Adventures on the AT: Hiking the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania
The Appalachian Trail (AT) in Pennsylvania is 230 miles long. If you’re not up for a thru-hike of the entire 2,200-mile-long AT — or simply don’t have the time to spend six months hiking — you can set your sights on sections of the Pennsylvania portion of the AT, either through day hikes or weekend hikes. Or, take two weeks and hike the entire Pa. part of the trail! Perhaps it will help you prepare for an eventual thru-hike of the 14-state-spanning AT?
Though at times dotted with frustrating, boot-destroying rocks, the AT of Pennsylvania affords hikers several beautiful scenic views. The trail is also rarely far from civilization, meaning there are plenty of opportunities to grab lunch in a nearby town or shop for new supplies. For overnight hikers, you can camp on the trail, stay at trail shelters, or head into town to sleep in a real bed.
The difficulty of the AT in Pennsylvania ranges from flatter, smooth trail sections through rolling farmland to miles of rocky outcroppings of trail nicknamed “Rocksylvania” by hikers. You can focus on easier hikes or aim to conquer the trails of Rocksylvania — or you can do both!
We’ve outlined trail highlights heading northbound on the trail, but you can also easily hike heading south.
And once you plan to head out into the woods, you can use Appalachian Trail guides like the famed A.T. Guide to help you coordinate logistics such as how many miles you’ll hike each day, where you’ll plan to rest your eyes (and muscles) at night, and where you’ll deposit a car for once you reach the end of your hike. You’ll also access important information for hiking the AT; for instance, hiking the parts of the Pennsylvania portion of the AT that pass through state game lands is not recommended in the fall (hunting season).
Consider this article a mere introduction to the AT in Pa., as we could not include all of the many highlights to be found on the trail — what will you discover on your hikes?
Smoother southern trek
The southern portion of the AT in Pa. begins in a town called Pen Mar at the Mason-Dixon Line, the border between Maryland and Pennsylvania. The beginning trek is smooth, with some elevation changes and only a few glimpses of the rocks that will eventually define the Pa. path — the rocks probably won’t haunt your dreams until you’re farther north on the AT in Pa.
A couple of miles from the state border, the trail enters Michaux State Forest, which is home to several trail highlights like Chimney Rocks and Pole Steeple. In addition, four different shelters offer places to sleep within the state forest, including the Quarry Gap Shelter, widely considered one of the nicest shelters along the entire AT. The shelter, maintained for decades by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club and “innkeeper” Jim Stauch, has potted plants, coffee table books, garden decorations, tidy sleeping areas, and clean lounging spots. AT shelters are first-come, first-served, but when crowded sleeping space is generally informally reserved for long-distance hikers.
While most AT thru-hikers trek more than 1,000 miles to visit the Quarry Gap Shelter, if you start at Pen Mar and head north on the AT, you’ll only hike a little more than 19 miles before you reach Quarry Gap.
Chimney Rocks, a cool rock formation and overlook, can be found at a junction near Buzzard Peak. Follow the sign on the trail and you’ll see a wide panoramic view of Michaux State Forest.
Pole Steeple is another beautiful overlook in Michaux State Forest, consisting of an 80-foot-high cliff. Pole Steeple Trail, which leads to the summit, is a short (0.75 miles) hike that links to the AT. The trail, however, is rather steep. Pole Steeple itself is located within Pine Grove Furnace State Park.
The halfway point of the AT: Half-Gallon Challenge and the AT Museum
Pine Grove Furnace State Park has a bounty of rewards for you once you reach the halfway point of the entire Appalachian Trail (not the halfway point of the Pa. section — the state park is roughly 40 miles from the southern state border). You can participate in the Half-Gallon Challenge at the Pine Grove General Store, a challenge to see how fast hikers can scarf down a half-gallon of ice cream. The current record is under four minutes, so … godspeed.
The park is also home to the Appalachian Trail Museum, a museum that honors the builders, hikers, and maintainers of the famous trail. You can see exhibits on trail history, artifacts from the early days of the trail, and thousands of photos. There’s even an area for kids! The museum is housed in an old grist mill that is more than 200 years old.
Duncannon, a trail town on the AT
A little more than 40 miles from the ice cream and history inside Pine Grove State Park, the AT passes farmland and more stunning vistas before entering the little town of Duncannon, right on the Susquehanna River. Trail towns on the AT have reputations of friendliness and charm, and Duncannon is no exception. You can give your back a reprieve by staying in a hotel and also fill up on food at a number of restaurants, like The Doyle and its homestyle cooking.
Most inhabitants and business owners are familiar with hikers and are happy to help them. For instance, hotel staff will often give you a ride to grocery stores or the trail. Duncannon is also home to Hawk Rock, an overlook with breathtaking views of the Susquehanna River. Other trail towns in Pennsylvania worth exploring include Boiling Springs, Wind Gap, and Delaware Water Gap.
Rocksylvania and beyond on the northern section
North of the Susquehanna River, the Pa. portion of the AT is infamous for the rocky trail’s assault on your feet. You’ll want to be sure to wear sturdy boots as you climb over rocks and boulder fields that are souvenirs from the Laurentide Continental Glacier that covered the area tens of thousands of years ago. Still, don’t let the name Rocksylvania deter you, as the northern part of the AT in Pennsylvania affords hikers incredible views from Kittatinny Ridge. The ridge, which comprises the majority of the AT in Pa., is an area prized by birdwatchers, especially as a viewpoint for hawk and eagle migrations. Hikers can take a short side trip to Hawk Mountain, a nearby sanctuary that sees thousands of migrating raptors each year. Eventually, the trail reaches the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area before it crosses into New Jersey.
If you’d rather avoid days of rock scrambling, you can take short day hikes to experience the AT. For example, the hike to reach Bake Oven Knob, located near Germansville in the northern part of the Lehigh Valley, is an easy 0.4 miles. A short drive from cities like Allentown, there is a parking lot on Bake Oven Road.
Wolf Rocks, found in Bangor and near the trail town of Wind Gap, is another candidate for a great day hike. As the 4.5-mile hike is extremely rocky, the trail is a great introduction to Rocksylvania.
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