, whom I had seen on the trail earlier in the day. I had asked them to "keep check on me", and wanted to let them know that I was OK before I left the area. I did not visit the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, but would like to go back to the area and do so.
The section begins where the AT crosses PA 309 at Blue Mountain Summit. The trail is essentially level through this section, following a State Game Lands road for about two thirds of the section. There are some rocks, but for the most part the trail tread is dirt. It is easy walking.
After hiking the section immediately to the south of this one, I left the area in order to visit with relatives a bit further south in Pennsylvania. While there, I came down with a very bad cold which (as has usually been my experience over the years), significantly diminished my energy level. I spent six days with relatives, resting and recuperating, until I reached the point of having enough energy to drive back home to Virginia. I chose to do this short section before doing so. It put me over 250 AT miles for 2016. It also enabled me to avoid towing on a dirt road. I had hoped to hike an addition several weeks - to complete Pennsylvania and all or most of New Jersey before the end of October - but had to cut the trip short. When I got home, I discovered a situation locally for which my presence was needed (to help address it). But, by God's grace, I'll be back in 2017 to complete (the AT in) Pennsylvania and hopefully New Jersey as well.
It took me less than one hour to walk this section. Afterwards, I drove back to Virginia - across two days, along with making several stops. Afterwards, more downtime for recuperation was necessary. This marked the end of my AT hiking for 2016.
This section begins at the State Game Lands parking lot on the east side of PA 309 at Blue Mountain Summit. This is a large, nice parking lot. For the first couple miles, the trail gradually ascends on smooth dirt tread, with some strikingly straight portions, lined by tall street trees. But it then begins to get into rocks, and at 2.9 miles reaches "The Cliffs" – rocks also known as the Knife Edge. Many of these rocks are at a 45° angle, with no suitable ledges on which to place one's feet. The descent on the north side had a section of steep rock which required sitting and sliding (down) to safely negotiate. Fortunately, a younger and more agile hiker was nearby and held my walking sticks for me as I did so. At the end of the hiking trip during which I did this section, I met a man at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Information Center who had just completed the trail from PA 309 to there. He made reference to things he'd seen in that section that he said should not be part of the trail. Bottom line, we agreed that the Knife Edge was one of them. The trail was forced across these rocks, with no bypass trail in evidence. The one redeeming feature was that there was a nice view to the south from the top of them.
Once past the Knife Edge, it appeared that the trail builders did their best to route the trail through as many rock piles as possible. At 4.9 miles, the trail crosses a State Game Lands parking lot and Bake Oven Knob Road. At 5.3 miles, the trail reaches Bake Oven Knob. The .4 mile trail between the road and the knob passed among many rocks, but was not too difficult to walk, because many rocks had been cleared from the pathway. However, such was not the case north of the knob. Special note: The trail guide indicates that there is an exceptional lookout with 180° views to the east of Bake Oven Knob. I was not aware of that at the time, but later I was told it gives a good view over the Allentown/Bethlehem area. Since it is possible to park only a few tenths of a mile from the knob, I would like to go back sometime and visit that lookout.
Leaving the knob, I soon reached another place where it was necessary to sit and slide down a rock in order to safely negotiate the "trail". At 5.9 miles, the trail reaches Bake Oven Knob Shelter. At 8.3 miles, the trail reaches Ashfield Road in Lehigh Furnace Gap. The last couple hundred yards of the trail before reaching the road is a "field" of large, oddly angled rocks – i.e. very difficult footing, underneath power lines. I reluctantly stayed with the white blazes, and gingerly picked my way across it. However, if I had it to do over, I think I would have used the parallel and pleasant looking woods road that lay just to the north of the rock field for the last several tenths of a mile of the section.
I found this section to, at least, be one of the most, if not the most, grueling hikes that I've ever made. It was not because of elevation change – the section only varies in elevation over a range of about 200 feet. Rather, it was due to the (apparent) routing of the trail over the roughest possible rocky areas to be found between the starting and ending points of the section. In the course of my Appalachian Trail hiking, I have found wonderful examples of "gracious" trail building. This was an example – the worst I've seen – of the opposite.
