Synopses & Reviews
Veteran trailblazer and outdoor activist Tom Thwaites, the author of two other Explorer's Guide 50 Hikes guides to Pennsylvania, has completely revised and updated this guide to the central portion of Penn's Woods. A wonderful area of wild country and wildlife, this region offers a vast network of maintained trail systems, yet is nevertheless lightly traveled. The author has added 11 new hikes to reflect changing trail conditions, and has re-hiked and checked each of the remaining hikes for this fourth edition. Each hike includes a topographical map, information on mileage, rise, and difficulty, and narrative on sights you'll see along the way.
Synopsis
Veteran trailblazer and outdoor activist Tom Thwaites, the author of two other 50 Hikes guides to Pennsylvania, has completely revised and updated this guide to the central portion of Penn's Woods. Roughly bound by US Routes 219 and 15, this lightly traveled region of wild country and wildlife offers a vast network of maintained trail systems. State forests and wilderness areas, railroad grades, ridgelines, and river valleys provide miles of hiking opportunities. Thwaites has added many new hikes in this edition to reflect changing trail conditions, most notably along several scenic and rugged sections of the recently completed Allegheny Front Trail. He also updates old favorites, like the precipitous hike along the rim of Pine Creek Gorge (the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania), a 3-day backpacking trip along the Mid State Trail, and a walk through rhododendron and hemlock in Hook Natural Area, the largest natural area in the state. Each hike description includes a topographic map, information on mileage and rise, and a detailed description of the route. An overview chart of the 50 hikes at a glance makes it easy to plan your trip. Throughout, Thwaites provides knowledgeable commentary on the human and natural history you'll encounter along the way.
Synopsis
This edition of a classic hiking guide to Pennsylvania's heartland features 11 new hikes.
About the Author
Tom Thwaites is a preeminent authority on hiking the trails of Pennsylvania. An ardent trail builder and maintainer, he is a past president of the Mid-State Trail Association and an active member of the Keystone Trails Association, the Appalachian Trail Conference, the Sierra Club, and the American Hiking Society. He is the author of Explorer's Guide 50 Hikes in Western Pennsylvania, Explorer's Guide 50 Hikes in Central Pennsylvania, and Explorer's Guide 50 Hikes in Eastern Pennsylvania. He lives in State College, Pennsylvania.