Pennsylvania
Counties crossed: Franklin County → Cumberland County → Perry County → Dauphin County → Lebanon County → Schuylkill County → Berks County → Lehigh County → Carbon County → Northampton County → Monroe County
Pennsylvania has 229.6 miles (369.5 km) of the trail The trail extends from the Pennsylvania-Maryland border at Pen Mar, a tiny town straddling the state line, to the Delaware Water Gap, at the Pennsylvania-New Jersey line. The Susquehanna River is generally considered the dividing line between the northern and southern sections of the Pennsylvania AT. The AT crosses the Susquehanna via the Clarks Ferry Bridge, near Duncannon.
In the southern half of the state, the AT passes through Caledonia State Park, Michaux State Forest, and Pine Grove Furnace State Park (the actual midpoint of the AT was slightly slightly moved and is now over just under a half-mile west of PGF State Park and is marked by a "Midpoint" sign). These areas in south central Pennsylvania are the northernmost portions of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are geologically distinct from the Ridge and Valley section further north. The two parts are separated by the broad Cumberland Valley, where the trail has a change of scenery, crossing many farms and large highways. There is no camping allowed in the 18-mile (29 km) stretch between Alec Kennedy and Darlington shelters.
In the northern half of the state, the AT climbs back up into the mountains and passes through St. Anthony's Wilderness, which is the second largest roadless area in Pennsylvania and home to several coal mining ghost towns, such as Yellow Springs and Rausch Gap.
Trail towns that are popular stops with thru-hikers are Boiling Springs, Duncannon, Port Clinton, Palmerton, Wind Gap, and Delaware Water Gap.
Northwest of the Schuylkill River, the trail runs along the top of the Blue Mountain ridge. Just before entering New Jersey, the Blue Mountain ridge becomes the Kittatinny Ridge.
With the description of "where boots go to die", Pennsylvania is infamous among thru-hikers for having more long stretches of rocky trail than any other state, although many feel the rocks are overrated. The worst rocks are in the northern half of the state, north of the Susquehanna River. Many consider Pennsylvania one of these easier parts of the AT, since it is mostly walking on ridges with relatively small elevation changes compared to many other states.
In 1984, the ad-hoc citizen's group Citizens Against the New Trail (CANT) and four local townships organized to oppose suggested changes by The National Park Service (NPS) to the sixteen-mile route in the Great Cumberland Valley between Carlisle and Harrisburg, the longest route that follows a paved highway.
Read more about this topic: Appalachian Trail By State
Famous quotes containing the word pennsylvania:
“The discovery of Pennsylvania’s coal and iron was the deathblow to Allaire. The works were moved to Pennsylvania so hurriedly that for years pianos and the larger pieces of furniture stood in the deserted houses.”
—For the State of New Jersey, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“The Republican Party does not perceive how many his failure will make to vote more correctly than they would have them. They have counted the votes of Pennsylvania & Co., but they have not correctly counted Captain Brown’s vote. He has taken the wind out of their sails,—the little wind they had,—and they may as well lie to and repair.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)