Photo: Eriks Perkons
There is this one place in Pennsylvania that is only known to those willing to explore its secrets. This place is filled with a mix of hardwood, hemlock, and pine forests. These forests boast gorgeous streams and rivers, a multitude of vistas, and some of the darkest skies in the eastern United States. This place includes well over 2 million acres of public lands and thousands of miles of hiking trails and routes, which wind and intertwine their way through a landscape that fills the northwestern half of the state. This place is called the Allegheny Plateau, and within this landscape is a budding new long distance hiking route. This place is remote. This route is wild. This is the PA Wilds Trail.
The PA Wilds Trail (PAWT) is a route which combines short segments of several well established hiking trails, providing a 200-mile introduction to what Pennsylvania has to offer for backpackers, hikers, and trail runners. As of Summer, 2020 the most official route involves hiking from Parker Dam State Park to the northern terminus of the West Rim Trail in Asaph. While there is a standard route in place, the actual focus of the PAWT is to give you, the explorer, the freedom to create your own adventure on and off trails as you ramble through a sizable portion of Pennsylvania.
The PA Wilds Trail (PAWT) is a route which combines short segments of several well established hiking trails, providing a 200-mile introduction to what Pennsylvania has to offer for backpackers, hikers, and trail runners. As of Summer, 2020 the most official route involves hiking from Parker Dam State Park to the northern terminus of the West Rim Trail in Asaph. While there is a standard route in place, the actual focus of the PAWT is to give you, the explorer, the freedom to create your own adventure on and off trails as you ramble through a sizable portion of Pennsylvania.
Photo: Eriks Perkons
We started our journey in late May at Parker Dam State Park, which has tent sites and cabins for overnight camping, a lake with a swimming area, and a concession stand with ice cream in the summer. We started at the Western Terminus of the Quehanna Trail (QT) and began hiking counter clockwise towards Caledonia Pike. Caledonia Pike is a gravel forest road, by the way. Don’t expect cell service in these woods. You are on your own now.
QT is a 73-mile backpacking loop that is well signed and blazed. The trail encircles and goes through PA’s largest State Wild Area, Quehanna Area. Historically, the area has been home to Native Americans, logging trains, logging roads, a jet propulsion testing area (which included a nuclear reactor), and now hosts the largest elk herd east of the Mississippi River. We walked along beautiful mountain streams on wet trails with few foot bridges. We followed the trail, mostly along old logging grades, for an easy 20 miles to Quehanna Trail East Cross Connector (QTECC) Trail.
QT is a 73-mile backpacking loop that is well signed and blazed. The trail encircles and goes through PA’s largest State Wild Area, Quehanna Area. Historically, the area has been home to Native Americans, logging trains, logging roads, a jet propulsion testing area (which included a nuclear reactor), and now hosts the largest elk herd east of the Mississippi River. We walked along beautiful mountain streams on wet trails with few foot bridges. We followed the trail, mostly along old logging grades, for an easy 20 miles to Quehanna Trail East Cross Connector (QTECC) Trail.
Photo: Dave Gantz
QTECC is one of several side trails that meander through Moshannon and Elk State Forests, which combine for 400,000 acres of forestland. Our route generally followed this trail to the northern junction with QT, but there are several more side trail loop options for those looking for an even more remote experience and some excellent vistas too. Side trails and main trails throughout this area become overgrown in the summer. Watch where you step, as this is rattlesnake country. Back on the QT, this time heading clockwise, we immediately dropped into a steep, dark, wet mountain hollow known as Porcupine Draft. The trail here is rugged yet rewarding. Stinging nettle will make your legs burn all day if you wear shorts here midsummer. Numerous small waterfalls make you forget the struggle, though. After the descent, we turned upstream on another hollow and regained the nearly 1,000 foot elevation that we had lost earlier in the day. This section was very difficult, and it continued in the same manner for nearly 10 miles. When you hike here, keep your eye on the streams below to spot wildlife. Oftentimes animals drinking from the stream; bear, coyote, deer, elk, fishers, and others, cannot hear or smell you hiking on the trail above.
