At the 2.2-mile mark, the trail splits, but youll want to stay right for the Tuscarora Trail. My experience largely matched my expectation: there were relatively few hikers on the trail, and, I only met a handful of other people who were attempting to hike the whole trail (though, no one that was thru-hiking). In Maryland, a little more than half the trail is the C&O Canal Tow Path. 2017by PATC. A beautiful day for Labor Day weekend of 2010. With a "short" 10.8 mile day planned, I didn't get up terribly early. I am uncertain if it merits a 3 or 4, maybe halfway in-between. Advisory: Exercise caution in the Tuscarora State Forest during hunting season. Overall, this was a great hike, but the first three miles till you get up to the ridge was just OK. The footing is precarious with loose stone for the majority of the descent. There are wooden platforms for tents. At the ridge, the trail flattens out somewhat to a much more gradual ascent and is anoutstanding walk. US Route 50, limited shoulder parking (39.268, -78.314). The wildflowers were in full bloom all along the way and it gave me and my dog some space to move. Thanks to all the volunteers for their hard work getting them in and up on the trail. The Tuscarora Trail departs to the west from the Appalachian Trail at the top of Blue Mountain about ten miles west of the Susquehanna River near Harrisburg, PA. and rejoins the Appalachian Trail in the North . This might be a little problem if we planned on putting rain flies on the tents. Proudly created with Wix.com, **All GPS coordinates given on this site use the WGS-84 datum**. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The BMT aims at being a more wild experience than the AT, and this partly manifests by the BMT having few campsites and only two shelters (one of which seemed placed explicitly to compensate for a lengthy no-camping zone). It also turned out to be a rather long day. Theres easily another 40 miles of gravel and dirt roads, which makes nearly the entirety of the trail in Maryland on road. Continue down to Waites Run FS Road passing a private driveway on your left at the bottom of the hill. Ive never read any reports of anyone actually finding or visiting this site, so I really had no idea if there would be anything to be found. Again, the views were lovely, not spectacular. I will comment on the trail head. I didn't get lost either, which is always a plus. The work didn't end there; once built, volunteers maintained . Re-trace your steps to the trail, then turn left to continue on. The club also built several shelters along the route as well. Camping: Burd Run Shelter (40.053,-77.888), PATC Silberman Trail Center (by reservation only), Cowans Gap State Park. But we arrived. Please respect the landowner's decision. Would love to do again in a few weeks when more leaves and flowers are out in full. I'm not sure how else to describe this part other than "dead". I will go back and startearlier on a better day - the trail was worth it. On day one I would hike up to the ridge using the Tuscarora Trail, day two I would base camp and explore, and on day three I would hike back out via a different set of trails to complete the loop. Grand Total Gross Elevation Gain: 1,901. A lot of rotted and dying trees and there were a couple of signs about chemicals that had been applied, so who knows. In terms of gear malfunctions per mile, the Tuscarora Trail was my worst. Shelters along the Tuscarora Trail (photos)and info Just wanted to share some photos of the shelters I stayed at along the TT on a recent section from PA641 to PA456. There's easily another 40 miles of gravel and dirt roads, which makes nearly the entirety of the trail in Maryland "on road". This is a pretty hike that rewardsyou for the early miles of uphill exertionwith wide views to the east and west anda very well-maintained shelter for a rest stop. We chose this hike because it offered seclusion though, and we certainly got that. The valleys were clear and pleasant. (I'm hiking the Southern Section in the Fall, 2012) I have the latest guide book to the Northern Section, and map for the lower 1/2 of this section. Location: Gravel Springs Hut (66.4 miles) Tags: Appalachian Trail, Shenandoah National Park, Tuscarora Trail, Virginia. Bob and I put on our camp sandals to cross stopping on the other side to put our hiking shoes back on. FTC Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through some of my links. The last bit is an easy decent through grassy trail down to the shelter. Reports indicate the next few miles to the north are not nearly as enjoyable as the section described here, with multiple ATV trails intersecting the TT. Proudly created with Wix.com, **All GPS coordinates given on this site use the WGS-84 datum**. I would expect ticks in season given the grasses growing along part of the ridge. Also, plan to carry water, as the water at