Tioga State Forest, PA - Gillespie Point

ABOUT THE PARK: 
Tioga State Forest - Pennsylvania DCNR
Mid State Trail - MSTA

DIRECTIONS:

GPS Coordinates 41.556161, -77.376160

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I had read that there is parking across from where the Mid State Trail enters the woods from Big Run Road, which is to the left of my car.  Can't quite call this a parking spot and certainly would not park there during the week if lumber trucks are using the road!

Alternate Parking:
GPS Coordinates 41.556147, -77.381816

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This is also referred to as "Blackwell Boater Access" and is about .3 mile from where the MST enters the woods on Big Run Road.  It would add .6 mile to the hike.

TRAIL MAP:
Mid State Trail - Blackwell to PA 287 - MSTA
Gillespie Point is shown at the bottom of the map.  This is the only map I could find that shows the woods road I took (black dashes) not knowing that was not where I wanted to be based on the copy of a map I had from a book.  The woods road takes you to where you need to go but it cuts off a part of the hike.

DISTANCE:
Gillespie Point - 3.5 miles
hiked in conjunction with
Bohen Run Falls and West Rim Trail - 9.25 miles

THE HIKE:

The orange-blazed Mid State Trail leaves Big Run Road to the left at the curve.

The climb up is not all that steep yet but relentless.

After a sharp turn to the left, the trail becomes steeper heading towards the top.  The picture does not capture how steep the trail is along this part.

Almost at the top looking back down.

Pretty flowers just before the top.

At the top, looking down Pine Creek towards Rattlesnake Rock.

A great spot for a break.

Continuing on the MST down the other side.

At the time of the hike, because I did not have a good map, I was not sure if I should turn on this woods road or not.  The turn was to be on Big Run Road but I did not know if it eventually turned from gravel to dirt or not and if this was Big Run Road.  Since it was getting late, I decided it was best to turn here.  Having found the better map after the fact, I see now where I should have crossed over and continued on the MST, that this was not Big Run Road.  But it does  ...

... lead directly to Big Run Road and isn't a bad walk.  I actually liked walking on the woods road better than on the gravel Big Run Road.

Bug Run Road - a smooth descent but not as pretty as the woods road.

Back at the car, which fortunately was not stuck in the ruts!

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Turn left on the orange-blazed Mid State Trail where Big Run Road bends to the right
[  0.60]  Trail makes a sharp left and continues uphill
[  1.10]  Gillespie Point Overlook
[  1.70]  Turn right on woods road (or keep straight to follow the MST along Brill Run to Big Run Road)
[  2.70]  Turn right on gravel Big Run Road at the gate
[  3.50]  Back at car if parked on Big Run Road

Tioga State Forest, PA - Bohen Run Falls and West Rim Trail

ABOUT THE PARK: 
Tioga State Forest - Pennsylvania DCNR
West Rim Trail - Pennsylvania DCNR
Pine Creek Rail Trail - Tioga PA Visitor Bureau

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.540598, -77.405224

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Rattlesnake Rock Parking Lot (with restrooms!)

TRAIL MAP:
West Rim Trail Map - Pennsylvania DCNR

I had this map printed out in my file from a while back and can't find it online - might be an older version of the PA DCNR West Rim Trail map which I like better.  The Mid-State Trail (orange) portion of this map is now called Bohen Run Trail and is blazed orange/yellow.

DISTANCE:
Bohen Run Falls and West Rim Trail - 9.25 miles
hiked in conjunction with
Gillespie Point - 3.5 miles

THE HIKE:
If I were to do this hike again, I would go in the opposite direction starting with the rail trail.  The rail trail is pretty boring - no water views for most of it - and there is no shade so probably best to get it out of the way first.  This hike is best done in the spring before the waterfalls dry up but I can imagine it must be pretty amazing in the fall, too!

The West Rim Trail starts directly across Route 414 from the Rattlesnake Rock parking lot.

The West Rim Trail is blazed orange, is very well blazed, well-defined and nicely maintained.

Lots of wildflowers along this route.

The West Rim Trail soon follows along scenic Lloyd Run.

Trail register.

Our trail register entry.

Dark-eyed junco.  So many birds in the forest!  Heard a barred owl but did not see him.

Looking back at the old dynamite shack along the trail.

Crossing West Rim Road ...

