6 Hikes to take in Central PA

  

We've talked multiple times on the blog about all the hikes we've done over the summer. Although we hope to do a few more this fall, we thought we would at least make  a comprehensive list of the ones we've done so far, and review them.



                                     These hikes were all done around Central, PA




1. First was the Dale's Ridge Trail. - This was the first one we hiked and little did i know that this one would end up being my favorite. The views were amazing and it was a good mix between challenging and relaxing.  I would like to hike this one again in the fall. 



2. The next one was Kettle Run which was part of the Bald Eagle Forrest.  We attempted this once but did not get out of the car because we were too frightened ( no marked trails, middle of nowhere, didn't look safe).  We went back a week later with a friend who was an avid hiker.  I will say that this was a very challenging hike because it was a very steep hill, some of it rocky.  I would not like to do this one again.

We gave this trail 2 thumbs down


3. Geisinger Stewardship Forest Trails - I had high hopes for this one.  Because it was located behind a hospital campus, we felt very safe on these trails. 

The trails were pretty challenging, and it was cute that the trails were all named after medical terms.  However, I found the trails to be confusing because there were too many options and it seemed like many of the trails intertwined.  I felt the hike was rather boring, and there was no view. We left this trail  rather disappointed and head to a different trail in the area that I had done before.

Our 2nd trail in one day. 

4. J. Manley Robbins Trail - We came to this trail after we were disappointed with the Geisinger trail.  I was familiar with this trail because this is where I ran my very first trail race. ( I needed a 1OK race to submit a time for my first Disney Half Marathon...FYI don't do a trail race if you need a good time for corral placement, I ended up running a road race for a MUCH better time).  Anyway, I remembered this being a nice trail.  It was still nice, but a little overgrown in some areas. There is a nice covered bridge and a creek along this trail and a nice ravine to look over.  The highlight of this hike was seeing a deer along the creek and then another one in the brush. 

                                           

                 


5. Montour Preserve- I loved this trail. It is a trail surrounding a lake and was clearly marked.  I think I would have enjoyed it  just a bit better if I wasn't so worried about running into a bear. There were bear signs posted throughout the trail, so we were always on alert.  The reward of course is coming out to the clearing and seeing the beautiful lake and recreation area. 



6. North Branch Canal Trail - This trail was pretty flat  and went through woods and fields. It followed the river and although it wasn't that exciting, it was actually a nice hike.  This was the trail we called "murder on the trail" because of the skeletons we found there. 


Although we didn't get to hike there this year so far, R.B Winter Park and Rickett's Glen are also worth a mention.   Where are some great places to hike in your area?









14 comments:

  1. Looks like you have some nice places to hike! I haven't been to any trails in a long time. Sounds like a nice way to explore and get outside, especially this year.

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  2. You have such beautiful places to hike where you live!

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    1. Yes, we are very lucky that we have all these trails. Especially when there wasn't much else we could do this summer!

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  3. Lots of great places to explore, and hiking is definitely a great way to stay active ;-)

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  4. Lots of great places to explore, and hiking is definitely a great way to stay active ;-)

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  5. I've loved reading about your hikes--between you and other bloggers who live in PA, it looks like you have access to some amazing trails!

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  6. I recognize some of those trails from trail races I have done. The Montour Preserve area is very nice. I want to try Rickett's Glen sometime too. I haven't been there since I was a kid. I will have to look up Dale's Ridge for future reference. All of these places would be a nice day trip for us.

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  7. Such pretty hikes! I really had high hopes to be hiking now, but with Lola recuperating we really can't leave her for a long time & we can't take her with us (she's much better, but it would be way too easy for her to reinjure herself).

    When I stopped at the park on the way to my mom the last visit, there was almost no one there & I have to admit it was kind of creepy. Plus I did think about bears, too!

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  8. It's been fun exploring more local places - we loved hiking and running in Warren Dunes State Park when we visited Michigan in Sept, too!

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  9. What neat hikes! Thanks for sharing! I may have to check some of them out. We are a little south 2-3 hours but we are always looking for weekend trips and activities!

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  10. Thanks for these reviews! I bet we could do one of these hikes as a day trip.

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  11. My husband and I just love to hike but we don’t get that many opportunities around here so we are headed back up to Michigan in a couple weeks and I cannot wait! Hiking in the fall is especially my favorite! If I lived near you in Pennsylvania I would so go with you on all of these hikes!

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