Summer is here, and with it comes peak season for exploring and wandering Pennsylvania’s many hidden treasures. Here are some of the best
Pennsylvania is full of beautiful hiking opportunities. Here are just a few. (Wayne Heinze)\\
Summer is here in Pennsylvania, and it is peak season out on the labyrinthine network of trails that rope across the state. Here’s a rundown of some of the most beautiful places to get out and wander in the Keystone State.
The Appalachian Trail
As one of the nation’s longest and oldest thru-hiking trails, this Maine to Georgia circuit may seem far-flung and inaccessible. However, one of the most notorious stretches of the AT runs right through the heart of Pennsylvania, within less than a two-hour drive of Philadelphia and much of the suburbs.
It’s notorious because, for those making the long trek up the length of the East Coast, the uneven, hilly, rocky terrain makes for slow and sometimes torturous going. However, for the day-hiker looking to experience a piece of one of the nation’s gems without committing to a months-long journey, there are several highlights along the route.
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One of them is doubtlessly Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Cumberland County. Located at the northern tip of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the parkland and trail are buffered by a large swath of majestic state forest land. The sense of wilderness is complete. And the Appalachian Trail cuts across the middle of it.
The first hiking museum in the United States — the Appalachian Trail Museum — is also located within the park.
Delaware Water Gap
The Appalachian Trail continues at a northeast angle and ultimately bisects another of the region’s natural treasures — the National Park Service’s Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area — along the Delaware River on the border with New Jersey.
While the AT itself is plenty spectacular here, running along the Kittatinny Ridge and crossing footbridges high over wide-open gorges, some of the most unique day hikes are to be found in the dells and small valleys heading away from the river. Dramatic canyons and paths lined by creeks and waterfalls are abundant here; one of the most majestic is the route along Dunnfield Creek.
Pennsylvania’s Grand Canyon
Pine Creek Gorge on the Allegheny Plateau is sometimes referred to as the “Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania” for its sweeping views and majestic, leafy valleys. Colton State Park and Little Pine State Park are nearby and offer camping, while much of the region is protected as part of Tioga State Forest.
For hikers, one of the most scenic routes is the Turkey Path, accessible from Leonard Harrison State Park. It winds past waterfalls and all the dramatic vistas for which the area is famous.
Wissahickon Valley in Philadelphia
A few steps from any trailhead in the Wissahickon, and you instantly forget that you are actually within the city limits of one of the major metropolitan areas on the East Coast. Dense woods line either side of the meandering Wissahickon Creek.
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