the shelter is cistern based. . In the 1990's the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club took over responsibility for reopening it. The shelter sits overlooking the valley, so on Saturday, June 21, they had to build a temporary scaffold to complete the roofing boards, underlayment & install the roofing metal. It's intended to be a western alternative through the Appalachians to the Appalachian Trail. At the 1.0-mile mark, you will reach the second of several rock scrambles. The information available on this site, including without limitation, overviews, opinions,directions, GPS data, photographs, (collectively "Content") may contain information relating to a hazardous activity. Photos from previous days were youll uploaded but you have to go to the bottom of each days post to see that days photos. This is my personal website. The ascent up to ridge was as described, and a very good workout. Bob and I spent the afternoon solving the worlds problems and relaxing with afternoon snacks and catching up on our hydration. Date/Time: Sat the 14th of Jan 12, from 1215-1445. Wednesday, September 2, 2020 8:25 pm. Carry lots of water. Highlights: Pinnacleoverlook, Laurel Run Falls. Additional trail connections in the Buchanan State Forest include: Bird Run Trail, Ellisic Trail, Allen Trail, Cove Trail, Sharpe Trail, Fox Trail Wagner Trail, Horseshoe Trail. Cowans Gap State Park to PA 16, 9.6 miles, PATC Map K, Guide to the North Half of the Tuscarora Trail. Additional trail connections in the Buchanan State Forest and Cowans Gap State Park include: Standing Stone Trail, Geyer Trail, Logslide Trail, Richmond Trail, Fore Trail, Lincoln Trail. Camping is limited to one night without a permit. Get to know this 8.5-mile loop trail near Newville, Pennsylvania. Tuscarora Trail North Camp at Gerhard Shelter This is a very nice small shelter with a fire ring and space nearby for several tents or hammocks. Access: The trail can be accessed by road from both the northern and southern termini of section 6: Parking at Cowans Gap State Park (39.999,-77.921), Limited shoulder parking onFannettsburg Road (40.061, -77.864), Additional trail connections in the Buchanan State Forest include:Bird Run Trail, Ellisic Trail, Allen Trail, Cove Trail, Sharpe Trail, Fox Trail Wagner Trail, Horseshoe Trail,StandingStone Trail. The rest of the trail in the state is either paved or gravel road. It wasn't raining on us as expected but it was pretty cool and overcast for much of the day. That would add another six plus miles to our day and most of that would be uphill. Tags: Pennsylvania, Tuscarora Trail Today is the penultimate day of my Tuscarora Trail thru-hike, to the northernmost shelter on the Tuscarora, the Charlie Irvin Shelter. Take it slow on this white-blazed trail. The Kindle is nice when you crawl in before you are ready to sleep. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 3 h 38 min to complete. Enjoy this 7.4-mile out-and-back trail near Hedgesville, West Virginia. Weather: Thereabouts low 30s on the day of. THE AUTHORS OF THIS SITE AND THE PATC ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR HARM TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY THAT RESULTS FROM YOUR USE OF THIS SITE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, USE OF ANY CONTENT ON THE SITE. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". CAUTION: Not all sections of the Tuscarora Trail are appropriate for young or inexperienced hikers. Water is heavy, so naturally, Id prefer not to have to carry more than necessary. Trail conditions day 1 More day 1 trail. I would guess a phone could be had here in an emergency. This was a very pleasant walk in the woods. Didn't see anyone else the whole hike. Tuscarora Trailing: Day Two, May 30 - Licking Creek to Reese Hollow Shelter, ~21 miles. And since there were few other hikers on the trail, I had the shelters (and campsites) to myself every night. Camping is limited to one night without a permit. You'll find the hiking trail is mostly dirt and rocks, often way more rocks. Thanks Ed for the response, sounds like there's water in the area. The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, along with other hiking organizations maintains the Tuscarora Trail, and in partnership with REI is promoting the trail as long distance hiking resource in the Midatlantic. Philip L. Southers Lee Drive North. Virginia had the best view at a campsite, in the George Washington National Forest on Little North Ridge Mountain. The 7th edition (2020) of The Tuscarora Trail: A Guide to the North Half in Maryland and Pennsylvania incorporates recent trail changes or relocations into the detailed trail descriptions of the 10 sections comprising the north half. The forestry road is normally closed to motorized traffic, unless your hiking during hunting season (bad idea!). Information on this site is presented