Southern Pennsylvania Appalachian Trail Section Hike
Pennsylvania is famous for its rocks and rattlensakes on the Appalachian Trail but is also home to the fourth most miles of any state on the AT (229 total miles in 2023!) In 2023 we section hiked 1,225 miles of the Appalachian Trail, the longest footpath in the world, and spent 13 weeks day hiking, working, and van camping on the Appalachian Trail as we moved up the trail slowly from Georgia to Maine. In this series we cover each section we hiked and in this article we cover a southern section in the state of Pennsylvania.
The 2023 Halfway Point of the AT in Pine Furnace State Park in PA.
IF HEADING NOBO (NORTHBOUND) ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL Pine Grove Furnace State Park is located at mile 1090 OF THE 2023 AT DISTANCE AND THE horseshoe trail junction is mile 1170.9. THIS 80.9 MILE STRETCH IS WHAT WE COVERED IN five days and you will gain 12,000 feet of ascent and have 11,000 feet in descent.
Southern Pennsylvania Appalachian Trail Section Hike Need to Know’s:
Pennsylvania IS rocky, but it gets rockier the farther north you go. There are some gorgeous areas of rural farmland in the souther end.
Pine Grove Furnace State Park is an excellent stop. It boasts the AT Museum (pictured above is the old Katahdin sign in their basement), the halfway point sign, the half gallon Ice Cream challenge, a beach to swim in, and awesome camping.
The 15 miles NOBO to Duncannon was one of my favorite and easier days on the trail and the 15 miles SOBO to Duncannon was probably my LEAST favorite day on the trail that also included a heat wave and hip injury.
While we never saw any of the famous PA Rattlesnakes we saw photos, they exist!!!
Caledonia State Park is a nearby piece of this section you could also add on but due to the heat wave we cancelled our campground there and stayed in a hotel for a few days.
The trail goes directly through the towns of Duncannon and Boiling Springs PA during this stretch of terrain.
Lenny and Pat are famous trail angels that you might encounter on this section and they are on IG @LennyAndPatHiking!
No cars, no trucks, no horses!
What else happened that was memorable during this section hike?
We ran into a thru-hiker who had been hiking on the trail since New Year’s Day (it was July.)
We encountered our first, and only, AT Ridgerunners in Pennsylvania (they warned us of rowdy bears that day!)
The AT Museum is a very cool visit and so is the Half Gallon Challenge in Pine Grove Furnace, we watched several thru-hikers complete the challenge. Give yourself an extra few hours in Pine Grove Furnace State Park. (Note there is no alcohol allowed in this PA State Park.)
We camped for two nights in Pine Grove and stayed in a hotel in Harrisburg for two nights to do a five day/four night hike in this section of the AT. There are plenty of shelters, trail towns, and gaps to easily jump on and off this section of trail as you desire.
It was my first serious injury on the trail as I took a tumble heading up a steep fire road climb on a Blue Blaze of the AT. My hip was banged up and bruised and it turned out to be my most significant injury of the hike.
Take the Blue Blaze Trail to Pole Steeple (this turned out to be my favorite view during this section of hiking in PA!)
What gear did I use and like the most on my 2023 AT Section Hike?
Hoka One Kaha’s were my trusted shoes for this day (and for the whole summer on the trail.)
I used my REI 40 Liter Backpack. This worked great since I was coming on and off the trail every day but most thru-hikers or multi-day section hikers were looking at bigger packs than mine.
Darn Tough Vermont and Merino Wool Socks from REI and SmartWool were my go to’s.
Osprey Water Bladder and Lifestraw Collapsible Filter for hydration.
I wore New Balance running shorts mainly and much preferred that to more typical hiking shorts.
Gaiters were a must as was coating our clothes in Permethrin to avoid ticks. (We did not get any ticks remarkably while hiking the AT in 2023.)
The AT Guide by AWOL and AT Conservancy are AMAZING resources for a hike on the AT!
Pennsylvania is often rated as one of the least favorite states on the AT by hikers. While the hiking was rocky (and I skipped the most rocky sections) I have to say it also had its charms.
The half gallon challenge is silly and fun.
The pizza in Duncannon was solid.
Lenny and Pat’s Trail Magic was unforgettable.
The farmland in the southern end was gorgeous.
The AT Museum is fascinating.
Yet it also boasted humidity that was out of this world, wildly steep and rough sections, and the most bugs in my face on the trail outside of Maine.
It wasn’t my favorite, but I also would say I had no least favorites. All sections we did on the AT were special and this one was no exception. I’ll never forget limping into the gap where Lenny and Pat were set up on a 95 degree day, or watching thru hikers mound a half gallon of ice cream in twenty minutes, or talking to my first AT Ridge Runner. The experience was as good on this section of trail as anywhere else on it.
If I had stepped on one of their famous timber rattlesnakes or hiked the rocks in the northern half of PA I might have a different tune, but I was a section hiker not a thru hiker so I got to pick my places!
Lenny and Pat: PA Trail Angels.
We completed this stretch of trail in five days, it’s a little over 80 miles and it left me super sore, banged up, and in probably the most tired condition I had been since we started. It was also the first time we hadn’t slept in the van since starting the trail. I can’t tell you how comfy having AC in 90 degree weather felt, or not using a public bathroom. (Though the reason we did was for our dog’s safety.) If I were being super transparent from what I heard about the northern half of PA I am not sure I would choose to do it (banged up feet, ruins shoes, aggressive rattlers, etc) but the whole state is not full of rocks. Just most of it haha!
You can tune in here to our podcast episode on the PA Trail Towns on our website or your podcasts app!
Thanks for reading and happy trails to you! Whether you are planning a thru, section, or day hike…or are a trail town local, trail angel, or just someone wanting to learn more about the longest footpath in the world…I hope the Appalachian Trail gives you what you need! Don’t forget to Leave No Trace and pack your 10 Essentials!
Comment below with questions or your experience on hiking the AT in the state of Pennsylvania!
Because Adventure Feeds the Soul,
Mike R
My favorite Blue Blaze of PA!