In a few more steps, this white-blazed trail will re-connect with the blue-blazed Tuscarora Trail. And since there were few other hikers on the trail, I had the shelters (and campsites) to myself every night. Wildlife. The spring off the white blazed trail is just a small creek - it's a very short hike down a steep hill. Follow the ridge for 1.0 miles and arrive at Gerhard Shelter. A somewhat similar tail to the Tuscarora is the Benton MacKaye Trail, located in Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. The blue blazes are really light at the parking spot. . 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. 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. Trail conditions and routes may be subject to frequent and unannounced change. The shelter is generally used by through hikers. Grand Total Gross Elevation Gain: 1,901. At the trail sign, turn left onto the southbound section of the 252-mile Tuscarora Trail. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Youll arrive at a platform at the 1.8-mile mark. The highlight of the road walk was the dozen or so cows in a field that followed us along the road. Proudly created with Wix.com. Advisory: Trail follows easements on private property, stay on trail at all times, no camping. But hey, it was a good excuse to get out into the woods, so I grabbed my pack and headed out for some adventure, Route Overview Gerhard Shelter Tuscarora Trail Backpacking Trip 2022 Sintax77, Trailhead Used: Tuscarora Trail Waites Run Rd, 390055.0N 783617.8W 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. Recommend repainting the blue blazes. 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. Weather was crisp and perfect. Water can be obtained at the spring down the hill, but keep in mind that it's a 1.2 mile round trip Day 1 Mileage:4.7 miles Day 1 Gross Elevation Gain: 1,474 Day 1 Gross Descent: 1,003 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. There are houses on the road that the parking area is at. The ascent up to ridge was as described, and a very good workout. Begin by turning left uphill on the blue blazed Tuscarora Trail passing a closed gate. 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. The trail on top of the ridge is neat with what appeared to be apple trees, and nice views through the trees on both sides of the ridge. Hike itself was great, with plenty of sweat and breaks. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. You drive up and up and up to reach Timber Ridge Trail. Temperatures in the mid eighties. And this is part of the BMTs charm. To see more signs and volunteers installing them,check out the photos[opens new window]. Full GPS track data, including campsites, etc, for this tripand many others can be downloaded on my Trip Data Page. 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. (Day 33: A Race Against The Rain) Previous Entry. The spring is not great but it is water and it seems better than yesterdays spring. 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 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. This is a popular trail for hiking and running, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. In a few more steps, you will reach the Pinnacle Shelter. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Links: Buchanan State ForestCowans Gap State Park. It was definitely worth a quick diversion. The AT sections of my loop hike went largely as I expected, and I dont really have much to add I didnt already cover in my hike journal. Exercise caution in SGL #124 during hunting season. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Chincoteague Island: A Relaxing Hike on the Woodland & Bivalve Trails, Massanutten Hiking Trails: Massanutten Ridge & Kaylors Knob in McGaheysville, Virginia, Mountain Lake Lodge: 3 Scenic Hikes for Dirty Dancing Fans in Pembroke, Virginia, Strickler Knob: An Eye-Pleasing Rock Scramble Hike Near Luray, Virginia, Mostly dirt and rock trails, some grass and rock scrambles. This is because a large portion of the Tuscarora is on or adjacent to private land, where no camping is allowed. She has completed more than 300 hikes in Virginia. This 0.7-mile hiking trail leads to the Tuscarora Trail. This might be a little problem if we planned on putting rain flies on the tents. 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. 