The parking area in Lehigh Furnace Gap is on the east side of Ashfield Road, across from a chain link fenced electrical power installation. From 1.1 to 2.2 miles, the South Trail parallels the Appalachian Trail, traversing rocky outcroppings with good views (according to the Trail Guide). I chose not to take it, wanting to basically walk the AT white blazed tread. From 2.8 miles to 4.4 miles, the blue blazed North Trail parallels the AT to the west. Both trails are reported to have nice views. Perhaps I'll go back and hike them someday - in order to see the views.
Also at 2.3 miles, the AT passes over the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. At 4.5 miles, the trail reaches the George W. Outerbridge Shelter. While there, I met an older lady and a young man who were both thru-hiking the trail. I had a nice chat with them as I prepared some of my hiking cards to leave there. Leaving the shelter, the trail descends somewhat steeply, and sometimes among rocks, reaching Lehigh Gap at the west end of the PA 873 highway bridge across the Lehigh River. A powerline, .2 mile before the end of the section offers nice views of Lehigh Gap. I continued across the bridge and up into the parking area along PA 248 as it began to rain, fortunately not too heavily. I missed seeing the trail between PA 248 and the parking area, but before leaving the area, located it and walked it – not more than .2 mile in distance.
The AT parking area, the entrance to which is along PA 248, just south of its intersection with PA 873, is where I actually began this hike. Although I had been looking forward to climbing the rugged AT (white blaze) tread northbound from Lehigh Gap, it was a very misty morning with a low ceiling – i.e. clouds covering the upper two-thirds of the mountains. I somewhat reluctantly decided to use the blue blazed winter trail instead. Before getting into the clouds, I was able to get a couple of photos of the Gap and the four-lane road (PA 248) through it. The relatively steep climb was very enjoyable – smooth trail/good footing up the entire slope, including where it passes through rocky areas. Note that this alternate route is longer than the white blazed route, however, the mileage indicated in the header to this section is based on the length of the white blazed route.
At the top, shortly after getting to and on the white blazes, the trail follows an old road, which lies a bit below the ridge line on the west/north side of the mountain. The dirt is banked high on the downhill side of the road – presumably to minimize the likelihood of vehicles sliding off the road (during the mining days). The trail stayed on this road for about 1.5 miles, but alas, the ceiling never lifted, so I didn't get to see any of the wonderful views. At 3.2 miles, the trail bears right off of this road. At 4.1 mile, the trail passes under high-tension wires. At 5.2 miles, the trail reaches Blue Mountain Road in Little Gap. After leaving the old road, there are rocks, sometimes large, to walk over and among, but nothing like those in the previous section.
I would like to eventually go back and hike the white blazed trail northbound from Lehigh Gap to perhaps 1/2 mile or so beyond the intersection with the blue blazed winter trail – in order to see what that slope/trail is like and to see some of the views (especially along the road at the top).
Leaving Blue Mountain Road in Little Gap, the trail crosses a bog, then climbs a steep talus slope. As I looked up the slope, it looked very daunting – with large jumbled rocks, large crevasses…. However, as I stood looking at it, trying to figure out a route up (or around) the rocks, I gradually realized that a series of rock steps had (obviously) been placed by trail builders. I found that this continued all the way to the top of the rocks. Following these steps, I quickly ascended the slope/rocks. These steps were well placed in the midst of the large rocks in such a way that there was always good footing…, a wonderful example of gracious trail building.
As the trail continued, there were occasionally more rocks, and not always as easy to cross – some as big as a microwave oven. At about 3.4 miles, there is a nice overlook (a blue blazed trail leads to it on the east side of the trail). The trail crosses a power line at 3.8 miles. At 7.3 miles, the trail reaches its intersection with Smith Gap Road. As best I recall, the latter part of the section is fairly smooth trail in woods. The shoulders along Smith Gap Road were rather damp with some mud puddles.
There is not a specific AT parking area at the trail crossing on Smith Road. However, there are wide dirt shoulders with adequate space for two or three cars. The trail is smooth in the early part of the section, then becomes more rocky. At 3.5 miles, the trail reaches the Leroy A. Smith Shelter. The last mile of the section contains several nice lookouts – Hahn's Lookout at 7.1 miles and Lookout Rock at 7.3 miles. The last mile is also characterized by a fairly steep descent, especially the last one third of a mile. It crosses a power line at 7.8 miles, then reaches N. Broadway Rd., crossing under PA 33 just before reaching the AT parking lot (on the east side of the road). While in the area, I particularly enjoyed eating at the Gap Diner, towards the south end of Wind Gap.
