Lace up your hiking boots for these 5 central Pa. destinations
To the outside observer, a hike may just be a long walk — and it is.
However, when you take a long walk in the picturesque outdoor utopia of Central Pennsylvania’s backyard, then something special happens. Life slows down and the simple things come into focus.
Looking for a way to unwind, unplug and de-stress? Check out these amazing hiking excursions.
• Ricketts Glen Falls Trail
Thirty miles north of Bloomsburg along Route 487, you’ll find Ricketts Glen State Park. While the park offers great camping, boating, fishing, horseback riding and swimming opportunities, it is best known for its 26 miles of hiking trails. Chief among them is the 7.2-mile loop known as Falls Trail.
This trail, while not a long one, is extremely rugged with rocky, sometimes slippery, terrain that can get very steep in stretches. The work is well worth it, however, as the pristine wilderness is dotted with 21 different waterfalls that range in height between 11 to 94 feet.
Most of the waterfalls can be seen on a smaller 3.2-mile loop that branches off the main Falls Trail. This stretch follows Highland Trail along with the Glen Leigh and Ganoga Glen sides of Falls Trail.
Again, this is a rougher stretch to hike and those who attempt the trails should be properly equipped, in good physical shape and plan plenty of time for the hike.
• Pine Creek Trail This is the grand-daddy rail trail in Pennsylvania. It’s flat but it’s not boring. Mix it up a little and bicycle some of it and hike the side trails.
The rail trail runs from the Jersey Shore area all the way up through the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon gorge, following the well-used Pine Creek.
The Pine Creek Trail is used by a number of other outdoor enthusiasts, including those on horseback and bicycle. It is covered by a hardpacked gravel surface with just a two percent grade throughout its entirety, making it a fairly easy trail for all skill levels. Trails that intersect this 60-mile long rail-trail are the West Rim Trail, Mid-State Trail, Outlook Trail, Black Forest Trail, Golden Eagle Trail and the Bob Webber Trail. Each offers a great experience of its own. Be sure to take in the geology and fishing at Rattle Snack Rocks and a visit to the Village of Cedar Run. And of course, stopping by the Slate Run Tackle Shop, the Manor Inn or the Waterville Store is always delightful.
• Mid-State Trail Poe Paddy State Park to Woodward Gap Road, this 8.5-mile hike has it all. You’ll go from the perfectly flat Penn’s Creek Rail Trail to one of the most strenuous climbs in our area across a glaciated rock outcropping.
A little over a half-mile into the hike, you’ll have the excitement of passing through the old Lewisburg and Tyrone Railroad tunnel.
Have some fun, be adventurous and don’t turn on any flashlights while you travel through this pitch-black experience. Remember on the rail-trail that hikers yield to bikers.
You hike parallel, yet high above Penns Creek with several excellent vistas of the world-class trout stream. At about 3.5 miles, you begin your first ascent, which is a gentle climb along the side of Paddy Mountain. At the bottom of the descent, you will cross the longest foot bridge on the Mid-State Trail and begin hiking on Cherry Run Road. This is relatively straight forward forestry road hiking, but keep an eye out for the Old Mingle Road at 4.8 miles of your hike.
After a quick dog leg, you’ll head up a steep bank on the Libby Trail. This is a beautiful hike through the gap between Sawmill Mountain and First Blue Knob. Soon you will enter the Lick Run Hollow camping area. This is “God’s Mountain Cathedral.” No matter how many times you visit the location, it just gets more beautiful.
After crossing another foot bridge (across Libby Run) and passing the Lick Hollow Trail, you will be climbing again. At about six miles, at Rupp Hollow Road, the really steep stuff begins. Get ready to be out of breath, because for the next half-mile you will be climbing straight up. But it is worth it because at the summit of Thick Mountain, there’s a vista that on a clear day all the way to the North Branch of the Susquehanna River. It gets pretty thick up there, and you’ll be thanking the trail maintainers for the excellent job that they do.
Just past seven miles into your hike, you will pass a unique rock outcropping. It’s unique because it’s nearly flat on the side of a mountain. Many times when hiking through here on a warm day, you’ll see a rattlesnake or two. Be smart and observe them from a distance.
At 7.6 miles, bear left onto the Rock Knob Trail. You’re now off the Mid-State Trail and heading for Woodward Gap Road. This is a steep descent on what used to be a log skid. If you left one car in Woodward, you can now shuttle back to Poe Paddy. On your way through Millheim, make sure to stop in at the Elk Creek Café and say hello to Tim and the crew. Your stomach will thank you.
• Dale’s Ridge Trail This is a loop hike that everyone in our area should do. The trail is two miles west of Lewisburg on Strawbridge Road at Buffalo Creek.
Along this pleasant twomile trail, you will visit scenic ridge-top views, see plenty of wildlife, learn about the importance of riparian buffers and compare the mature forests and open field environments.
This is a great introductory hike and a great place for an afternoon stroll.
• Chilisuagi Trail Located at the Montour Preserve, the Chilisuagi Trail runs just over four miles around the edge of Lake Chillisquaque. The loop offers plenty of vantage points to view the lake and leads through deciduous woods and along wetlands, agricultural fields, pine plantations, meadows and lakeshore with a variety of habitats, flora and fauna to explore.
Signs help interpret the natural and cultural history of specific features along the trail.
There are a variety of other trails available at the Montour Preserve, including a Braille Trail for those who are visually impaired. The Montour Preserve trails offer a good introductory place to get younger people involved in hiking without being too strenuous.