Among the events to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the beginning of the Mid State Trail is a series of leisurely day hikes from the Maryland State line to Little Flat, i.e., covering the southern half of the trail. Twelve hikes are planned ranging from 7.1 km in length to about 30 km, for a total of 180 km. Average hiking speed is expected to be about 3 km per hour (2 mph).

The southern half of the trail is mostly a hike along the crest of Tussey Mountain. It includes the 1930's."settlement" areas and Sweet Root Natural Area in Buchanan State Forest, as well as Little Juniata Natural Area in Rothrock State Forest. Vistas overlook Bean's Gove (the narrow valley of Flintstone Creek) for the 2nd and 3rd hikes, Raystown Lake in the middle of the hikes, and State College near the end of the trek, among many others. The southern half includes the highest point on the trail (Martins Hill) and the roughest terrain (near Penn State).

A detailed description of the locations and meeting places are given below [directions to reach the meeting place, sufficient to get you there if you have a good map, are in brackets For additional information, contact Ron Stanley, 814-784-3652, 509 Ridge Road, Clearville, PA 15535-9509, apples@bedford.net. Or obtain your own maps from:

1. Mid State Trail Association, P.O. Box 167, Boalsburg, PA 16827 ($17.60 for guide book and maps for hikes 1, 2, 3, and 10 thru 14)
2. PA Game Commission, Dept. MS, 2001 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797 (at $0.95 each, GameLands #97 set of 2 for hike 4; O73 set of 3 for hikes 6, 7 & 8; #181 for hike 9)
3. Bureau of Forestry, P.O. Box 8552, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8552 (up to 3 maps free: Buchanan State Forest for hikes 1 thru 4, Rothrock State Forest for hikes 8 thru 14)
4. US Geological Survey for most detailed maps; needed maps are too numerous to list here.

Feel free to join any or all of these hikes with or without letting me know ahead of time. However, RSVPs would help me plan logistics and know to watch for your arrival at the meeting place. Please provide yourself with good comfortable hiking shoes, an adequate lunch (for day-long hiking) and a generous supply of water.

May 22 8:45 am-noon Green Ridge Trail to Hewitt Covered Bridge 7.98 km (<6 mi) Highlights: "settlement" lands, 2 mtns to traverse [Take Rte 326 S to Chaneysville, L an Abey Rd to Elbinsville, Elbinsville Rd to L on Imes Rd, and meet at the MD State line]

May 22 noon-4 pm Hewitt to Bean's Cove Road 12.39 km (5mi.) Highlight: climb Tussey Mtn. [Take 326 S thru Chaneysville, L on Town Creek Rd, L on Covered Bridge Rd, and meet at Hewitt Covered Bridge]

Jun 5 8:45 am-2 pm Bean's Cove Rd. to 326 in Buchanan Forest 9.93 km (<7 mi) Highlights: Tour guide (Tim Ladner), highest point on MST, Sweet Root Natural Area, many stream crossings [Take 326 south to Sweet Root picnic area, R on Black Valley Rd, R on Bean's Cove Rd, and meet at Martin Hill Rd]

Jun 26 8:45 am-3 pm Game Lands 97 (Rainsburg to Everett) -20 km (<14 mi) Highlights: Vistas to valleys on both sides of Tusssey Mtn [Take 326 S. thru Rainsburg to Blankley Rd, and meet at Blankley Rd]

Jul 10 8:45 am-noon Snake Spring Rd to Game Lands 73 -11.2 km (-7 mi) Highlight: Scenic rural valley [Meet at the west end of Everett near N end of Weicht Bridge]

Jul 10 noon-2 pm Game Land 73 to Rte 36 -7.1 km (<5 mi) Highlight: Scenic Yellow Creek at end of hike [Take Snake Spring Rd (SR 1005) N to ridge crest just N of intersection with SR 1003, parking just past the crest]

Jul 17 8:45 am-4 pm Rte 36 to Rte 164 -20 km (<14 mi) Highlight: Vigorous climb to reach crest of Tussey Mtn fTake Rte 26 N to L on Rte 36 W to Loysburg, meet at P. O.]

Aug 7 8:45-7:00 pm Rte164 to Williamsburg -30 km (-20 mi) Highlights: Vistas west and east, incl. Raystown Lake [Take Rte 26 N to L on Rts 164, meet at crest of Tussey Mtn]

Aug 14 8:45 am-2 pm Williamsburg to Waterstreet -10 km (<7 mi) [Take Rte 26 N to just before McGonnellstown, L on 3039 W to L on 3014 (Williamsburg Mtn Rd) to the crest]

Sep 11 8:45 am-noon Waterstreet to Brewer Path 16.01 km (-10 mi+) Highlights: Little Juniata Area, vistas [Take 99 N to Rte 22 E to Alexandria Rd between Waterstreet & Alfarata]

Sep 11 noon-6:45 pm Brewer Path to Pine Grove Mills 16.24 km (-10 mi+) Highlights: Most scenic part of MST [Take 99 N to Rte 22 east, left on Rte 45 to right on Colerain Rd, left on Brady Rd to Brewer Path, hike up to crest of Tussey Mtn to join hike in progress]

Sep 25 8:45 am-2 pm Pine Grove Mills to Little Flat 14.65 km (-10 mi) Highlights: Most rugged part of MST [Take Rte 26 N to Jo Hays Vista just before the descent to Pine Grove Mills]

Sep 25 1 pm-2pm Bear Meadows Rd to Little Flat (Kettle Trail) 1 km (two-thirds of a mile) [Take Rte 26 N thru Pine Grove Mills to R on Rte 45, R on Rte 322 to R on Rte 2001, meet at Kettle Trail]

Sep 25 2 pm-3 pm The last two hikes leave us all up at Little Flat, nice views but it will take at least another km to get us down

Sep 15-25 Fast-paced day hikes covering the entire 250 mile Mid State Trail. RSVP if you would like to join this hike or help with logistics.