Hi guys, trying to plan an overnighter or 3 day hike. Can anyone suggest some good places to go? Poconos/tioga county? I’d like to go somewhere I can drive to, hike in and spend a night or two and hike out, so parking and vehicle safety is a consideration. Fee free/very low cost boondock camping preferred. Somewhere I can fish and possibly wade/swim in semi shallow waters...
Done a lot of car camping, trying to branch out a bit. Just not sure where to start, more so with the virus quarantine/lockdown having everything just now reopening...
WanderXC, try the Grand Canon area of Tioga county, near Wellsboro. There are hiking trails, kayaking, white water rafting all close by. There are motels and campgrounds and restaurants nearby as well. Try googling campgrounds and hiking on the internet . good luck.
Missing camping...in the old days would go for 3-5 days or longer. Much longer when I could take a boat for the gear.
Many years ago I would take 1 pack of hot dogs, some pancake mix a rod & reel, pistol and live on squirrels, fish and frogs after the hot dogs ran out......Ok yes and some refreshments.......
Wow thanks guys 🙂 wellsboro id love to do, been there a lot for STPR over The years but never got a chance to do anything fun while there. There’s always for work…
While I was out the other week driving a route I did cross signs for hickory state park on route 903 in the Poconos and made a mental note of that. Danielsville I think?
Born2hunt, that’s my kind of camping! We used to do that as kids but it’s a little different being in the backyard 65 versus actually being out in the big woods doing it… My luck I’d run into PGC and get nailed for poaching tree rats and rabbits out of season (and I’m not THAT good a shot with 9mm pistol lol). I’ll definitely be carrying though for bears and other 4 legged people eaters. Fish OTOH is another story, have the license for that lol
So next question becomes, do you guys have any recommendations where to go that I would get any shooting time in as well while I’m out camping? I’m really looking for back country Boondock as I can get. Figuring on 10 mile hike in 10 mile hike out, and the last place I remember doing anything like this was up in the ANF as a kid...would love to go back to that spot, but it’s a 4 hour drive from here and I don’t have that kind of time/resources right now. I figure within 1.5 hours or less of Berks/Lehigh county
Perfect! That sounds like a good place to start. The whole idea is to unplug and just enjoy nature. Leave a note and map of my proposed route in the car and just start backpacking. No cell phone, no electronics of any kind. Not even a gps. Old school, topo map and lensatic compass. It’s a learning experience as well, a refresher on things I did in Boy Scouts that I haven’t done in over 25 years. I remember planning out a hike as a kid that took us from Rattlesnake run up over the mountain to penfield the the scout camp in the middle of February thru 2 feet of snow. Hated it then but find as I’m getting older I relish the experience and want to do it again. Funny thing how time changes a person 😋
Not to mention this is good practice for a long haul AT hike from waynesboro to Allentown eventually. Been putting it off for years, time to do it while I still can
Loyalsock trail sounds like it would fit the bill, and is at about the outer limits of your 1.5 hour drive time. I've done parts of it....some nice scenery. The link says it's difficult, but I never encountered anything I'd say is difficult for anybody use to being in the woods.
WAS in quarantine. That's what kind of has me worried....he should have shown up looting a Sheetz for some Jack Link's jerky by now. Although if he is wearing a mask, he may not be easily recognized.:surprise2:
I did the Thunder Swamp Trail in monroe county a few years back. If I remember it was a 25 or 30 mile loop in the Delaware state forest right off 402. You needed a permit to camp but I believe it was free from the dcnr.
WanderXC, there between Wellsboro and Coudersport are several trails to hike. One of them is the Susquehanna Trail System. It is near the DCNR building on Route 6.
Might want to look into the Allegheny Front train in Moshannon SF. You can park your vehicle at one spot, hike the train as far as you want, and then hike back to your vehicle on the many forest service roads. Being a state forest, camping is free.
You guys are awesome, thanks for the suggestion 🙏🏻 There’s so many places in PA to choose from, places to see...Hard to choose. Especially around NW PA (cook forest, bear town rocks, bilgers...) I’ve seen a lot of those areas though and it’s time to explore new ones...
So state forests are free camping, state parks may or may not require paid camping from what I gather, correct?
I know federal forest land is free to camp up to 14 nights and requires moving camp at least a mile down the road for another 14 night stay (at least In BLM land I’m told).
You also might want to try R.B. Winter State Park and Hairy Johns State Park on Route 45 west of Lewisburg. There is a campground and swimming area at R.B Winter along with a dumpster site. Not sure if you need reservations or not. Nice area with a lot of trout steams and a lake at Winters and a picnic area at Hairy Johns. Not sure about R.B. Winters.
Look into the North County trail not sure on the dive time from you but it is in the Kinzua lake area plus cooks forest area. Can get a map of it from the North Country tail web site.
I’ve always wanted to do kinzua... it’s about a 4 hour drive from here iirc. I’ll get there eventually, maybe when I get out to Jefferson co to visit family again
Bumping this back up to the top. Started prepping my bag and want to get out in the next week for 2-3 nights.
looking for a place with an easy hike in that I can camp near a body of water (for fishing and drinking purposes) that is safe enough to set up a base camp while I’m out exploring thru the day. Extra, extra bonus points if it’s remote enough that I can shoot a few target rounds into a hillside. Anyone suggest anything within an hour drive north of Allentown? Prefer somewhere with a stream instead of a pond...dispersed/remote camping would be the keyword.
packing light, bare essentials for cooking/sleeping/fishing
alternately, if anyone has a spot/camp in poconos area that fits the bill they’d be willing to let me tent camp on I’d be indebted.
So looking at AllTrails, the Pinchot loop in gouldsboro looks like a good place to start. Anyone done this spot? How’s the primitive camping and fishing?
WanderXC. try Tioga / Hammonds and Conewesque lakes in Northern Tioga County off route 15 . Camping and lots of fishing nearby. Along with motels and restaraunts.
Little further out than I’d like to go right now. This is a $0 budget rough it trip. Carry a can of spam and some Quaker instant oats with the French press for coffee, catch and forage whatever I can to eat From there. Sawyer water filter and cup to boil kinda trip 😋. No motels, no restaurants, tank of gas or less round trip
Definitely on my list of places to go and I appreciate all of your suggestions 😊 this first trip though is more of a get out of the house and stave off cabin fever with no budget due to the Rona. And the way it’s looking with unemployment, it could turn into a long term thing 😠 🤷🏼♂️
Thanks 👍 honestly, probably wouldn’t be a bad thing long term lol. Much easier way of living when ya don’t have to worry about paying rent or bills and all ya gotta do is figure out where to pitch camp and find food 🤣
Guess I’m doing this Extended trip after all, sooner than later. Landlady wants two months rent in 2 weeks to pay property taxes 🤦
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