Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Where it existed, water quality on the trail was wildly inconsistent. This is a popular trail for birding, hiking, and walking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. You should have ask one of the cows for some milk for your morning coffees! I don't think you'd have too serious of issues doing this one after a large rain, although you would definitely get your feet a bit wet in a couple of places. Grand Total Gross Elevation Gain: 1,901. Primitive camping is allowed throughout Buchanan State Forest with free permit. Weather was crisp and perfect. The footing is precarious with loose stone for the majority of the descent. Begin by turning left uphill on the blue blazed Tuscarora Trail passing a closed gate. I've been thinking about planning a thru hike or section hike of the Tuscarora Trail sometime next year. Additional Road Access in Tuscarora State Forest: Limited Parking at Three Square Hollow Road (40.228, -77.569), Limited Parking at 2nd Narrow Road (40.224, -77.594). I was disappointed that the Washington Monument in Boonsboro, MD was (understandably) closed due to Covid. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. . Tuscarora Trail East Map (PDF) Tuscarora Trail West Map (PDF) Snowmobile Trail Maps . This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 4 h 44 min to complete. Youll see a double white blaze on a telephone pole and a small sign for the Biby Wilderness Trail. There's easily another 40 miles of gravel and dirt roads, which makes nearly the entirety of the trail in Maryland "on road". As you come to the end of the grey FS road on the HU map, you'll cross onto a dirt road and will see a clear trail to the right, now marked with white ribbon all the way to the yellow blazed trail. Get to know this 8.5-mile loop trail near Newville, Pennsylvania. The Tuscarora is a somewhat dry trail. This was a very pleasant walk in the woods. It is very rocky there, so do not expect to tent. At this point, we should have been at the 4.0 mile marker butour GPS was 3.87 mi. At this point the trail is a closed forestry road (FS) that slowly climbs the side of the mountain for 0.8 miles before the blue blazed Tuscarora Trail makes a sharp right, and the FS road continues straight. In Maryland, a little more than half the trail is the C&O Canal Tow Path. Dont forget, the last mile is nearly all uphill until the end. It may have been in the high 20s up high, as my beanie cap seemed stiff in parts, I think from frozen sweat. Camping: Fowlers Hollow Shelter (40.247,-77.611), Fowlers Hollow State Park. I personally thought the third one had the most superior vistas. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. This is the Doll Ridge section from Three Top Mountain to Riverview Drive. You dont want to miss the Allegheny View. I know a lot of hikers dislike being on the FS roads, but I don't mind them at all as long as it's not the whole hike! Thanks to all the volunteers for their hard work getting them in and up on the trail. Then, at the 3.0-mile mark, a trail sign. before you embark upon your trip. The trail is generally very well marked and easy to follow, but the leaf covering made some of the switchbacks hard todiscern in a number of places. The spring is not great but it is water and it seems better than yesterdays spring. We have never seen other hikers on this route. The cold water felt good on our feet. You will see a mostly grassy trail to the right of the Biby Wilderness Trail sign. It is less busy and a bit more rugged compared to the A.T. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. We ended up going further down the road then we needed to and then hiked the loop in reverse by accident. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. This trail soon re-connects with the blue-blazed Tuscarora Trail. The best view is from the top of the scramble. When I thru-hiked the Benton MacKaye Trail in 2018, I came away with the impression that it made a quite reasonable alternate to the Appalachian Trail. Max Elevation: 990 ft. Min Elevation:600 ft. Access: The trail can be accessed from both the southern and northern termini of section 14: Siler, VA. Va Route 600 and 690 (39.351, -78.240). Exercisecaution in Buchanan State Forest during hunting season. This made the need for maintenance in Maryland almost nonexistent. Temperatures in the mid eighties. The wildflowers were in full bloom all along the way and it gave me and my dog some space to move. There's 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. Going into Shenandoah backwards was very weird, and I did not recall a substantial portion of that part of the AT from my 2016 thru-hike. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Advisory: Exercise caution in Buchanan State Forest during hunting season. 