with intent to be as accurate as possible at the time of posting, but it is provided as is and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information. Stay right on the now yellow blazed trail for another 0.2 miles where the Vance's Cove Trail ends and a sign marking the border of WV and VA. Turn right on the blue blazed trail. View of Route, Stay right on the now yellow blazed trail, http://www.meetup.com/CharityHikers/calendar/13157584/, http://hiking.meetup.com/162/calendar/13157640/, View all 12 archived reviews for the Gerhard Shelter hike, 5.5 hours The blue blazes are really light at the parking spot. Primitive camping is allowed throughout the Bucahan State Forest with a free permit. Theres at least 47 miles of paved roadwalk on the Tuscarora (almost a fifth of its total length), including a 14 mile stretch in West Virginia, some of which had very narrow shoulders. When you park at the parking area, just off the road, there is a fire road that heads off past a gate, this is where the trail starts (the trail is the fire road). You should verify critical information such as directions, park hours, gate closings, blaze colors and specific regulations (pet policies, firearm/hunting regulations, etc.) The intense patchwork of private land ownership around the Tuscarora Trail also manifests in some rather extensive road walks. In Pennsylvania, the Charlie Irvin Shelter had one of, if not the best view of any shelter Ive ever stayed at, overlooking the Cumberland Valley and providing a fitting place to spend the last evening on the trail. Proudly created with Wix.com. There are houses on the road that the parking area is at. Links: PA State Game Lands,PATC Cabins Rentals, PATC Maps K and L, Guide to the North Half of the Tuscarora Trail, Max Elevation: 395 ft. Min Elevation: 415 ft, Highlights: C&O Canal NHP Visitor Center, Little Tonoloway Day Use Area. All uphill though, a shorter day and the trail guide promises a waterfall near the shelter. You will see a mostly grassy trail to the right of the Biby Wilderness Trail sign. It was a little after eleven when we finished lunch and started up. I recently hiked a section of the blue-blazed Tuscarora Trail in Winchester to Pinnacle Shelter and Pinnacle Overlook. We were hiking right after seven. Additional trail connections in the Tuscarora State Forest include: North Fork Trail, Couch Haul Road, Perry Lumber Co Trail, Twig Trail. In a few more steps, youll start to hear moving water, then an easy-to-miss spur trail turns up on the right at the 1.9-mile mark. before you embark upon your trip. Please respect the landowner's decision. Pennsylvania, though, had very uneven maintenance; some areas were very well maintained, while others were very poorly kept. The Tuscarora is a bypass route of the Appalachian Trail (AT) that is about 250 miles long. This should not be surprising, since it spends a lot of time on the top of mountain ridges. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. I plan to go back at some point and hike from the Northern terminus back to this. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The views are excellent. Camping: Big Mountain Shelter (39.952, -77.943), Cowans Gap State Park. Max Elevation: 2850ft. Min Elevation: 2105 ft. Access:The trail can be accessed from the southern terminusof section 16: Capon Springs Road, Route 609 (39.110,-78.478). I have done Wildcat Mountain, and you could stop to bury a body and smoke a cigarette and not see anyone (rated a 6), so a 5 seems about right having seen three others. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Re-trace your steps to the Biby Wilderness Trail, then turn left to continue along the switchback trail until you reach the Tuscarora Trail. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Advisory: Note, the Basore's Ridge portion of Section 14 is currently closed. I hiked this two days ago on Saturday with my wife, my sister-in-law and her boyfriend. This is an easily accessible parking area with room for a half dozen cars. Tuscarora State Forest Snowmobile Trail - Northern Division (PDF) If you start going downward on the FS road you missed the right turn. To an extent, the Tuscarora is largely what I expected: remote, isolated, and with few people. The shelter is generally used by through hikers. While I doubt Id hike the whole thing again, there were a couple of places I wouldnt mind revisiting. Tuscarora Trail: Biby Trail to Pinnacle Shelter Hard (377) High View, West Virginia Photos (495) Directions Print/PDF Map Discover this 9.0-km out-and-back trail near High View, West Virginia. Max Elevation: 760 ft. Min Elevation: 380 ft. Access:The trail can be accessed from both the northern and southern termini of section 9: End of Licking Creek Access Road (39.657, -78.055), Camp Harding Park on Pectonville Road (39.670,-78.041), Advisory:Exercise caution in Indian Springs WMA during hunting season. Hardly any views as trees were blocking but nevertheless,indeed a solace-finding trail. Then, at the 3.0-mile mark, a trail sign. It looks like a zipline platform, but to be clear, there is no zipline. That might be a good shakedown hike for my twice-delayed but upcoming Continental Divide Trail hike. