# Bikepacking in PA?



## dankilling (Feb 24, 2004)

Hi! Im thinking about organizing a bikepacking/camping trip for next summer, and was looking for some input on some places to do this within about 3 hours of the Lehigh Valley. Mostly looking for forestry road or rail-trail type of stuff since we will be packing our stuff o our bikes so rough singletrack might be a bit much. We are trying to target a long-weekend kind of trip. Any suggestions?


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## WindWalker (Jan 5, 2006)

C&O Canal - Not in Pa., but meets the 3hr rule. Nice campsites with fire rings, table, porta john and a water pump. And boucoup history.


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## buddhak (Jan 26, 2006)

*Allegheny Passage*

To echo the last poster...

If you have family/friends willing to drop you off and pick you up, then consider taking the C&O to the next step.

http://bikewashington.org/trails/gap/index.htm

I've been wanting to give this a go, but I had to mothball the fantasy when my kid was born.


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## Lugboot (Mar 12, 2008)

Tioga/Tiadaghton State Forests--pretty much the big green area of the state map from the PA Grand Canyon, west.


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## tomimcmillar (Oct 27, 2005)

Lug knows where to go. Huuuuudge expanses of forest up there to explore. 
Look at your PA map, find Williamsport, follow 80 west towards Clarion. 

Anywhere north of that line will have what you're looking for....lots and lots of woods/fire road exploring, looong stretch of rail trail along the Pine, and a mind numbing unknown quantity of trail weaving in and out and all over the place.

If you call into DCNR and ask around, they'll send you maps, can also find them online via the DCNR site. Limit is six at a time, I just got the set for Susquehannock, Sproul, Tioga, Moshannon, Tiadaghton and Elk State Forests. Then there's the Allegheny Nat'l Forest also......

I'd personally recommend hitting up the PeeYay Grand Canyon, sweeet streamside rail trail and all sorts of options off to either side of the drainage. Get copies of the Tiadaghton, Tioga and Susquhannock maps and lay out a route....maybe use Denton Hill as a 'basecamp' if you wanna get in some unloaded trail time on the side.....

maybe see you out there. :thumbsup:


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## dankilling (Feb 24, 2004)

Great info- thanks guys! Does anyone know what the policy is for rustic camping on DCNR lands? The website just talks about campgrounds for the most part.


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## Jim Thorpe Trails (Feb 22, 2005)

*DCNR camping*

From the DCNR website: "Primitive camping is available in all state forests except Cornplanter and Valley Forge. A permit from the district office is not required, but is strongly suggested for safety reasons. Some state forests have designated camping areas available for a fee" Now this is NOT the case in State Parks, such as here the Lehigh Gorge has no camping. I'm planning on a BikePacking Trip at Rothrock in the next few weeks, I'll let you know how that goes. I'm also interested in the Northern part of the state, I'll be checking that out in the Spring.


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