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. This allowed me to get my backpacks base weight down to around 10 lbs, while still including my puffy jacket and ultralight rain jacket for supplemental warmth at camp if needed. Tuscarora Trail At the trail sign, turn left onto the southbound section of the 252-mile Tuscarora Trail. Follow the Tuscarora Trail back to the intersection with the High Rock trail and continue straight on the blue blazed Tuscarora Trail as it generally follows the ridge. The blue blazed trail climbs the side of Great North Mountain steeply and makes several switchbacks before reaching the ridge line in another 3.0 miles. Generally considered a challenging route. It does not store any personal data. While I doubt Id hike the whole thing again, there were a couple of places I wouldnt mind revisiting. There were also a couple places here and there where water was flowing across the trail/road. Day 3 Gross Descent: 893, Day 3 Elevation Profile Gerhard Shelter Tuscarora Trail Backpacking Trip 2022 Sintax77, Total Trail Mileage: 9.8 Miles Despite the 90+ degree day, the temps at the top and along the hike were manageable. " An alternative to the Appalachian Trail, the 252-mile Tuscarora Trail traverses four states, including Pennsylvania. Additional trail connections in the Tuscarora State Forest include: North Fork Trail, Couch Haul Road, Perry Lumber Co Trail, Twig Trail. Al Musser Appalachian Trail ~ Pine Grove Furnace State Park to Woodrow Road. 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). These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. It also turned out to be a rather long day. Reservations can be made online at the Pennsylvania State Parks and Forests Reservation website at any time, or by calling 888-PA-PARKS (888-727-2757), Monday through Saturday, 7:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. except on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Camping: Burd Run Shelter (40.053,-77.888), PATC Silberman Trail Center (by reservation only), Cowans Gap State Park. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. This was a very pleasant walk in the woods. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Turn left here for a rock scramble and a mountain view. You should verify critical information such as directions, park hours, gate closings, blaze colors and specific regulations (pet policies, firearm/hunting regulations, etc.) It stretches from Mathews Arm in Virginia to Sterretts Gap in Pennsylvania. I noted other comments about the decent from the shelter being hard on knees. Shortly after we turned off the road and into the woods, we decided on an early lunch at a creek crossing. The crossing looked iffy on getting across without wet feet. 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). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. PA-641 to Cowans Gap State Park, 15.7 miles, PATC Map K, Guide to the North Half of the Tuscarora Trail. I really dont know its use. 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. One of the challenges of maintaining the Tuscarora Trail has been its incomplete, inconsistent, and inadequate signage. My April temperature range for this trip was between 40 and 75. The Tuscarora is a bypass route of the Appalachian Trail (AT) that is about 250 miles long. PATC Map J, Guide to the North Half of the Tuscarora Trail. Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) has provided PATC with a generous grant to raise awareness of the 250-mile Tuscarora Trail. The last bit is an easy decent through grassy trail down to the shelter. For more information, visit the PATC TT60 Challenge page. Tuscarora Trail Info: https://www.hikethetuscarora.org/Subscribe for more: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqAEjJfJjG43FBo_nLIbZoA?sub_confirmation=10:00 | Introduction0:58 | Trail Sign Correction1:23 | Charlie Irvin Shelter3:26 | PrivyGear I used in this video and use on my other hikes - As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases:AquaMira Drops: https://amzn.to/2TehA6EEsbit 14g Tablets: https://amzn.to/2WcBCjqEsbit 4g Tablets: https://amzn.to/38Msvc1Katadyn BeFree 0.6L Water Filter: https://amzn.to/34sttuZSawyer Squeeze Water Filter: https://amzn.to/3a2N9GsTOAKS Light Titanium 550ml Pot (Ultralight Version): https://amzn.to/2PWHadZTherm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm Ultralight Backpacking Air Mattress: https://amzn.to/2YuRyMUTherm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite Women's Ultralight Mattress: https://amzn.to/2YrxXNXTherm-a-Rest Z Seat: https://amzn.to/2sPoWSTSea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow: https://amzn.to/2RzPHFhLEKI Corklite Trekking Poles: https://amzn.to/2Lz0OdQVictorinox Swiss Army Signature Pocket Knife: https://amzn.to/3jt6PabBRS-3000T Stove: https://amzn.to/2YrxnQhOlicamp XTS Pot: https://amzn.to/2Lz0USKBulin BL300-F2: https://amzn.to/2rq5WtVMantles: https://amzn.to/2RwkdQwHillsound Trail Crampon Traction Device: https://amzn.to/3aJ9rgXSealSkinz Waterproof Hiking Sock: https://amzn.to/2OZLEAwAltra Lone Peak 3.0: https://amzn.to/2RqGqPkMy camera gear:Canon M50 Camera: https://amzn.to/341QKQMLens Polarizer Kit: https://amzn.to/2Ys0yCJSIRUI 3T-35 Video Tripod (best camera selfie stick): https://amzn.to/2LA4Na6#nosmallcreator #AppalachianTrail #nosectionleftbehind The Gerhard Shelter was well kept and clean. I really enjoyed this hike and felt good afterwards. 