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Great Eastern Trail joins/leaves the TT from/on Standing Stone Trail in Cowans Gap State Park. Hmm? I didn't see it but I believe one does exist. I did note in other comments that some have camped this one, and at the shelter it appeared you definitely could, and with the spring/stream not far it would be an ok place. Both routes re-connect with the hiking trail. One was a couple 100 yards north of shelter and was a spring (pretty easy to get to). Tuscarora Trail: Biby Trail to Pinnacle Shelter Hard 4.5 (395) High View, West Virginia Photos (538) Directions Print/PDF map Length 5.6 miElevation gain 1,322 ftRoute type Out & back Check out this 5.6-mile out-and-back trail near High View, West Virginia. 2017by PATC. Al Musser Appalachian Trail ~ Pine Grove Furnace State Park to Woodrow Road. Difficultly: The stated difficultly is 4. It took less than fifteen minutes in the sun to decide that it was okay if we arrived at the shelter around noon. Erin Gifford is the editor of Go Hike Virginia. Bob and I did not put the flies on our tents last night since we knew it works be warm and almost no chance of rain in the HR forecast. There was remnants of a snow dusting on the ridgeline. The information available on this site, including without limitation, overviews, opinions,directions, GPS data, photographs, (collectively "Content") may contain information relating to a hazardous activity. Trail conditions and routes may be subject to frequent and unannounced change. Location: Rocky Run Shelter (412.9 miles) Tags: Appalachian Trail, Maryland, Tuscarora Trail The penultimate day of hiking on my Tuscarora-Appalachian Trail loop brought me a day of great weather and views. Welcome to the Tuscarora Trail Established in the 1960's as an alternate route for the Appalachian Trail (AT), the Tuscarora Trail is a 250-mile long trail through the Ridge and Valley Appalachians of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Did see a very big bears butt as it ran away from me trying to catch a picture. Access:The trail can be accessed from both the northern and southern termini of section 10: Little Tonoloway Day Use Area (39.698,-78.182), Little Pool C&O Canal Parking (39.684,-78.104), Camping: Licking Creek Campground (39.651, -78.048), Little Pool Campground (39.685, -78.113), 2017by PATC. Recommend repainting the blue blazes. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. So yeah, it was a nice day but not much to look at other than service roads for the majority of the hike. You will quickly enter the woods and will be in nearly full shade for the majority of the hike. But with the temperature dropping, the hour getting laterand the fog severely limiting visibility, I chickened out and retraced my steps back down to the forest service road and the warmth of my car's heater. This is not on the white trail leading down. To detour this section, please consult the updates page for current detour information. The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) maintains and manages the approximate 250 mile Tuscarora Trail that is located in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. Max Elevation:2515 ft. Min Elevation:670 ft. Tomorrow should all be trail with no roads. The highlight of the road walk was the dozen or so cows in a field that followed us along the road. I would recommend wearing a hat during this hike about 50 percent of the hike is in a field also bring sun block I have a little red to me today. But it does make hiking the trail somewhat inconvenient. Trail conditions and routes may be subject to frequent and unannounced change. By contrast, the Tuscarora does have plenty of shelters (and hikers are encouraged to use them), and with only a couple of exceptions, they are reasonably well-spaced. This is the Doll Ridge section from Three Top Mountain to Riverview Drive. Isaac Eagan Birch Bluff Trail. However, much to my surprise, every day I was on the trail, I saw at least one other person. Being out of hiking shape (and with it hot and high humidity), the Roller Coaster section of West Virginia was brutal. plus a half hour for lunch. Begin by turning left uphill on the blue blazed Tuscarora Trail passing a closed gate. Last year, I completed a thru-hike of the Tuscarora Trail, along with a stretch along the Appalachian Trail to form a loop. Turn right on the yellow blazed Wilson Cove Trail and FS road as it winds through the valley for 2.0 miles and passes a closed gate and small parking area. Shockeys Knob Shelter in West