Pennsylvania’s Most Kickbutt Trails: 30 plus miles long, lots of vert, and mostly dirt

PA trails: 30 plus miles long, lots of vert, and mostly dirt

Some of the trails are home to PA’s toughest ultramarathons, like the Triple Crown, Laurel Highlands, and Oil Creek 100.

The information that I found on the trails was from various state park websites, hiker blogs, and on All Trails.

Gerard Hiking Trail, Oil Creek State Park

36mi
Elevation gain about 5591ft
Loss about 5486ft

Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail

70mi
Elevation gain about 10351ft
Overall elevation change about 17000ft

North Country Trail (PA regions)

Northwestern

175mi (138 off-road 37 on-road)

Allegheny National Forest

97mi (93 off-road 4 on-road)

Baker Trail, Allegheny National Forest

134mi
Elevation gain about 21070ft
Loss about 21592ft

PA Grand Canyon

Black Forest Trail

43.7mi
Elevation gain about 8533ft

West Rim Trail

30.5mi
Elevation gain about 5648ft

Rachel Carson Trail, Allegheny County, north east of Pittsburgh

45.4mi
Elevation gain about 6302ft

Standing Stone Trail, The SST was known as the Link Trail, commemorating its connection from the Mid State Trail to the Tuscarora Trail, until its name was changed in January 2007

38.7mi
Elevation gain about 6332ft

Quehanna Trail, Moshannon and Elk State Forests

75mi
Elevation gain about 9534ft

Chuck Keiper Trail, Sproul State Forest

West loop 32.9mi
East loop 22.4mi

Donut Hole Trail, Sproul State Forest, near West Branch of the Susquehanna River

90mi
Elevation gain about 19,534ft

Bucktail Path Trail, Elk State Forest

34mi
Elevation gain about 5,830ft

Mid State Trail

325.1mi
Elevation gain about 45,161ft
Loss about 44,599ft

Thunder Swamp, Delaware State Forest, in southern Pike County

34mi
Elevation gain about 2,588ft

Tuscarora Trail, near Harrisburg and the Appalachian Trail

More than 250mi long, 110mi are in PA

Appalachian Trail

229mi

Loyalsock Trail, Lycoming and Sullivan counties, north central

59.2mi
Elevation gain about 10,449ft

There are also many trail systems, like Susquehannock Trail System (85mi). The fun doesn’t stop.

* Please be respectful of our trails * Pack in, pack out, leave no trace, stay on the trail, and take nothing with you. Follow the rules and guidelines of each park.

Websites to check out:

https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/Recreation/WhatToDo/Hiking/StateForestHikingTrails/Pages/default.aspx

https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/GoodNatured/Pages/Article.aspx?post=52

https://www.visitpa.com/article/16-trails-pennsylvania-will-leave-you-breathless

https://pahikes.com/