This section begins at the AT parking area on N. Broadway Rd, near PA 33, at the north end of Wind Gap. The trail immediately begins to ascend, somewhat steeply, as it leaves the parking area. The trail tread is characterized by a lot of small, broken up rocks. At 7.0 miles, the trail reaches Wolf Rocks. There is a blue blazed trail which can be used to bypass Wolf Rocks. I should have taken it, but I didn't, and regretted it. When I got to the rocks, I was uncomfortable with the idea of trying to walk across the tops of them. This was my first hike of the new season – I think if I'd already had several section hikes under my belt before this one, I might've been comfortable negotiating them, but I wasn't….
So, I skirted around the south side of the rocks, climbing over downed trees/limbs etc. until the rocks "diminished" and I could readily walk around the end of them. The trail leaves the north side of the rocks at a right angle, a little bit before the end of them. After rounding the end of the rocks, I found it fairly easily. This last portion of the section consisted of pleasant, fairly smooth trail. At 8.5 miles, the trail reaches PA 191 and the AT parking area in Fox Gap.
This section begins at the small parking area on the west side of PA 191 in Fox Gap, south of Stroudsburg, PA. At .6 mile, the trail reaches the Kirkridge Shelter. I enjoyed chatting with several people there, including a balding man, whose gray/white beard was braided into a more than foot-long "ponytail". At 1.4 miles, the trail reaches Lunch Rocks, with a view north along the ridge into New Jersey. At 2.5 miles, the trail reaches Tott’s Gap. This is probably the place/road I reached, after descending a steep one-hundred feet or so over large rocks, only to discover that I was off the trail. As I pondered how to find the trail again (not wanting to climb what I had just descended), I noticed two hikers about to cross the road, about 50 yards off to my right. It was immediately clear that they were on the trail. I quickly joined them on the trail, continuing north from that point. So I missed a short bit (perhaps, at most, a few hundred feet) of the official trail.
At 4.4 miles, a short trail to the east leads to a view to the south overlooking the Delaware Valley. Just thereafter, at 4.5 miles, the trail reaches the summit of Mt. Minsi. There is some sort of communications installation here. There was also a nice, small grassy area among trees with a nice rock on which to sit. While there, another hiker took a picture of me, which he later sent to me.
The trail then begins to descend, at 4.8 miles reaching a panoramic view of the Delaware Water Gap, between PA and NJ. At 5.5 miles, a side trail to the east leads to Lookout Rock. At 6.3 miles, the trail reaches Council Rock. Both of these rocks provide a view of the Delaware River and Delaware Water Gap. I think it was at Council Rock that the same hiker, unknown to me at the time, took another picture of me. At 6.6 miles, the trail passes Lake Lenape. At 6.8 miles, there is a hikers parking lot, then just ahead the intersection of paved Lake Road and Mountain Road.
At 7.0 miles, the trail crosses PA 611 (Main Street in the village of Delaware Water Gap, PA). Then, just ahead is the I–80 bridge over the Delaware River. The trail crosses this bridge, along the south side of the road with a low wall separating the walkway from the road. In the middle of the .7 mile (bridge) walkway, there is a painted square area, indicating the location of the PA/NJ state line. At the east end of the bridge, the trail descends to, then follows the service road on the east side of I–80. At 8.2 miles (about .2 mile from the end of the bridge), the trail reaches the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Information Center – with parking, along the right side of the road, the end of the section.
This was a generally pleasant section to hike. Descending from Mount Minsi, the trail is among rhododendron and is often steep. The views from the east side of the trail during this descent, are significantly disrupted/diminished by trees blocking the view. Nevertheless, it is a very nice section, and one I would enjoy hiking again – especially if I can catch it when the rhododendron is in bloom.
This section also was the last section of a four-week hiking trip, covering all of the AT between PA 309 and NY 17A, a distance of 128 miles (actually 127.9). I arranged for this to be the last section so that I could complete (the Appalachian Trail in both) Pennsylvania and New Jersey on the same day/hike. Doing so brought me to the point of having completed 6 of the 14 AT states.