Virginia had some of the most difficult to collect water I've ever collected, and it smelled so bad that I had to filter it three times before it seemed edible. Tuscarora Trail: Route 55 to Van Buren Furnace Hard 4.2 (10) George Washington National Forest - Lee District Photos (615) Directions Print/PDF map Length 25.8 miElevation gain 4,058 ftRoute type Point to point Head out on this 25.8-mile point-to-point trail near Wardensville, West Virginia. Here are the Cumberland Valley locations: Section 1 . Roadwalks do have the benefit that its generally easy to keep a fast pace, but they are typically also quite boring, and pavement and asphalt are much harder on the legs and knees than dirt. I noted other comments about the decent from the shelter being hard on knees. THE AUTHORS OF THIS SITE AND THE PATC ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR HARM TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY THAT RESULTS FROM YOUR USE OF THIS SITE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, USE OF ANY CONTENT ON THE SITE. There is a gas station and restaurant on the main road coming thru town before you turn on the backroads leading to the parking spot (call it 5-7mi to gas from the trail). But there were a couple of days where, had I not lucked out by running into trail maintainers who offered to plant water caches for me in two places, I would have had two days where I would have had very long water carries, one of which would have been over very rough and rocky terrain. Tuscarora State Forest Treasures Maps and Information (PDF) Hoverter and Sholl Box Huckleberry Natural Area Trail Guide (PDF) Tuscarora Trail. In 0.5 miles pass a side trail on the left that takes you to a spring, and in another 0.2 miles emerge onto a FS road. At the trail sign, turn left onto the southbound section of the 252-mile Tuscarora Trail. Ridge was not clearly marked to Gerhard Shelter. The reward came as we reachedthe ridge. Max Elevation: 1950ft. Min Elevation: 790 ft. Erin Metcalf PA Tuscarora Trail ~ Bill Miller Trail to Cowpens Road. The information available on this site, including without limitation, overviews, opinions,directions, GPS data, photographs, (collectively "Content") may contain information relating to a hazardous activity. It is very rocky there, so do not expect to tent. First shelter was Burd Run shelter. . Trail. I was dumb. Still warm. The view was pleasant, but it was also obstructed by leaves, so it may be better in late-fall or winter. I had spotty ATT cell service on the hike. At the end of my second day on trail, the internal frame on my pack broke (leading to hiking for two days with a sharp rusty metal rod poking into my side), though in fairness to the Tuscarora, that happened on the AT section of my hike, and the pack already had 5400 miles on it by that point. I'll review the standard route. I really dont know its use. I personally thought the third one had the most superior vistas. PATC Map J, Guide to the North Half of the Tuscarora Trail. On balance, was nice to revisit that section of the AT again. Follow the trail for 0.5 miles where it merges with the yellow blazed Vance's Cove Trail. Follow the ridge for 1.0 miles and arrive at Gerhard Shelter. Ken Ferebee Appalachian Trail ~ Mount Marshall Saddle to Gravel Springs Gap. Information on this site is presented with intent to be as accurate as possible at the time of posting, but it is provided as is and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information. For more information, visit the PATC TT60 Challenge page. At the end of the FS road in 0.8 miles, just past a burn, the unmarked Vance's Cove connector trail will bear right. The trail is over 220 miles in length with 110 miles in Pennsylvania. PATC Map L, Guide to the South Half of the Tuscarora Trail. The rock scramble is fun but it does not better the view. Day 3 Gross Descent: 893, Day 3 Elevation Profile Gerhard Shelter Tuscarora Trail Backpacking Trip 2022 Sintax77, Total Trail Mileage: 9.8 Miles The information available on this site, including without limitation, overviews, opinions,directions, GPS data, photographs, (collectively "Content") may contain information relating to a hazardous activity. It was a small Cessna 150J that went down due to engine power loss and fortunately their were only minimal injuries to one of the two passengers. It's not so bad that it's not doable, but I'm hoping she'll come to enjoy hiking so I didn't want to overdo it with her. On a cold, drizzly December Saturday before Christmas, after a week of rain and wintry mix, I got a late start and left my rain and head gear at home -- what was I thinking? There are three ways to complete the challenge: hiking, doing volunteer trail maintenance with the PATC, or completing a combination of both hiking and trail maintenance that adds up to 60.
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