Pennsylvania Mid State Trail
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| Pennsylvania Mid State Trail | |
|---|---|
 The "Roman Tower", on the trail near Boalsburg, Pennsylvania |
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| Length | 261 mi; 420 km |
| Trailheads | North: West Rim Trail on Bohen Run north of Blackwell, Pennsylvania South: Green Ridge Hiking Trail in Maryland (near the Mason-Dixon Line) |
| Use | Hiking |
| Trail Difficulty | Moderate to Strenuous |
| Season | Spring to Fall |
| Hazards | Severe Weather Poison ivy American Black Bear Timber Rattler |
The Pennsylvania Mid State Trail of Pennsylvania (MST or PA-MST) is a 420 km (261 mile) long main trail and many side trails network located in the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians of Central Pennsylvania. Known as "The Wildest Trail in Pennsylvania".
The northern terminus of the trail is at the West Rim Trail on Bohen Run north of Blackwell, PA. The southern end is a junction with Green Ridge Hiking Trail in Maryland near the Pennsylvania-Maryland border. The MST is primarily on public land; state forests, game lands and parks.
The MST is marked with rectangular orange blazes on adjacent trees and rocks along the main trail. Side trails are marked with blue blazes. Double blazes are used to mark turns. The Mid State Trail has many views offered by its placement on narrow ridges. The MST provides an illusion of remoteness and solitude yet is rarely more than 2 kilometers from the nearest road.
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[edit] Marking
Rectangular orange blazes on the main trail. Blue blazes are used to mark other trails. The Mid State Trails mark the trail with single rectangles and two rectangles to denote turns. The orange blazes on most parts of the Mid State Trail are more numerous and recent (brighter color) than the blue blazes on other adjacent trails.
[edit] Hazards
While black bears, bobcats and rattlesnakes can present dangers, it is only if you are foolish or very unlucky. When bears and people cross paths in the wild, usually the bear just wishes to leave the area. Very rarely will a bear act hostile towards people; the American Black Bear Wikipedia article contains good information on how to handle those atypical situations.
The common rattlesnake of Pennsylvania; the Timber Rattler Crotalus horridus horridus has venom of a medium potency that can cause painful injuries but rarely can be lethal. Administering proper first aid, keeping calm and quickly receiving medical attention is the best response to a bite.
[edit] See also
- Rothrock State Forest
- Bald Eagle State Forest
- Buchanan State Forest
- Pennsylvania State Gamelands
- Similarly named Massachusetts Midstate Trail
[edit] External links
- Mid-State Trail at Keystone Trails Association
- Photos of section of the PA-MST
- Mid State Trail Association
- PA DCNR's Mid State Trail Page (covers only areas on their lands)
- PAHikes.com (Mid State Trail - State College Region)
[edit] References
- Thomas Thwaites, Map & Guide Set to Mid State Trail in the Seven Mountains of Pennsylvania, Mid State Trail Association, 2001, ISBN 1-931496-01-3
| Hiking Trails in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States of America |
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202 Trail - Appalachian - Baker - Black Forest - Brandywine - Bucktail Path - Chester Valley |
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