Paul's Favorite Trails.

  • Buck Ridge Trail - 14 mile out-and-back - Great trail connecting Pine Grove Furnace and King's Gap state parks. Well marked and used enough that the trail is not overgrown, but on any given day you pretty much have the whole trail to yourself. Parking and plumbing at both ends is icing on the cake. I like to park at the furnace stack in Pine Grove, 7 miles to King's Gap, lunch-bathroom-refill water, 7 miles back.
  • Sunset Rocks - 5/10/15 miles - A very nice overlook, plus a half-mile of rock scrambling which is great fun (although I'm always wary of snakes on the rocks). The trail is blue-blazed connecting to the AT at two points; with the AT it forms a loop about 5 miles. You can jump onto the loop by parking on Michaux Rd. off PA233 near Pine Grove Furnace, or walk in from Pine Grove Furnace (10 miles total) or the AT parking lot on Shippensburg Rd (15 miles total) and do a lollipop. The Sunset Rocks trail meets the AT just west of Tom's Run Shelter, and east of Michaux Rd where the AT crosses Tom's Run again in a very pretty clearing.
  • Flat Rock - 5 mile out-and-back - Short but keeps your attention the whole time. A seriously steep stretch early on, some tricky uphills with rocks, topped by a great overlook. The trailhead is in Colonel Denning State Park so parking is not a concern. Upon entering the park from the south, turn right on the road just beyond the park office, then park in the lot after switchbacking down the hill.
    •