Photo: Eriks Perkons
On the third morning we followed the standard PAWT route down to the town of Sinnemahoning. More of a crossroads, this area does have a rural Post Office and a bar and grill. We opted to resupply at the bar and grill due to limited hours at the P.O. After lunch a short road walk led back to the PAWT, which now led along a backroad through a small mountain community called Jericho. We were now on the Donut Hole Trail (DHT), which I had also hiked several years earlier. This trail begins by leading the hiker to a dead-end road that turns into a driveway, then past the drive and private property signs to the final destination of Sproul State Forest. The DHT is a linear trail that meanders through this 280,000 acre forest for 90 miles. I consider this trail to be the most difficult backpacking trail in Pennsylvania. The trail is rarely used by others, and the treadway and blazes can be very difficult to follow. Mix in steep climbs and descents and you have a very challenging experience!
PAWT follows DHT eastbound for nearly 20 miles to Kettle Creek State Park. This park is a great place to swim, camp, and resupply. Have friends meet you with food for the night, or try to arrange sending mail to the park office. We didn’t resupply here at all, so we passed through the park and returned to the DHT eastbound for another 20 miles until we reached the junction with the Susquehannock Trail System (STS).
PAWT follows DHT eastbound for nearly 20 miles to Kettle Creek State Park. This park is a great place to swim, camp, and resupply. Have friends meet you with food for the night, or try to arrange sending mail to the park office. We didn’t resupply here at all, so we passed through the park and returned to the DHT eastbound for another 20 miles until we reached the junction with the Susquehannock Trail System (STS).
Photo: Eriks Perkons
The STS is yet another wild and remote backpacking trail in PA. This trail is a whopping 85-mile loop within the 265,000 acre Susquehannock State Forest. The STS is in much better shape than most other trails in this area. A dedicated local group of volunteers keeps the trail in great condition, and has added 7 trail shelters in the last few years. Not to be outdone by the QT, the STS also features multiple side trails, some of which provide a true bushwhacking experience to old growth forests. We didn’t get to enjoy all these trails in this trip on the PAWT, but we did have options. Hikers who are following the PAWT need to, at some point along the way, turn eastbound on a connector trail to the famous Black Forest Trail (BFT). Options to get here include T-Squared Trail, South Link Trail, and North Link Trail. We opted for North Link Trail, which offers a mellow break before the brutal BFT.
We reached BFT roughly 105 miles into our trip. It felt like halfway, but we knew there was plenty of steep climbing and descending ahead. BFT is known as a rigorous yet rewarding 43-mile backpacking trail in the 105,000 acre Tiadaghton State Forest. This loop consists of over 10,000 feet of climbing with nearly 1 vista for every mile of trail. The trail was not built with the intention of getting from one place to another very quickly at all, but it is well blazed and maintained. Since it is so popular, the treadway is excellent. There are numerous side trails and short cut trails within the BFT loop, but we enjoy the vistas so much that we decided to stay on the main route for much of the way. This was mentally and emotionally taxing; though, as we know the area so well that we were too aware of how close we were to civilization. For instance: nine miles into Day 7 found us less than two miles from our resupply point in Slate Run. Instead of taking the direct route to fresh food, we hiked nineteen miles, climbed over 4,000 feet, and camped out another evening in this forest before reaching this resupply point the following afternoon!
We reached BFT roughly 105 miles into our trip. It felt like halfway, but we knew there was plenty of steep climbing and descending ahead. BFT is known as a rigorous yet rewarding 43-mile backpacking trail in the 105,000 acre Tiadaghton State Forest. This loop consists of over 10,000 feet of climbing with nearly 1 vista for every mile of trail. The trail was not built with the intention of getting from one place to another very quickly at all, but it is well blazed and maintained. Since it is so popular, the treadway is excellent. There are numerous side trails and short cut trails within the BFT loop, but we enjoy the vistas so much that we decided to stay on the main route for much of the way. This was mentally and emotionally taxing; though, as we know the area so well that we were too aware of how close we were to civilization. For instance: nine miles into Day 7 found us less than two miles from our resupply point in Slate Run. Instead of taking the direct route to fresh food, we hiked nineteen miles, climbed over 4,000 feet, and camped out another evening in this forest before reaching this resupply point the following afternoon!