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. Most likely, Covid restrictions in the first half of 2020 caused the shortfall of maintenance in Pennsylvania. To detour this section, please consult the updates page for current detour information. There is evidently a trail leading from the shelter to an outhouse. The sign marking VA and WV was cool. It's intended to be a western alternative through the Appalachians to the Appalachian Trail. In a few more steps, you will exit the forest and reach a graffiti-laden powerline clearing with views. The Tuscarora is a bypass route of the Appalachian Trail (AT) that is about 250 miles long. Thanks Ed for the response, sounds like there's water in the area. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Like the Tuscarora, the BMT is more remote than the AT. The trail in Virginia and West Virginia was mostly well-maintained, and there were only a few areas where the trail was overgrown and a nuisance to hike on. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Trail conditions day 1 More day 1 trail. 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. In full sun at the overlook, I was comfortable. Some great views some very long walks down a fire road and always fun to see a well maintained shelter. You'll find the hiking trail is mostly dirt and rocks, often way more rocks. To the left of the overlook, you will see a white-blazed trail, which basically runs parallel to the Tuscarora Trail, but also runs alongside several more overlooks. 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 information available on this site, including without limitation, overviews, opinions,directions, GPS data, photographs, (collectively "Content") may contain information relating to a hazardous activity. The Charlie Irvin Shelter at Waggoner's Gap on the Tuscarora Trail has been a work-in-progress for Pennsylvania volunteers. Recommend repainting the blue blazes. Max Elevation: 2200 ft. Min Elevation: 1260 ft. Access:The trail can be accessed by road from both the northern and southern termini of section 4 in Tuscarora State Forest: Limited parking at Cowpens Road (40.219, -77.543), Parking at Hemlock Road (40.234, -77.639). Also, the blue trail that leads off this initial trail/road can be located by two green blazes circling a tree, not too mention that the fire road begins to descend as per the instructions. 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. The ascent now begins, but really, you go up a little, walk a flat section, go down, then back up again, then walk once more on a flat section. 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. Create Recommended Route or I plan to go back at some point and hike from the Northern terminus back to this. Tuscarora Trail I'm in the early planning stages to hike the Northern section of the Tuscarora Trail (Darlington Shelter to Hancock, MD) in May 2012. Being out of hiking shape (and with it hot and high humidity), the Roller Coaster section of West Virginia was brutal. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), 2021 Tuscarora Trail Day Two Basor Ridge Shelter, 2021 Tuscarora Trail Day Four Pinnacle Camp. 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. At the .3-mile mark, you will reach a sign for the Allegheny View and a yellow-blazed spur trail. 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. Yes, all roads. Hmm? There are some nice views on both sides of Great North Mountain from the ridge just before arriving at Gerhard Shelter. This is not on the white trail leading down. To an extent, the Tuscarora is largely what I expected: remote, isolated, and with few people. Timber Ridge Trail is not an actual trail. I would expect ticks in season given the grasses growing along part of the ridge. Sleeping was pleasant and we were up early since we knew we had nearly seven and a half miles of road walking to start the day. Camping: I've never camped on one of these hikes so I don't have an experiential benchmark. The trail connects with the A.T. near Waggoner's Gap. The Kindle is nice when you crawl in before you are ready to sleep. Other: The trail markings as per the instructions seemed sound, as did the given instructions in general. 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. We had no problem getting to Wardensville but once we got to Great North Mountain we couldn't really tell where to park. Follow the trail for 0.5 miles where it merges with the yellow blazed Vance's Cove Trail. But it does make hiking the trail somewhat inconvenient. Once you reach the open ridge, though, it was really nice. Max Elevation:2515 ft. Min Elevation:670 ft. A lot of rotted and dying trees and there were a couple of signs about chemicals that had been applied, so who knows. Tuscarora State Forest Snowmobile Trail - Northern Division (PDF) I wasn't overwhelmed on the ascent as it is not as far up or steep as say Old Rag. From my car, this Shenandoah Valley hike took me just over three hours, including time spent exploring Pinnacle Shelter and Pinnacle Overlook. Full GPS track data, including campsites, etc, for this trip, Potable Aqua Water Purification Tablets with PA Plus, Search for evidence of the 2017 Cessna 150J Incident, Approximate location via the NTSB report is 39.039722,-78.555831, Bushwhack through accident site coordinates directly towards VCC Trail (optional of course). Max Elevation: 2080ft. Min Elevation: 525ft. Access:The trail can be accessed from both the southern and northern termini of section 8: Additional trail connections in SGL-124 include: Alice Trail, Reese Hollow Trail, Hells Hill Trail, Yellow Trail, Advisory:No primitive camping allowed in SGL #124. In honor of the 60th anniversary of the Tuscarora Trail, the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club is hosting the TT60Challenge. (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. In addition to funding this website, part of the REI grant has been used by PATC volunteers to design and purchase hundreds of new full-color directional signs that will guide hikers through the entire 250 miles. We maintain twelve hiking shelters (and the privys!) 