Canoe & Kayak
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E-Mail: canoe@bedford.net
Maple Run Section
Mid-State Hiking Trail
Bedford County, PA
The northern part of the trail offers a lovely half-day hike along a mountain stream
(Trail account by Doug and Craig Mayer)
Introduction: The trail is located in northern Bedford County near Saxton and Woodbury. This is a 7 mile section of the Mid-State hiking trail. It is situated on state game lands on the east side of Tussey Mountain between Loysburg Gap in the south and the intersection of Maple Run and Maple Run Road in the north. It was laid-out in the summer 1997 and is well marked with rectangular orange blaze on the trees.
This account is based on the hike my son, Doug, and I made on August 27, 1998. We are not expert hikers, but we have traveled a bit and appreciate the requirements of back-country hiking. The northern 4 miles of the trail offers a beautiful day trip, well-suited for beginner to intermediate hikers. Generally, this trace is a gradual slope that runs along a lovely mountain stream populated by native brook trout and shaded by giant hemlocks. The southern 3 miles consists of very difficult terrain and is not suited for the unfit or unprepared. It tracks to the west of Maple Run and traverses a rough, rocky path through steep fingers and draws. A fall here could get you injured.
Getting to the trail heads: The Northern Terminus: From Bedford take Route 30 east about 3 miles to the warning- caution signal on the west side of the hospital. Turn left toward Loysburg (the sign says "Loysburg 11"). Coming from Breezewood in the east you can turn at the same location or, at Everett, take route 26 north to route 36 and then on to Loysburg. From Loysburg go north on route 36 for 3 miles and then turn right on Hickory Bottom Road (SR 1017). Look for the Shady Trail Riding School sign. Go 2.3 miles on this road and then turn right onto Pulpit Road. Again, look for the Shady Trail Riding School sign. Go 1.5 miles on Pulpit Road and then turn right onto Maple Run Road. Go 1.3 miles to the Trailhead. It is located in a draw where the Run crosses the road. The game commission has several signs posted in this location to include designation of a parking area. The rectangular orange blaze on the tree at the trail entrance is obvious.
The Southern Terminus: This is located on route 36 about 150 yards west of the New Frontier restaurant and 1 mile east of Loysburg. The orange blaze is on the north side and directly across route 36 from the western end of the truck pull-off.
It isn’t that obvious, so look for the orange blaze. There are numerous places to park.
Doing the Trail: It is strongly recommended that, if you are not engaged in through hiking or otherwise wanting to do the whole section, that you confine your day-hike to the northern 4 miles of this section. We recommend starting this hike from the northern terminus as the slope and terrain definitely favor a northern approach.
From the northern trailhead the trail follows an old logging road for its first 1/4 mile and then it cuts away to the east (left) down a 10 to 15 foot grade. This turn is very clearly marked with double orange blazes. From this turn you will not come upon any double orange blazes for another 3 miles or until you reach about mid-point on this trail section. The trail runs along or parallels the west side of Maple Run. The mid-point is an excellent spot to turn and then hike back to the trailhead.
The trail is not traveled very much and the pathway is covered by ferns and often a carpet of moss. This tends to disguise the rocks and roots, so you must be careful with your footing. The soil will also tend to be wet or moist, even in dry late-summer conditions, as the trail is heavily shaded and runs beside the stream. The stream flows year-round. Look into any, of its many deep pools and you will see native brook trout. When we did the hike we flushed deer and grouse. We also came upon a flock of wild turkeys that were not at all alarmed by our presence.
A little over one (1) mile into the hike the forest opens up a bit and, in addition to the giant and dramatic hemlock trees lining the stream bank, you will see poplar, oak and stands of young birch. Even in mid-August, with temperatures in the high 80s, it was cool and comfortable under the forest canopy.
Two (2) miles from the trailhead the trail cuts away to the west of the stream, climbs the side of the ridge slightly and runs parallel to the stream before rejoining it at about the 2 3/4 mile mark. During this track it passes through a field of waist high ferns and, at about the 2 1/2 mile spot, it crosses a boggy area that has been improved with a path of large and needed stepping stones. We called this area "stepping stone bog". At our very leisurely pace we reached the stepping stones after hiking for about 70 minutes.
After the stones the trail tends to get drier and the path is less rocky for a period. The trail passes through a thick stand of birch saplings and then winds back toward the stream. As you again hike along the stream, you soon come upon a tree marked with double orange blaze and a very large tree lying across the trail (the root system is still attached) and notched with an orange blaze trail marking. This is the 3 to 3 1/2 mile mark and is reached after 90 minutes of leisurely hiking. A good place to think about starting the return trip.
