Quehanna querry

There's been a little bit of a churn in trail names and routings in that area. I've been stopping for short loop hikes on my way to a location nearby I now frequently go.

DCNR (2016) has a new "Quehanna Shared-Use Trail Map" in the wild area. It's been stocked in the brochure rack at Hoover Farm (opposite Wykoff Run Rd at Q Hwy). I can't find it online, DCNR has mucked up their website again.

There is also a brand new (2017) Purple Lizard (PL) Moshannon-Quehanna map. Dave Gantz is now working full-time finding Lizards so there may be added confidence in field veracity. (Wish he would join this site.) I had my first outing with the map earlier this week and confirmed valid on the Lincoln Loop, which didn't even appear on older maps I had nor in "Foot Trails of the Moshannon and Southern Elk State Forests" 4th ed by Seeley.

David Lewis trail between Hoover Farm and Reactor Rd was a bit hard to follow earlier in the year, especially through the upper drainage of Twelvemile Run. On my second try, I found the correct route of Lewis trail, honestly Riddle Road trail is a better experience. Bellefonte Posse trail passes through a very pretty meadow/savanna between Chipper Rd and Reactor Rd. My time on those outings has not yet allowed me to take Kunes Camp Trail, so cannot confirm what happens between Kunes Camp and Chipper Rd. My memory almost wants to tell me the PL map may show a connection there (unfortunately, can't verify due to my lack of following its admonition "for best results, carry this map with you at all times"), but the 2016 DCNR map does not.

The path called "PSOC Link" on older maps is now signed and shown on the 2016 DCNR map as "Ralph Seeley Trail." (RST) The QTECC is pretty well established, and I don't recall any issues following RST, Dry Marsh Tr, or Crawford Vista. I was using a selfie at Crawford Vista for a while as a Facebook profile picture. On that occasion I found a social trail from the side hollow on Lost Run Rd (just compass-east of its north junction with QTECC) heading roughly compass-east up the drainage to pass the former reactor site, and used it in preference to Meeker. I put that loop on Gaia. Again, I didn't have enough time on that occasion to go as far out as Bridge Trail.

I might put just a slight edge to a Crawford Vista-based loop to the Bellefonte Posse loop, although either are nice hikes.

Also, in a bit of time-sensitive information there is (Sept 2017) construction at the Beaver Run Dam closing the eponymous trail in the dam area south of the blind. At the moment, the "shallow water impoundment" is more like a deep mud impoundment. Marion Brooks is an ok loop, Lincoln Loop has a surprisingly difficult stretch in upper Paige Run (most of the side trails in the Q one can imagine Ralph skiing on, not here) that almost reminded me of some of the streams in Martin Hill, but also a great vista honestly reminiscent in setting of Barbour Rock in Pine Creek Gorge. I haven't tried Teaberry Loop other than the common piece with Lincoln, but there are two Lizards on it that the 2016 DCNR map shows as viewpoints. Going around the outside of all of the loops would be a good hike, after the dam work is completed to the point of reopening that trail. It should be noted that the closed portion of Beaver Run Rd is overgrown and a bit tough to discern especially since someone ditched out the low point to make what in springtime surely would be a morass. During the heyday of the QATC and Ralph Seeley such areas would have been bridged, but there is increasing b$ on that in the state forests which may explain why this isn't.

I remember really liking the Sevinsky/Gore area and Gore Vista years ago. I think it was 1999 when I was there, though. Can't speak to current conditions. Maybe when I take the truck out to my site I could fit in a new loop back there.

Since the demise of the QATC (there is actually a memorial boulder to this former hiking club, at Hoover Farm), I think DCNR has been concentrating maintenance on the red trails (yes, nominally horse, but seemingly so lightly used as not to notice in such locations as Red Run and the east part of Bellefonte Posse). Other than some spotty work during KTA weekends, I have heard (and seen evidence) that a local volunteer does a lot of light snipping and has objected at KTA clearing to the sheet-of-plywood standard. A bigger fellow like me does a lot of brushing against laurel, etc. on these yellow trails even when visibly cleared and newly blazed.

I've previously observed that Quehanna area has a higher scenery-to-pain ratio than most other corners of Penns' Woods. Have fun!

I think the second loop idea is more scenic. The cross connector trail along Beaver Run is also worth doing. I was surprised by the beauty of Bellefonte Posse and Kunes Camp trails, so they are worth it as well.

Teaberry is a great trail, some big rocks and boulders and nice views. Paige Run is a beautiful stream, an off trail hike down it leads to unique Table Falls, just below Red Run Rd.

Sevinsky and Gore Draft are also beautiful. Basically any trail along a stream in the Quehanna is going to be nice.

Has anyone here ever gone out the Old Sinnemahoning Road/Trail parallel to Wykoff Run Rd northerly from NE corner of Quehanna Trail loop out towards Sinnemahoning and PA 120? Recent maps appear to vary on showing this route, whether at all, truncated at Forest boundary or going on private land at the point of the ridge to reach Wykoff Run Rd at the Sinnemahoning Creek bridge.