Pine Grove Furnace State Park - day hike w/ Fido
Details
Steeped in natural and historical features, the 696-acre Pine Grove Furnace State Park is at the northern tip of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in an area known as South Mountain. Visitors enjoy many recreational opportunities, including two mountain lakes, Laurel Lake and Fuller Lake, hiking the Appalachian Trail, biking the rail trail, visiting the Appalachian Trail Museum and imagining when the park was a charcoal-fired iron furnace community. The park is surrounded by Michaux State Forest, which provides opportunities for exploring extensive public lands around South Mountain.
Hiking: 4 miles of trails Buck Ridge Trail: 6 miles, yellow blazes
This trail through Michaux State Forest connects Kings Gap Environmental Education Center and Pine Grove Furnace State Park. The trailhead and a small parking area are across from the park office. http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/pinegrovefurnace/
http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/5/9/2/4/600_438802820.jpeg
Mountain Creek: 1.4-miles, yellow blazes
This trail is a link between the rail trail to Fuller Lake and Icehouse Road to Laurel Lake. The trail affords the hiker an alternate path to Laurel Lake Day Use area other than the paved roadway. The trail meanders through forests and wetlands as it follows Mountain Creek downstream to Laurel Lake.
Pole Steeple Trail: 0.75-mile, blue blazes
This Michaux State Forest trail contains some steep climbs. The entire park can be viewed from the Pole Steeple Overlook, which is a quartzite rock outcropping. The trail begins at the Pole Steeple parking lot, along the Railroad Bed Road by Laurel Lake, and proceeds up Piney Mountain to the rocky overlook.
The steep grade and sheer drop may stress some individuals. Parents are advised to closely supervise children, especially when they are on the rocks and ledges.
http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/4/a/8/8/600_439939080.jpeg
•Wear sturdy shoes to protect your feet.
•Carry the proper safety equipment, like a first aid kit and a poncho.
•Stay on the trail. If you hike off the trail, you might get lost or damage fragile habitats.
•Carry drinking water. DO NOT drink from streams, springs or lakes without properly treating the water first!
•Observe wildlife from a safe distance. Do not try to get close to wild animals.
•Check the weather before you hike. It is not safe to hike in thunderstorms or when heavy snow is expected.
•Tell someone where you are going and when you will return.
•A cell phone can be useful for calling for help, but many sections of the park do not have cell phone coverage.
Appalachian Trail
Running through the heart of the park is probably the most famous footpath in the world, the Appalachian Trail (A.T.). The 2,186-mile long trail traverses the Appalachian Mountains, stretching as a continuous footpath from Springer Mountain in northern Georgia to Mt. Katahdin in central Maine. The trail is marked with white blazes, which can be seen near the Pine Grove General Store, Appalachian Trail Museum, Fuller Day Use Area and on the rail trail. http://www.nps.gov/appa
http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/4/a/0/b/600_439938955.jpeg
http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/4/a/4/c/600_439939020.jpeg
http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/5/9/2/f/600_438802831.jpeg