The trail follows the stream for another 1/4 mile and then cuts away to the west to start a ridge climb and the much more difficult southern 3 miles of the trail. After 30 minutes of climbing a rocky incline you will see a series of 3 to 4 foot high stone piles or rock mounds. There are about 8 of them - obviously stacked by hand, but without any apparent reason for being located in the middle of nowhere on the side of the ridge. The State probably purchased these gamelands in the 1920s and 30s from logging companies. Maybe the rocks had to do with the setting up of a portable saw mill? Can anyone help us here?
Another 1/4 mile brings you to a water filled run that drains into Maple Run. We named it "August Run". It is colored blue on a contour map and from our observation looks as though it flows year round. After the run we continue to climb and soon come to an area we called "Tree Stump Meadow". There are numerous, large old logging stumps and a clearing which offers a very nice view of Warriors Ridge to the East. This is the only such view on the trail section. At the 3 hour mark or 5 1/2 to 6 miles into the hike you come across a double orange blaze and the trail goes to the right and up the hill. Don’t go to the left along, what appears to be, an old logging road. The old logging road leads to stone house and spring and it can be seen from the trail as it rises.
From here things get tougher and you still have another hour of hiking ahead. Don’t plan on trying to cover things more quickly as the conditions just won’t allow it. The trail climbs sharply toward the top of the ridge and the path is largely a series of irregularly shaped stones and boulders. As you get to the top of the ridge you may begin to hear road sounds and see some hills in the distance. You are not near the top for very long before you begin a descent.
Please be careful here as the descent, which follows an old logging road, is very, very steep and it is quite easy to loose your footing on the loose stones. As you descend try to pay attention to the orange blazes as the trail makes a sharp turn to the right off the old road. You tend to watch your footing and don’t pay much attention to the markings. When you leave the road you have only a short distance to the terminus, but it is a very steep and rough path through a hillside of stones and boulders.
It took us 4 hours and 15 minutes to do the hike. We walked at a leisurely pace and only rested three times for a total of about 15 minutes. Take drinking water even though the natural supply is available along the trail. Bug repellent is helpful, and high-top hiking boots for ankle support and protection is definitely needed. Shorts are OK - we didn’t come across any poison ivy or oak. It is definitely a great place for a quiet and peaceful experience on a back-country forest trail along a crystal clear mountain stream.
Mid-State Hiking Trail
Bedford County, PA
The northern part of the trail offers a lovely half-day hike along a mountain stream
(Trail account by Doug and Craig Mayer)
Introduction: The trail is located in northern Bedford County near Saxton and Woodbury. This is a 7 mile section of the Mid-State hiking trail. It is situated on state game lands on the east side of Tussey Mountain between Loysburg Gap in the south and the intersection of Maple Run and Maple Run Road in the north. It was laid-out in the summer 1997 and is well marked with rectangular orange blaze on the trees.
This account is based on the hike my son, Doug, and I made on August 27, 1998. We are not expert hikers, but we have traveled a bit and appreciate the requirements of back-country hiking. The northern 4 miles of the trail offers a beautiful day trip, well-suited for beginner to intermediate hikers. Generally, this trace is a gradual slope that runs along a lovely mountain stream populated by native brook trout and shaded by giant hemlocks. The southern 3 miles consists of very difficult terrain and is not suited for the unfit or unprepared. It tracks to the west of Maple Run and traverses a rough, rocky path through steep fingers and draws. A fall here could get you injured.
Getting to the trail heads: The Northern Terminus: From Bedford take Route 30 east about 3 miles to the warning- caution signal on the west side of the hospital. Turn left toward Loysburg (the sign says "Loysburg 11"). Coming from Breezewood in the east you can turn at the same location or, at Everett, take route 26 north to route 36 and then on to Loysburg. From Loysburg go north on route 36 for 3 miles and then turn right on Hickory Bottom Road (SR 1017). Look for the Shady Trail Riding School sign. Go 2.3 miles on this road and then turn right onto Pulpit Road. Again, look for the Shady Trail Riding School sign. Go 1.5 miles on Pulpit Road and then turn right onto Maple Run Road. Go 1.3 miles to the Trailhead. It is located in a draw where the Run crosses the road. The game commission has several signs posted in this location to include designation of a parking area. The rectangular orange blaze on the tree at the trail entrance is obvious.
The Southern Terminus: This is located on route 36 about 150 yards west of the New Frontier restaurant and 1 mile east of Loysburg. The orange blaze is on the north side and directly across route 36 from the western end of the truck pull-off.
It isn’t that obvious, so look for the orange blaze. There are numerous places to park.