Photo: Eriks Perkons
We stopped at Wolfe’s General Store in Slate Run for lunch and resupply late morning on the eighth day of our trip. This afternoon would be the most interesting day in regards to the chosen route for our PAWT experience. From Slate Run, hikers can choose their own adventure in order to connect with the Mid State Trail (MST), which is several miles to the east. There are multiple options, all of which have pros and cons. We decided to walk one mile south on the Pine Creek Rail Trail, then head east through State Game Lands on little used trails towards Wolf Run Wild Area. The steep climb, hot temps, and reloaded backpacks started to wear on us this afternoon. Amazingly; though, we ran into PAWT creator, Jeff Mitchell, hiking with a friend on Dragon’s Back Trail. We were tired, but it was refreshing to see a familiar face on this rarely used trail.
After we proceeded through the Game Lands, we walked for a bit on the Golden Eagle Trail (known as the best day hike in PA), and then went bushwhacking into Wolf Run Wild Area. Although we had done this before in the winter months, the early summer bushwhack proved to be more difficult. Throw in a sighting of one of the largest rattlesnakes we have ever seen, and we were surely whooped for the day. After descending to and crossing Mill Run, we found an uninviting but quiet spot to lay our heads for the evening beside Sebring Branch.
After we proceeded through the Game Lands, we walked for a bit on the Golden Eagle Trail (known as the best day hike in PA), and then went bushwhacking into Wolf Run Wild Area. Although we had done this before in the winter months, the early summer bushwhack proved to be more difficult. Throw in a sighting of one of the largest rattlesnakes we have ever seen, and we were surely whooped for the day. After descending to and crossing Mill Run, we found an uninviting but quiet spot to lay our heads for the evening beside Sebring Branch.
Photo: Eriks Perkons
Photo: Eriks Perkons
The second to last day of our trip was spent on a fourteen mile section of the 328-mile Mid State Trail (MST), which is now part of the 1,600-mile Great Eastern Trail (GET). MST is well-maintained and was a welcome change from bushwhacking the previous day. We soon entered the 165,000 Acre Tioga State Forest and summited Gillespie Point later in the afternoon. Before dusk walked through the small hamlet of Blackwell, then climbed up to the West Rim Trail (WRT) for our last night of the trip.
Our tenth and last day of this adventure included the easiest hiking of the whole trip. With easy hiking comes larger crowds; WRT is probably the most popular backpacking trail in Pennsylvania. This wonderful trail is well used, has a great treadway, and includes dozens of spectacular vistas of Pine Creek Gorge. Our ride home wasn’t arriving until late afternoon, so we took our time to enjoy the vistas and eat the remaining food from our packs.
Our tenth and last day of this adventure included the easiest hiking of the whole trip. With easy hiking comes larger crowds; WRT is probably the most popular backpacking trail in Pennsylvania. This wonderful trail is well used, has a great treadway, and includes dozens of spectacular vistas of Pine Creek Gorge. Our ride home wasn’t arriving until late afternoon, so we took our time to enjoy the vistas and eat the remaining food from our packs.
Photo: Eriks Perkons
All together, our PAWT thru-hike included almost exactly 200 miles of hiking in 10 wonderful days. We enjoyed 2 food resupply points, sections of 6 major backpacking trails, several other less-known trails, and only a few miles of paved roads. We rarely had cell service, only encountered a handful of other hikers, and were able to experience spring bloom into early summer in the PA Wilds. It was a wonderful walk; one that I won’t soon forget.
Feel free to download and enjoy the GPX data, broken down by day, of our route below:
Feel free to download and enjoy the GPX data, broken down by day, of our route below:
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