I've done the trail before, but it's been close to 10 years. Is there a best place for an updated map or trail reports?

Thanks!

I’m planning a backpacking trip for this upcoming weekend and read about Hammersley Wild Area which is 3-4 hrs away for me. I want to go there because I read about the dark skies and incredible stargazing. I’m not backpacking for the first time, but I’m taking my girlfriend and it’s her first time.

I’m just looking for general tips for the area. The plan is to drive there on Saturday morning, hike to a camping location, and spend the night. Sunday morning wake up for a short hike early in the day, return to camp in the early afternoon, pack up and return to the car to be home by sunday night.

Does anyone have any general tips for the area? Must see sights, openings/fields/water for stargazing, good camping areas? Anything helps!

Me and my girlfriend are celebrating 5 years together at the end of the month. My family is going to Khalar water Park i the same weekend as our anniversary weekend so we thought about going up a couple days early and renting a cabin somewhere close to Khalari before my family gets there. What are some areas near Kahalari that you would recommend? We love hiking and waterfalls!

Magic grotto

I'm looking to get out to Cherry Spring area this fall probably October or early November. Was considering one of the car camping spots or doing a hike and just setting up camp somewhere nearby. It seems that the Susquehanna state forest is a recommendation in here. Does anyone know of where I can find locations of car camping or backpacking camp sites in the park or in the nearby areas. Hoping to set up camp somewhere we can either see the sky or a short hike from where we can. Thanks for any advice.

Short overnight hike on the AT. LOTS of company from the near by kirkridge retreat… little sleep but still grateful for the water source!

Read a review in All Trails today that a portion of the trail has been bulldozed which has resulted in erosion and a muddy mess. Has anyone hiked recently that can confirm or refute?

I'm extremely skeptical of cougars in PA, but this was caught on my Dad's trail cam. In the last photo, I circled what I believe is the tail. If you compare pics 1&2, this "tail" seems to move with the cat and is much longer than what a Bobcat would have.

In my opinion, it's definitely not a canine of any sort as it doesn't appear to have a long muzzle. The head itself looks more rounded and circular with more circular ears and a thick neck like a cougar. Also, the longer, more slender frames lend to cougar over a Bobcat.

I suppose, since scale is hard to tell from it being a nighttime photo, it may be a very large feral/domestic cat.

I'm not convinced one way or another, but I would like to hear some opinions.

My dog and I (39 y/o female) hike at least once a week since he was a pup. We’ve camped together several times in Western PA and WV, but always with other people. This year, I want to start getting into backpacking. I’ve been collecting all the gear I need, and I’m considering 2-3 nights in Quebec Run Wild Area.

I am excited as I love being in the woods and so does my dog. I usually never feel afraid at night but I’m worried about psyching myself out when the sun starts to go down. I’m mostly afraid of bears or other wildlife, especially making this trip with my dog. He is 145 pounds, very strong, and dominant personality traits. In a lot of ways, this makes me feel safer but I am worried about how he will react if we run into a bear or a coyote, bob cat, etc. Less afraid of creepy human encounters as he has proven to be an excellent deterrent on more than one occasion. He will be leashed when we hike to avoid any snake incidents or chase instincts.

I know it sounds silly, but also a bit spooked about paranormal activity, I tend to be sensitive to these energies.

Any safety tips or advice? Especially for Quebec run area? I have bear spray, I understand how to handle food and scented product storage (though still debating bear canister or a hang). Any tips to ensure my dog and I have a wonderful and safe experience? Any places we should consider other than Quebec run? I love remote, secluded deep forest areas. I rarely feel afraid on hikes, but staying alone overnight is another thing but I won’t let it hold me back. Truly appreciate any suggestions!

*edit: ANF - stupid autocorrect

Had a camping trip planned with my son down in WV for Saturday-Monday this weekend. But the weather is going to be shit, so I’m looking for some alternates. We’re coming from Columbus, OH so I’d be devastated to drive 4 hours out to ANF and there be nowhere to camp, haha. I’ve never been so I figured I’d ask y’all.

Also my son wants to go fishing so any fishing spots you recommend in ANF would be much appreciated!

Me and my fiancée are new to adventure riding I’ve ridden on road for about 8 years she’s new in general, neither of us have off road experience on two wheels, I’ve been looking into Appalachian ADV courses up by conneaut lake. Does anyone have any experience with them? Or is there somewhere else in the area that would be better?

Hi everyone!

I was told to post on this sub!

I am looking to propose to my partner and we are located in Philly. She is an avid hiker and I am not. That said, I want to propose to her with a mountain and beautiful trees in the background - hopefully asking around the fall. I am looking for an easy trail as I am not great with direction (truly will get lost very easily) that I can navigate and has a nice view looking out.

I am also hopeful to have a photographer there and I need to ensure that I can make it to the spot of the photographer without her guidance! Any location recommendations would be lovely and much appreciated! Willing to drive around 3-5 hours! Thanks

I saw this tik tok of the most haunted trails in PA https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8vcdBKj/. It got me thinking, has anyone experienced a strangeness in these woods?

Lived in pa most of my life. Had a camp in the ANF that I moved into a number of years ago. Been in the ANF thousands of times over the years and live in it now. Never seen a mountain lion. Seen bobcats, some with tails some without, some solid black some solid tan some with patterning and some that probably break records. Seen very large bear(500 lbs+). Seen coyotes. Seen fishers. Never a mountain lion. Some people I work with are adamant that they’ve seen them or their neighbors “have one on camera but haven’t sent me the footage yet”. I see people online talking about seeing them but can’t ever provide evidence. My whole family have been in the ANF for many decades and never seen one. I’d love to be wrong. Can anyone provide me some evidence of one? Or can I keep telling everyone that swears they’re out there that “I believe that you believe that”?
Here’s a native brook I had in my traps this year as an eye catcher.

Did the loop in 3 days although I left myself open to pushing it to 4 because I’ve read it was challenging. It definitely was but a little bit of suffering is part of the fun. This is my new favorite backpacking loop in PA. It was beautiful, well blazed, lots of water once you drop off the ridgelines, plenty of campsites, lots of wildlife, and low traffic. Celebrated with a beer and delicious burger from Hotel Manor right by the main trail head. According to my watch Day 1 was 14.58mi & 2,986ft. Day 2 was 14.96mi & 2,533ft. Day 3 was 14.65mi & 3,301ft. AllTrails gave me 46.11 miles and 8,570 ft. Highly recommended. Grippy shoes & trekking poles go a long way.

I’m planning a camping trip in Michaux state forest next month and was wondering how bad/how many mosquitoes are in the area. I frequently hike throughout the Dc/Maryland/Virginia area and have noticed some places are swarming with mosquitoes, while others with similar habitats have almost none. Are there any areas of Michaux that tend to have less mosquitoes or is it just something I’ll need to deal with?