Doing the Trail: It is strongly recommended that, if you are not engaged in through hiking or otherwise wanting to do the whole section, that you confine your day-hike to the northern 4 miles of this section. We recommend starting this hike from the northern terminus as the slope and terrain definitely favor a northern approach.
From the northern trailhead the trail follows an old logging road for its first 1/4 mile and then it cuts away to the east (left) down a 10 to 15 foot grade. This turn is very clearly marked with double orange blazes. From this turn you will not come upon any double orange blazes for another 3 miles or until you reach about mid-point on this trail section. The trail runs along or parallels the west side of Maple Run. The mid-point is an excellent spot to turn and then hike back to the trailhead.
The trail is not traveled very much and the pathway is covered by ferns and often a carpet of moss. This tends to disguise the rocks and roots, so you must be careful with your footing. The soil will also tend to be wet or moist, even in dry late-summer conditions, as the trail is heavily shaded and runs beside the stream. The stream flows year-round. Look into any, of its many deep pools and you will see native brook trout. When we did the hike we flushed deer and grouse. We also came upon a flock of wild turkeys that were not at all alarmed by our presence.
A little over one (1) mile into the hike the forest opens up a bit and, in addition to the giant and dramatic hemlock trees lining the stream bank, you will see poplar, oak and stands of young birch. Even in mid-August, with temperatures in the high 80s, it was cool and comfortable under the forest canopy.
Two (2) miles from the trailhead the trail cuts away to the west of the stream, climbs the side of the ridge slightly and runs parallel to the stream before rejoining it at about the 2 3/4 mile mark. During this track it passes through a field of waist high ferns and, at about the 2 1/2 mile spot, it crosses a boggy area that has been improved with a path of large and needed stepping stones. We called this area "stepping stone bog". At our very leisurely pace we reached the stepping stones after hiking for about 70 minutes.
After the stones the trail tends to get drier and the path is less rocky for a period. The trail passes through a thick stand of birch saplings and then winds back toward the stream. As you again hike along the stream, you soon come upon a tree marked with double orange blaze and a very large tree lying across the trail (the root system is still attached) and notched with an orange blaze trail marking. This is the 3 to 3 1/2 mile mark and is reached after 90 minutes of leisurely hiking. A good place to think about starting the return trip.
The trail follows the stream for another 1/4 mile and then cuts away to the west to start a ridge climb and the much more difficult southern 3 miles of the trail. After 30 minutes of climbing a rocky incline you will see a series of 3 to 4 foot high stone piles or rock mounds. There are about 8 of them - obviously stacked by hand, but without any apparent reason for being located in the middle of nowhere on the side of the ridge. The State probably purchased these gamelands in the 1920s and 30s from logging companies. Maybe the rocks had to do with the setting up of a portable saw mill? Can anyone help us here?
Another 1/4 mile brings you to a water filled run that drains into Maple Run. We named it "August Run". It is colored blue on a contour map and from our observation looks as though it flows year round. After the run we continue to climb and soon come to an area we called "Tree Stump Meadow". There are numerous, large old logging stumps and a clearing which offers a very nice view of Warriors Ridge to the East. This is the only such view on the trail section. At the 3 hour mark or 5 1/2 to 6 miles into the hike you come across a double orange blaze and the trail goes to the right and up the hill. Don’t go to the left along, what appears to be, an old logging road. The old logging road leads to stone house and spring and it can be seen from the trail as it rises.
From here things get tougher and you still have another hour of hiking ahead. Don’t plan on trying to cover things more quickly as the conditions just won’t allow it. The trail climbs sharply toward the top of the ridge and the path is largely a series of irregularly shaped stones and boulders. As you get to the top of the ridge you may begin to hear road sounds and see some hills in the distance. You are not near the top for very long before you begin a descent.
Please be careful here as the descent, which follows an old logging road, is very, very steep and it is quite easy to loose your footing on the loose stones. As you descend try to pay attention to the orange blazes as the trail makes a sharp turn to the right off the old road. You tend to watch your footing and don’t pay much attention to the markings. When you leave the road you have only a short distance to the terminus, but it is a very steep and rough path through a hillside of stones and boulders.
It took us 4 hours and 15 minutes to do the hike. We walked at a leisurely pace and only rested three times for a total of about 15 minutes. Take drinking water even though the natural supply is available along the trail. Bug repellent is helpful, and high-top hiking boots for ankle support and protection is definitely needed. Shorts are OK - we didn’t come across any poison ivy or oak. It is definitely a great place for a quiet and peaceful experience on a back-country forest trail along a crystal clear mountain stream.