Less crowded venues to try for the holiday weekend
Aug 29, 2018 20:14:51 GMT -5
Post by ki0eh on Aug 29, 2018 20:14:51 GMT -5
Heading into the holiday weekend, here’s some food for thought:
In northcentral PA:
-Instead of hiking West Rim Trail again, how about Mid State Trail from Rt 287 near Antrim, to the back side of Gillespie Point and down into Blackwell? More varied scenery, 1/2 hour less driving, and probably will see no one at campsites.
-Instead of Black Forest Trail again, how about Tiadaghton Trail/Mid State Trail loop? Similar scenery, pass two bars, 45 minutes drive closer and will see very few if any others out.
Both are on Purple Lizard Maps Pine Creek map and under Mid State Trail Guthook app.
Central PA:
Thousand Steps? Plenty will be there, this weekend. Couple of thoughts:
-Depending on your knees or lungs, try going up or down, as you prefer, some of the other dinkey grades. They are not marked but check the Strava heatmap for ideas on which ones to take.
-Drive 1/2 hour further (for a plurality of us) to Little Juniata Natural Area and climb up Mid State Trail, following similar type inclines and dinkey grades, to the higher Spruce Knob vista. Bonus, follow the riverside trail upstream on the Little J to check out PA’s largest roadless water gap. This shows on Purple Lizard Maps Rothrock map and in Mid State Trail Atlas Guides - Guthook Guides app.
From NoVA/DC/Md to someplace like Dolly Sods : a long drive to join the crowds, passing mountains on I-68, did you ever wonder if there are other venues for a change?
Within sight of I-68 near Flintstone MD, Martin Hill Wild Area of Pennsylvania’s Buchanan State Forest offers miles of deserted trails with backcountry campsites. Loop in and out of adjacent Sweet Root Natural Area for added spice.
Free online map www.docs.dcnr.pa.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_20031391.pdf Or check out Mid State Trail Atlas Guides - Guthook Guides app which shows the circuit trails as well. Not all of them are marked well so the app really helps.
If you’re stuck in traffic, remember you are the traffic, open your horizons!
In northcentral PA:
-Instead of hiking West Rim Trail again, how about Mid State Trail from Rt 287 near Antrim, to the back side of Gillespie Point and down into Blackwell? More varied scenery, 1/2 hour less driving, and probably will see no one at campsites.
-Instead of Black Forest Trail again, how about Tiadaghton Trail/Mid State Trail loop? Similar scenery, pass two bars, 45 minutes drive closer and will see very few if any others out.
Both are on Purple Lizard Maps Pine Creek map and under Mid State Trail Guthook app.
Central PA:
Thousand Steps? Plenty will be there, this weekend. Couple of thoughts:
-Depending on your knees or lungs, try going up or down, as you prefer, some of the other dinkey grades. They are not marked but check the Strava heatmap for ideas on which ones to take.
-Drive 1/2 hour further (for a plurality of us) to Little Juniata Natural Area and climb up Mid State Trail, following similar type inclines and dinkey grades, to the higher Spruce Knob vista. Bonus, follow the riverside trail upstream on the Little J to check out PA’s largest roadless water gap. This shows on Purple Lizard Maps Rothrock map and in Mid State Trail Atlas Guides - Guthook Guides app.
From NoVA/DC/Md to someplace like Dolly Sods : a long drive to join the crowds, passing mountains on I-68, did you ever wonder if there are other venues for a change?
Within sight of I-68 near Flintstone MD, Martin Hill Wild Area of Pennsylvania’s Buchanan State Forest offers miles of deserted trails with backcountry campsites. Loop in and out of adjacent Sweet Root Natural Area for added spice.
Free online map www.docs.dcnr.pa.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_20031391.pdf Or check out Mid State Trail Atlas Guides - Guthook Guides app which shows the circuit trails as well. Not all of them are marked well so the app really helps.
If you’re stuck in traffic, remember you are the traffic, open your horizons!
