and more
Summer Hikes in the Susquehanna River Valley
For a taste of the SRV Great Outdoors, view the Susquehanna River Valley Hiking, Biking and Camping Video produced by Gilson Snow, Inc.
Summer
is a bursting in gorgeous sunshine and bird song. The trees are
verdant, flowers are blooming and river is lazily flowing past farmlands
and quaint towns. So, lace up your boots, hit the trails and rejoice in
all the glory of summer in the Susquehanna River Valley. The SRV has many trails popular for hiking, whether in state forests, along the river bank or in a community park.
Hiking with Children
Hiking is a wonderful way to interact with your children, create memories that will stay with them forever and provide a life-long means of connection with each other and with nature. If you haven't hiked with young ones before you may be a bit intimidated but the American Hiking Society provides some helpful tips to get you started on the journey. Read more.
Find eight great locations within the Susquehanna River Valley for introducing children to the wonder and excitement of hiking. Read more.
More Hiking Trails
The Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area
offers a fun walking trail - While the majority of AOAA trails are for
off-road enthusiasts, there is also a 3.1-mile walking trail with
exercise stations and scenic outlooks. The trail is open to the public
for free, year-round enjoyment. The trailhead kiosk is located at the
AOAA Welcome Center and the trail will lead you through the wooded
campground and across bridges over the swales. Enjoy the bench and picnic table at Sunset Ridge for an evening picnic. Stay for the sunset; the view is breathtaking.
The Merrill Linn Land and Waterways Conservancy maintains trails perfect for experiencing spring’s awakening. Visit their website to learn more about the Dale’s Ridge Trail located just outside of Lewisburg as well as the Koons Trail in Mifflinburg at the historic Hassenplug Covered Bridge.
The Montour Area Recreation Commission manages parks, trails and outdoor recreational programming including the Montour Preserve which offers trails in varying lengths from the .2-mile Hummingbird Trail to the 3.9-mile Chilisaugi Trail. Also find information on the North Branch Canal Trail and the Robbins Trail/Old Reading Line Loop Trail at the Hess Recreation Area in Danville.
The Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
in Millersburg has beautiful trails open for those looking to
experience the splendor of a spring woods walk. Print a copy of the Berry Mountain Trail Guide before you head out to walk.
The Roaring Creek Tract in Weiser State Forest
offers a chance to get outside in Northumberland County. An eight-mile
shared-use trail runs through the valley for those who wish to take a
leisurely hike alongside the gurgling creek and reservoirs.
Easy hiking trails can be found at area state parks as well. Raymond B. Winter State Park has over five miles of park pathways with connecting trails and roads on surrounding state forest land. Or amble along the riverside trails at Shikellamy State Park and Milton State Park. Of course, for the experienced hiker more difficult trails can be found at each of these mentioned sites.
Snyder Middleswarth and Tall Timbers Natural Areas
Located
near the town of Troxelville, Tall Timbers and Snyder-Middleswarth
Natural Areas host lovely picnic spots and a 3.4-mile hiking loop to an
extensive stand of old-growth hemlock, along Swift Run in Bald Eagle
State forest. Tall Timbers is noted as having one of the
tallest trees in the state, an eastern hemlock, at 145.5'. The 660-acre
area is covered with second growth forest of oak, white pine, hemlock
and hard pine. Snyder-Middleswarth is a 500-acre tract containing virgin
white pine, hemlock and pitch pine. The hiking trail follows the grade
up Swift Run through a steep hollow lined by truly virgin white pine and
eastern hemlocks. Some of these trees are over 150 feet high and over
40 inches DBH. One downed tree along the trail counts 347 rings. After
hiking through this section, you can continue through "Tall Timbers", a
bordering old second-growth forest, and turn left or south on
Middleswarth Tower Trail to climb to the top of Tick Mountain, a total
distance of 1.6 miles.
The Hook Natural Area of Bald Eagle State Forest is PA's largest Natural Area. Located about 20 miles west of Lewisburg, The Hook boasts 5,119 acres of wilderness playground. The area is completely within Bald Eagle State Forest and encompasses an entire watershed within the state forest. This watershed is dissected by Panther Run and North Branch Buffalo Creek. The sound of burbling streams is a delightful perk of this beautiful mountain valley hike with fern meadows, underground springs, other-worldly Rhododendron tunnels and Mountain Laurel, which provide a stunning picture during spring bloom. The Hook is known for huge old trees such as White Pine, Hemlock and Oak.
Watsontown Towpath Trail
The
Watsontown Canal Towpath is a 1-mile hiking trail that runs parallel to the
West Branch of the Susquehanna River. The
trail runs from the southern end of Elm Street at the Canal Boat Riverfront Park to the West Milton
State Bank parking area. Users who plan on biking the trail should be
prepared with a mountain bike, due to the uneven surface and tree roots. The trail was
originally used by horses which pulled canal boats along the canal.
Parking and Trail Access:
Public parking is available at the riverfront park next to Canal Street in Watsontown, on the east side of the river bridge. The park has a canal boat-shaped pavilion, as well as a primitive boat launch. Informational panels by the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership about the trail are located next to the pavilion. The trailhead can be accessed by walking the path from the park down and under the West Brimmer Ave Bridge. The trail can also be accessed from West 5th Street and West 10th Street.
Information Courtesy of Susquehanna Greenway.
The White Mountain Ridge Trail is located within the Penns Creek Wild Area of Bald Eagle State Forest.
The trails in this area include 4- and 9- mile loop trails with amazing vistas in one of the most remote areas in Bald Eagle State Forest. The popular Chimney Rocks lookout offers determined hikers a spectacular view of Penn's Creek. Bald Eagles, Osprey, and other birds of prey can often be spotted flying up and down the creek.
Purple Lizard Maps highlights these trails in their Purple Lizard Adventure Blog, providing detailed descriptions of the trails and how to find the trailheads. Make sure to purchase Purple Lizard’s Bald Eagle State Forest map before you head out to hike this isolated yet beautiful area of Central PA.
Purple Lizard produces beautifully designed, durable and waterproof, easy to read topographic maps featuring contour lines, elevation data, shaded relief, and all the key details you need to plan your adventures: backroads and trails, trail use designations, road surfaces (paved/gravel/4wd), parking access, campsites, public lands, historic sites and more.
Hiking Resources
You can find Purple Lizard maps and a wealth of other resources for hiking including nature field guides, trail maps, park maps, books and more in the retail store at the Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Center. We also offer free PA state park guides, maps and trail guides. If you would like more information about the resources available here, call 800-525-7320, send us an email at [email protected], stop by our visitors center or visit our online store at: VisitCentralPA.org.
Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau
81 Hafer Rd.
Lewisburg PA 17837
[email protected]
800-525-7320
570-524-7234
