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...
Read more
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...
Read more
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...
Read more
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...
Read more
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...
Read more
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...
Read more
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...
Read more
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...
Read more
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...
Read more
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 ...
Read more
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...
Read more
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...
Read more
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...
Read more
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.
Read more
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.
Read more
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...
Read more