CNY Hiking HOME PAGE Appalachian Trail AT in Pennsylvania Best of the AT in PA
AT in Pennsylvania

PA 61 to
PA 309

The Pinnacle, Pulpit Rock

 

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Appalachian Trail GPS Tracks

Get the complete GPS Tracks for the AT in Pennsylvania for ONLY $3.97!  This .gpx file includes waypoints for all trail shelters along the 230 miles of trail in Pennsylvania and many of the official AT parking areas.  Use the BUY NOW button below and we'll send you the file via e-mail!  Happy Hiking!

This twenty-six mile section of the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania is one of the more popular sections of the trail in the state. You'll find day hikers at "The Pinnacle" and "Pulpit Rock", which are probably the most popular hiking destinations in Pennsylvania. This stretch of the AT travels from Port Clinton to the trail crossing of PA 309 at the summit of Blue Mountain.

Port Clinton is a popular thru-hiker destination as many stay at the Port Clinton Hotel. Hikers are allowed to camp for free at the Church Grove Park grass area. Parking for the AT in Port Clinton is limited on the streets in town. There is a parking area off PA 61 for about ten cars, only accessible via the southbound lane. There is a blue blazed trail that leads from the parking area to the main AT. The parking area GPS coordinates are N40 34.702 W76 01.444 for those who have a GPS devise in their vehicle.

There are three shelters located along this section of the Appalachian Trail. The Windsor Furnace Shelter was built in 1972, sleeps six and has a privy. There are limited tent sites located nearby as well. The Eckville Hikers Center is an enclosed bunkroom that sleeps six (no fee) that has a flush toilet plus a solar shower. The Allentown Shelter was constructed in 1997, sleeps 8 with a privy and tent sites. A spring is located 1000 feet below the front of shelter that is sometimes dry. There is another spring another 500 feet down the mountain.

This section of the AT starts as the trail goes under the PA 61 bridge. At 0.1 mile cross Port Clinton Ave and a parking area. The GPS coordinates for the parking area is N40 34.472 W76 01.204 for those who have a GPS devise. The white blazed Appalachian Trail now climbs the mountain. Reach the top of the ridge at 0.7 miles. The trail crosses a clearing of a former telephone line at 1.7 miles. At 2.6 miles reach the normally reliable Pocahontas Spring.

At 5.2 miles reach a trail sign at Windsor Furnace. Road on right leads 0.3 miles to the Windsor Furnace parking area aka the Hamburg Reservoir parking area. The GPS coordinates for the parking area is N40 35.013 W75 56.516 for those who have a GPS devise in their vehicle. No camping or fires are allowed in the Hamburg Watershed area, except at the Windsor Furnace Shelter. At 5.3 miles cross Furnace Creek where there is no swimming or bathing permitted. At 5.4 miles reach a side trail on your left that leads 0.1 miles to the Windsor Furnace Shelter.

At 6.5 miles reach the junction of a blue blazed trail on your right that leads to Blue Rocks Campground. At 7.0 miles the trail reaches Pulpit Rock on the right. No camping or fires are allowed here. At 7.2 miles there is a view on your left on a rock outcropping. The trail passes a tower. At 8.8 miles reach the junction of a yellow blazed trail that travels steeply down a hill1.3 miles to Blue Rocks and then on another 0.2 miles to Blue Rocks Campground.

At 9.2 miles a blue blazed trail on your right travels 250 feet to the spectacular views of The Pinnacle. There is no camping or fires allowed in this area. At 10.9 miles reach a blue blazed woods road on your left that goes to Furnace Creek. At 11.8 miles reach a woods road on the left that travels 1.5 miles back to Windsor Furnace. This creates an extremely popular loop day hike option of about nine miles featuring Pulpit Rock, The Pinnacle and Windsor Furnace.

At 12.4 miles leave the Hamburg Watershed area. At 12.7 miles there is an unmarked reliable spring on the left. At 13.6 miles the main AT veers left off old road. The blue blazed old road continues 0.4 miles to a State Game Lands parking area. At 14.5 miles cross Hawk Mountain Road. To the left leads to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, to the right leads to the Eckville Shelter in 0.2 miles by following the blue blazes along the road.

At 16.0 miles turn left onto abandoned road that climbs the ridge. At 16.3 miles reach a blue blazed trail on the left that travels two miles to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary's North Lookout. A fee is charged to hike in the sanctuary. At 16.8 miles the trail leaves old road and turns right onto a foot path. At 17.4 miles reach Dan's Pulpit, located just a few feet off the trail on your right.

At 18.1 miles reach a blue blazed trail on your right that travels 1.9 miles into the valley. At 20.6 miles reach Tri-County Corner. A blue blazed trail on the left travels 0.1 miles to the top of a rock pile where a marker indicates the point where Berks, Lehigh and Schuylkill Counties meet. At 20.7 miles there is a blue blazed trail on your right, which is the Old Dresher Road that travels down the mountain, however is closed near the bottom by a land owner. The AT turns left at the junction and become very rocky.

At 21.8 miles the trail turns right onto a woods road. At 21.9 miles reach the junction of a blue blazed trail on the right that travels 100 feet to the Allentown Shelter. At 22.2 miles reach a blue blazed trail that leads to a spring and then to the Allentown Shelter. At 23.8 miles the trail crosses a rough stone mountain road called Fort Franklin Road. There is a small parking area located near the crossing. The GPS coordinates of the parking area is N40 41.661 W75 50.511.

At 24.2 miles the foot path ends and the trail turns right onto a State Game Lands road. At 25.6 miles the trails turns right off the road back onto a foot path. At 26.0 miles the trail reaches PA 309 at the 1360 foot summit of Blue Mountain. There is a State Game Lands parking area just north of the trail on the east side of the highway. The GPS coordinates for the parking area is N40 42.467 W75 48.455. This ends this section of the Appalachian Trail.

 

Appalachian Trail Hiking Guide
Pennsylvania
** ONLY $9.99
Hiking guide with descriptions and maps for the Appalachian Trail as it travels in Pennsylvania. The guide is broken down by 14 sections of the AT. The book comes to you delivered as a pdf file via email. Use the buy now button and we will send you the file via email usually within 24 hours of receiving payment.
Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania
PA 61 to PA 309 ** ONLY $1.50
Hiking guide with descriptions and maps for just this section of the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania. The guide comes to you delivered as a pdf file via email. Use the buy now button below and we will send you the file via email usually within 24 hours of receiving payment. Happy Hiking!

 

For more information to assist in planning your Appalachian Trail  adventure in Pennsylvania, we recommend these hiking books:

Appalachian Trail Guide to Pennsylvania

Exploring the Appalachian Trail: Hikes in the Mid-Atlantic States - MD PA NJ NY

Pennsylvania Hiking Trails: Keystone Trails Association

AMC's Best Day Hikes Near Philadelphia

50 Hikes in Eastern Pennsylvania: From the Mason-Dixon Line to the Poconos and North Mountain

Backpacking Pennsylvania: 37 Great Hikes

50 Hikes in Central Pennsylvania

Hiking the Poconos: A Guide to the Area's Best Hiking Adventures

Hiking Pennsylvania

CNY Hiking HOME PAGE Appalachian Trail AT in Pennsylvania Best of the AT in PA

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