Recommended Hikes In PA

[DayTrip]

I'm heading to PA for work in July (near McAdoo,PA to be exact - Eastern PA). Curious if there is any worthwhile hiking in Eastern PA. By "worthwhile" I'm talking long ridge walks with rock outcrops, views, etc similar to the Catskills or the Taconics. Doesn't have to literally be in the immediate area. Can drive for a few hours to get to worthwhile destinations. If anyone has any suggestions let me know. Thanks.

 

[jfb]

Here's one option: https://www.hawkmountain.org/visit/visit/page.aspx?id=222

 

[weatherman]

AT sections are great- really from the Susquehanna all the way to the NJ border. Bike spotting if you're by yourself is a good way to do it. Do be mindful of the millions of basketball-sized, ankle turning rocks on some parts of the ridges though- just because there is little elevation change doesn't mean you'll be cruising at 3 MPH the whole time.

PA state parks in that area are great too and many have some good hiking, just not as much on the ridgetops. There are a few published PA hike books that can give you a good start. Have fun!

 

[HockeyPuck]

I can't formally recommend Bushkill Falls as I've never visited but it appears to be similar to the Flume Gorge.

 

[nartreb]

The Delaware Water Gap area (about an hour and a half east of McAdoo) offers good views, especially from Mt Tammany and Mt Minsi. A dense network of trails including the AT helps to handle the crowds from New York City, but if you can go on a weekday, that's best.

A bit futher afield (three hour drive), or maybe something to do on the way there or back, check out the Shawangunks if you haven't before. You don't have to be a climber to be awed by the cliffs, and there's plenty of non-technical hiking and biking trails, including the aptly named OverCliff carriage road, plus places where you can do a short rocky scramble, plus some nice nearby falls and swimming holes. https://www.mohonkpreserve.org/visit/visit-us.html

 

[DayTrip]

A bit futher afield (three hour drive), or maybe something to do on the way there or back, check out the Shawangunks if you haven't before. https://www.mohonkpreserve.org/visit/visit-us.html

A year or two back someone recommended this and I went and it was AWESOME. I went from the Something Gap (forget name), up to Mt Millbrook and over to Gertrude's Nose and back out the same way. What a hike. Left at sunrise and it was all foggy so all the drop offs at the cliff outlooks just dropped into nothingness. On the way back it burned off and the sun came out and it was like a totally different hike at those same outlooks. I'd love to find more ridges like that one!