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. 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. I was disappointed that the Washington Monument in Boonsboro, MD was (understandably) closed due to Covid. 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. You'll have to watch your PA water sources, as several shelters are dry or a legit mile plus down off the ridge for water. (The Tuscarora loops around the north end of the mountain.) It took less than fifteen minutes in the sun to decide that it was okay if we arrived at the shelter around noon. 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. I had seen on the map it spelled as Bird Run (trail) though, so I wasn't sure of the correct spelling. Where it existed, water quality on the trail was wildly inconsistent. Before you take your first steps, enjoy the mountain views in the distance. This is my personal website. To detour this section, please consult the, The Tuscarora Trail 60th Anniversary Challenge, In honor of the 60th anniversary of the Tuscarora Trail, the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club is hosting the TT60Challenge. There seemed to be a lot of interesting trails in the George Washington National forest in Virginia and West Virginia, and it would be fun to explore those. The trail can be accessed by road from both the northern and southern termini of section 4 in Tuscarora State Forest: Exercise caution in the Tuscarora State Forest during hunting season. There are some loose stones/rocks under foot as you make your way up though. 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. Youll see a double white blaze on a telephone pole and a small sign for the Biby Wilderness Trail. I noted no hidden patches of ice on trail rocks (as tends to occur under leaves sometimes) that would make for 'awesome' footing. Looks like cell service is good here. I plan to go back at some point and hike from the Northern terminus back to this. At the 1.0-mile mark, you will reach the second of several rock scrambles. Despite this, the Tuscarora Trail remains a seldom traveled long trail. She is also the author of three hiking guidebooks from Falcon Guides. 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. There is evidently a trail leading from the shelter to an outhouse. It's intended to be a western alternative through the Appalachians to the Appalachian Trail. I think the rating of 5 is accurate. Further, I expected there would be days where I saw nobody else. It will have some family genealogy information as well as my travel journals. I didn't see it but I believe one does exist. This is not on the white trail leading down. Ridge was not clearly marked to Gerhard Shelter. Turn right on the blue blazed trail. All the roads in Shawneeland are called trails, including Maple Trail, Timber Ridge Trail and Fir Trail. Re-trace your steps on the Tuscarora Trail and Biby Wilderness Trail to reach your vehicle. This section of the Tuscarora Trail has several overlooks, highlighted by one at Terrapin Spring near the southern end, and the Paul Gerhard Shelter at the midpoint. Weenjoyed our small lunch, signed the book and off we went. I recently hiked a section of the blue-blazed Tuscarora Trail in Winchester to Pinnacle Shelter and Pinnacle Overlook. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. This time of year, the fragrant mountain laurel is out in full force all along the trail, too. In fact, there are several very nice shelters that seem almost too good for the trail (and are palatial mansions by AT standards), given the relatively small number of hikers on the Tuscarora. There are several overlooks, too. What the Tuscarora lacks, though, is campsites. 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). Highlights: Pinnacle overlook, Laurel Run Falls Access: The trail can be accessed from the northern terminus of section 15: US Route 50, limited shoulder parking (39.268, -78.314). It is worth doing, please don't take my points as negative, simply trying to round out my opinion. Turn left for Pinnacle Camp. Erin Gifford is the editor of Go Hike Virginia. 