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. Philip L. Southers Lee Drive North. 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). Max Elevation: 2300ft. Min Elevation: 800 ft. Access: The trail can be accessed by road from both the northern and southern termini of section 5: Advisory: No water along this section, Exercise caution in the Tuscarora State Forest during hunting season. on our section trails. This 0.7-mile hiking trail leads to the Tuscarora Trail. 2017by PATC. Pennsylvania, though, had very uneven maintenance; some areas were very well maintained, while others were very poorly kept. 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. One was a couple 100 yards north of shelter and was a spring (pretty easy to get to). The last part back to the parking area follows Waites Run - beautiful. At the trailhead, youll be in full sun, but not to worry. You should verify critical information such as directions, park hours, gate closings, blaze colors and specific regulations (pet policies, firearm/hunting regulations, etc.) From here, begin your descent along the rocky switchback-laden trail. Views: I agree with the stated rating (4). It didnt help that these areas of low maintenance also coincided with some of the most rugged areas on the trail, and there were places in Pennsylvania where I struggled to maintain one mile per hour. Tuscarora Treasures Maps. To see more signs and volunteers installing them, The Tuscarora Trail section just west of Massanutten Mountain is closed due to loss of landowner permission. I also noted ice on some streams and frozen over puddles that didn't seem tempted to thaw. Max Elevation: 1950ft. Min Elevation: 790 ft. Camping: Barclays Run Shelter (39.253, -78.319),PinnacleShelter (39.193,-78.3815), Pinnacle Camp (39.193,-78.385), Lucas Woods Hiker Camp (39.177, -78.409). Turn right on the unblazed forestry road. Photos from previous days were youll uploaded but you have to go to the bottom of each days post to see that days photos. It does not store any personal data. The first time I went to "scout" the area to see if it would be a good trip for my wife's second ever backpacking trip. The trail has been rerouted onto Va 689, Adams Rd. Difficultly: The stated difficultly is 4. As much as I enjoyed one of the top hikes near Winchester, the rocks scrambles were a drag at times. Turn right downhill on the white blazed Gerhard Shelter Trail that very steeply descends Great North Mountain. plus a half hour for lunch. It will have some family genealogy information as well as my travel journals. Lots of rock covered with wet leaves -- hmmmm. Weather: Thereabouts low 30s on the day of. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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. The first 3 miles were uphill via the switchbacks, which were decentlymarked. I pretty much had the entire hike to myself besides a few fishermen in the last 20 min of the hike. The nearest being maybe 3/4 of a mile, give or take, in the direction that you come in on. You drive up and up and up to reach Timber Ridge Trail. That would add another six plus miles to our day and most of that would be uphill. Turn left here for a rock scramble and a mountain view. Additional trail connections in the Tuscarora State Forest include: North Fork Trail, Couch Haul Road, Perry Lumber Co Trail, Twig Trail. The PATC revived the trail, began maintaining it, and united the Tuscarora-Big Blue Trail with blue blazes and one name. There is also a picnic shelter, two stone fire pits (one for cooking) and an outdoor privy. Much of the ridge and fire roads are jog-able, as is part of the ascent (most if your in a little better shape than I am). Date/Time: Sat the 14th of Jan 12, from 1215-1445. Tuscarora Trailing: Day Two, May 30 - Licking Creek to Reese Hollow Shelter, ~21 miles. These signs are now fullyinstalled. 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. As far as resupply in PA, Spring Run is a good spot for resupply/town food (the hoagies from Path Valley Market . The Charlie Irvin Shelter is nestled on the edge of a cliff with wonderful a wonderful view of the valley. This is a popular trail for hiking and running, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". I Did this in 5 hrs with 120 pictures taken. Get to know this 6.1-mile loop trail near Concord, Pennsylvania. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent.
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