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The Best Backpacking in Pennsylvania

Looking for the best backpacking in Pennsylvania? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Pennsylvania. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top backpacking spots in and near Pennsylvania

  • Kempton, Pennsylvania

    Hike the Pinnacles and Pulpit Rock

    4.2
    9 mi / 1200 ft gain
    Park in the lot near the Hamburg Reservoir and hike around the barrier and up the gravel road. Shortly on your right the Appalachian Trail branches off the road. Follow the white blazes of the AT for around 2 miles to the Pulpit Rocks, just before the trail passes the Lehigh Valley Astronomical S...
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  • Wellsboro, Pennsylvania

    West Rim Trail

    4.0
    27.97 mi / 4065 ft gain
    Hiking north to south, the trailhead is just off of Colton Road at a gravel parking lot with bathrooms. The trail is marked with orange blazes and has the largest elevation gain at the beginning and then has relatively moderate elevation change throughout the remainder of the hike. At 2.6 mile...
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  • Williamsport, Pennsylvania

    Backpack the Old Logger's Path

    5.0
    27 mi
    The Old Logger's Path follows abandoned logging roads in a loop through the Loyalsock State Forest. There are multiple places to join the trail, but most people start in the ghost town of Masten, PA.Highlights include Rock Run, noted by many as the most beautiful steam in Pennsylvania. Vistas alo...
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  • Brown Township, Pennsylvania

    Hike the Hemlock Mountain Loop

    5.0
    6.48 mi / 1200 ft gain
    The trail starts where Naval Run Road ends. Follow the the blue blazes into Naval Run. After crossing Naval Run continue right up an old logging skid trail along the run. The trail will intersect with the Black Forest Trail at Naval Run Falls.The trail will follow the orange blazes of Black Fo...
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  • Trout Run, Pennsylvania

    Hike the Frozen Run Gorge

    5.0
    5 mi
    One of the most remote hikes in the beautiful Loyalsock State Forest, this loop through the Frozen Run Gorge is a fantastic hike for an experienced hiker looking to see a place that few other hikers do.There are no official trails through the gorge and this hike is a bushwhack. There are a couple...
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  • Salisbury, Pennsylvania

    Primitive Camp along Wolf Rocks Trail

    3.0
    1.5 mi / 50 ft gain
    This is a GREAT location for beginning backpackers with minimal backpacking rules, short trails and cell service. Although all trails (with a few exceptions found in this brochure -labeled as "Areas Closed to Camping") in the Forbes State forest allow primitive backpack camping (primitive backpac...
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  • Dushore, Pennsylvania

    Hike the Haystacks Rapids and Dutchman Falls

    5.0
    3.9 mi / 425 ft gain
    The Haystacks is a great end of the overall Loyalsock Trail. It is easily accessible, and fairly a gentile trail, however, the beginning is still a relatively rocky and will require some initial effort. When the trail intersects the rail road grade, you can turn left and take the path with the ye...
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  • Williamsport, Pennsylvania

    Hike Smith's Knob Hike via the Loyalsock Trail

    5.0
    8.3 mi / 1400 ft gain
    Smith's Knob is a short, but fairly challenging section of the overall Loyalsock Trail. Smith's Knob has a distinctively round peak, and viewed from Rider Park, sticks out to all very easily. The trail starts off very steep, and will require some effort right away. However, it soon becomes more o...
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  • Brown Township, Pennsylvania

    Hike the Gas Line Ridge Loop

    3.8 mi / 900 ft gain
    Park at the end of Naval Run Road, at the end of the road to the right, follow the sign for Lance Raisch Trail marked with yellow blazes.  This is the first of three trails that this loop will use.  The Lance Raisch Trail climbs in elevation along Naval Run and after about a quarter mile will ins...
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  • Newville, Pennsylvania

    Camp at Tom's Run Shelter

    3 mi / 85 ft gain
    Starting from the small parking area on Bunkerhill Rd, head north (turn right) onto Michaux Rd. After about 1/3 of a mile you will reach the Appalachian Trail where you will want to head west (turn left).This will lead you on a leisurely hike through the woods (follow the white blazes). It won't ...
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  • Slate Run, Pennsylvania

    Backpack the Black Forest Trail

    42 mi / 8550 ft gain
    The Black Forest Trail is an orange blazed horseshoe loop with many options for a starting point which over the years due to reroutes may make the trail a little longer than 42 miles . I started at the traditional trailhead on Slate Run Road and hiked counter clockwise. Many consider this trail t...
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  • Muncy Valley, Pennsylvania

    Gipson Falls

    1 mi
    Gipson Falls is the other waterfall on Falls Run just off the Loyalsock Trail.  There is a parking area for the Loyalsock Trail on Brunnerdale Road just off of Ogdonia Road.  From the parking follow the Loyalsock Trail along the run for about .5 miles, once the Loyalsock Trail turns right and he...
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  • Bradford, Pennsylvania

    Hike the Rimrock-Morrison Trail

    5.0
    14 mi / 1609 ft gain
    This trail has several loops off of it. Have a clear map when going into it, so you know which sections you are doing.  Once you leave the trailhead parking lot, you have an option to head left on the Morrison Loop, or right on the Rimrock Loop. There is an adjacent trail that they share down the...
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  • Dushore, Pennsylvania

    Loyalsock Trail

    5.0
    56.75 mi / 9882 ft gain
    Loyalsock Trail is a point-to-point trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Laporte, Pennsylvania.
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  • Trout Run, Pennsylvania

    Old Loggers Path

    4.0
    27.24 mi / 3698 ft gain
    Old Loggers Path is a loop trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Ralston, Pennsylvania.
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  • Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

    Pinchot Trail

    21.97 mi / 1913 ft gain
    The Pinchot Trail, built by the Sierra Club's Northeast Pennsylvania Group and located in the southern corner of Lackawanna County, is an excellent warmup or beginner backpacking trail.  The trail systems totals 22 miles but can be broken up by the North or South Loops. The North loop is mostly f...
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