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 would expect ticks in season given the grasses growing along part of the ridge. That might be a good shakedown hike for my twice-delayed but upcoming Continental Divide Trail hike. Va Route 698, Basore Ridge Shelter access (39.323, -78.258). The sign marking VA and WV was cool. 2017by PATC. This 252-mile trail cuts through Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Most other water sources fell somewhere in-between. Max Elevation:2515 ft. Min Elevation:670 ft. The views are excellent. This complete trail was originally built as separate trailsthe Tuscarora Trail in the north and the Big Blue Trail in the south. Proudly created with Wix.com, **All GPS coordinates given on this site use the WGS-84 datum**. 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. The overall distance does make it long, but the ascent is not overly high or steep. With the exception of Maryland, every state on the Tuscarora had great ridge-top views. There are many, many prominent green blazes. Reese Hollow Shelter in Pennsylvania had a beautiful crystal-clear spring flowing just off to the side from the shelter. Today is my last full day on the AT before reaching 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. Great Eastern Trail joins/leaves the TT from/on Standing Stone Trail in Cowans Gap State Park. Freeze dried dinners and inside tents by seven to hide from the bugs. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. On the TT the shelters are Big Mountain, Burd Run, Charlie Irvin (Pictured), Fowler Hollow, Reese Hollow and Wagon Wheel. Virginia had the best view at a campsite, in the George Washington National Forest on Little North Ridge Mountain. I did this hike on 5/17 in the direction suggested in this guide and in reverse on 5/24. At Pinnacle Camp, youll find a flat and well-shaded area thats just right for pitching a tent and creating a campfire. Advisory: Exercise caution in the Tuscarora State Forest during hunting season. 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). 2021 Tuscarora 2021 Tuscarora Trail - Day Three - Barclays Run Shelter Posted by stoffa on 20 May 2021 Thursday, 20 May 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. The reward came as we reachedthe ridge. Primitive camping is allowed throughout the Bucahan State Forest with a free permit. We bypassed the Spring, and off we continued until we hit the WVA/VA crossing, then all the way down the FS road to the parking lot where we first turned aroundin the morning. 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. 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. before you embark upon your trip. Most likely, Covid restrictions in the first half of 2020 caused the shortfall of maintenance in Pennsylvania. Turn right on the unblazed forestry road. on our section trails. This is a popular trail for birding, hiking, and walking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. 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 . From here, begin your descent along the rocky switchback-laden trail. before you embark upon your trip. The morning started like yesterday, overcast, with fog in the treetops. Didn't see anyone else the whole hike. At the shelter I talked to a gal for a second. It may have been in the high 20s up high, as my beanie cap seemed stiff in parts, I think from frozen sweat. 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. This trail soon re-connects with the blue-blazed Tuscarora Trail. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. The Tuscarora Trail continues north for another 167 miles before ending at an intersection with the Appalachian Trail, according to the sign at the shelter trail. Hardly any views as trees were blocking but nevertheless,indeed a solace-finding trail. Lesson learned. We've hiked all around this particular loop but hadn't hiked this loop as described here, though we've done bits of it on other hikes. 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 is nestled on the edge of a cliff with wonderful a wonderful view of the valley. . Camping is limited to one night without a permit. A lot of rotted and dying trees and there were a couple of signs about chemicals that had been applied, so who knows. The last part back to the parking area follows Waites Run - beautiful. With a "short" 10.8 mile day planned, I didn't get up terribly early. Other: The trail markings as per the instructions seemed sound, as did the given instructions in general. 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 PATC revived the trail, began maintaining it, and united the Tuscarora-Big Blue Trail with blue blazes and one name. In the 1990's the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club took over responsibility for reopening it. Approximately 23 miles of this hiking trail cross the Tuscarora State Forest. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies.