AT Day Hike PA 248
Day Hiking the AT is one of my favorite past-times when I visit Carbon County. My sister and I love finding access points and covering previously unseen miles. There is a 20 mile stretch of trail from Route 309 in Lynnport to Blue Mountain Drive in Danielsville that hosts our most well-known AT paths. The toughest portion of this stretch that we have encountered is at the entrance next to the Slatington Bridge. I am referring to the trail portion immediately off of 248, Northeast of the Lehigh River (40.782948392, -75.6038412117). It is a ridiculously rocky, excitingly challenging hike that is approximately 1 hour to the summit.
This portion of the trail is a small part of the journey through the Kittatinny Ridge. The ridge runs through PA in its course from Maryland to New Jersey. Locally, the mountains offer scenic views of the Lehigh River and a variety of intentionally placed plant species brought in for restoration after Zinc pollution.
The 248 trail is one of my favorite places to explore when I am ready for a significant challenge. After a steep dirt entrance ramp, the hike begins in a small parking area of loose gravel. You see the base of the mountain immediately in front of you although much of the trail is obscured by trees and rock faces. The first twenty minutes of the hike will take you on a steep but pleasant climb into the mountain. You will pass a nice view point of the river from a clearing immediately off the path, but know that more beautiful views await you. 20 minutes into the hike you will reach the first of a few places that will require using your hands and feet for a very short but nearly vertical climb. No part of this hike will require climbing gear beyond a good pair of boots and sturdy pants, but you will be forced to pull yourself up and lower yourself down over some very large rocks.
From the first boulder requiring a hands and feet climb, you will continue for about 20 minutes on the toughest portion of this hike. Much of this portion will require you to hike loose boulders and rocks with some peril of injury if you miss your food placement. On my most recent experience I constantly regretted my decision to carry an extra jacket under my arm since balance and attention are crucial to making enjoyable progress through the rock field. Some of the hike through the rocks will be quite horizontal but much will involve a steady climb in elevation. There a number of boulders large enough to use as a seat for a water break or even a romantic conversation mid-climb. A dramatic change in scenery will signal the end of the rock field with a quick return to forested land.
When you enter the forested land at the end of the rock field you are about 5 minutes away from summiting. Unfortunately, you will not have any more vistas between this point and the highest elevation of the hike. The trail will now climb gradually in dense trees and mountain grass. There is no clear moment that signals the climax in elevation. Instead you will climb and descend subtly as you come to the top of the mountain. At the summit you are approximately 5 miles from the next parking access to the AT, but I have not explored this portion of the trail. Typically for this hike I finish by retracing my steps down the mountain. Note that from my experience, it takes longer to return down the hill than it took to summit.