... 2.3 miles into the hike.

Some partial views through the trees as the trail follows along the top of the Allegheny Plateau.

And then the real views!  The mountain straight ahead is Gillespie Point, also known as the Pennsylvania Matterhorn, the second hike of the day.

Zooming in to the bridge below, you can see how the last part of this hike plays out.

The trail continues on cut into the side of the mountain.

This is referred to as the intersection of the West Rim Trail and the Mid-States Trail in books.  It appears the name was changed from Mid-States Trail to Bohen Trail in this area although the yellow blazes are painted so that the orange blazes of the Mid-States Trail still show.  This would be where to turn right to continue on the Bohen Trail, however, the map shows another view about .35 mile farther on the West Rim Trail so that is where we headed first.

Rock hop over Bohen Run to continue on the West Rim Trail which makes a sharp right on the other side.

The view a little more than 1/4 of a mile farther along the West Rim Trail.

There is a nice little rock ledge to sit on and we had just spread out to take a break when it started to rain so we had to pack up and head back to the Bohen Trail.

Spring is a little behind in these parts - many trees are just starting to bloom.

On the yellow/partial orange Bohen Trail.

The Bohen Trail descends along Bohen Run.

Bohen Run way down below.

A blue side trail ...

... leads down steeply to views of ...

Bohen Run Falls:

It's a beautiful trail with steep drops.

A campsite at the bottom where the trail begins to ...

... parallel Pine Creek.  Shortly after a second campsite the blue blazes and the trail fizzle out in an area of blowdowns.  The blue trail does connect back to the Bohen Trail but it was too hard to tell where to go next so I turned right and bushwhacked up the hill until I ran into the Bohen Trail, then turned left on the Bohen Trail.  There is almost no undergrowth so bushwhacking is easy.

The Bohen Trail leads to the top of Jerry Run Falls ...

...  and crosses over Jerry Run.

Shortly after crossing over, a ledge off the trail offers a great view of Jerry Run Falls.

The Bohen Trail continues down to Pine Creek ...

... and ends at Route 414.

Jump the guardrail, turn left, and ...

... cross the bridge on Route 414.  That is Gillespie Point up ahead and yes, the climb up is as steep as it looks but the views make it worth the climb.

View of Pine Creek from the Route 414 bridge.

Continue past the boat launch parking then turn right just past the yellow "road narrows" sign on the Pine Creek Rail Trail.  If you continue straight and follow the orange blazes of the Mid-States Trail, it will take to you to where you need to be for the Gillespie Point hike in about a quarter of a mile so both this hike and the Gillespie Point hike can be done as one for a total of about 13.5 miles.   On the right up ahead is a place that advertises food and drink for sale so maybe a nice spot for lunch on the way?  I had to go back to the car to give Shawnee a break before tackling Gillespie Point so I did it as two separate hikes.

Follow the Pine Creek Rail Trail 1.5 miles back to the parking lot.

Indigo Bunting

Once Pine Creek comes into view, almost at the end, some side trails on the left lead to views of Rattlesnake Rock.

Right here where the trail on the right leads to the parking lot, the trail on the left leads to Rattlesnake Rock.

View from Rattlesnake Rock.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Cross Route 414 and start on the orange-blazed West Rim Trail
[  0.25]  Trail register
[  1.85]  Orange turns right on a footpath when yellow (Engle Trail on map) goes left on a woods road
[  2.10]  Cross woods road (Blackwell Trail on map)
[  2.25]  Dynamite shack on right
[  2.30]  Cross gravel West Rim Road
[  2.35]  Small footbridge over tiny creek
[  3.10]  View of Blackwell, Gillespie Point and Pine Creek
[  3.95]  Continue on orange West Rim Trail at intersection with yellow (and orange) Bohen Trail rock hop Bohen Run, trail veers sharply right
[  4.10]  Rock hop creek
[  4.30]  View; retrace
[  4.50]  Rock hop creek
[  4.65]  Rock hop Bohen Run, turn left on yellow Bohen Run Trail at intersection
[  5.50]  Turn left on blue trail with view of Bohen Run Falls
[  5.80]  After second camp site blue blazes and trail fizzle out, turn right and bushwhack uphill
[  5.85]  Turn left on yellow/orange Bohen Run Trail
[  5.90]  Blue trail comes in from left, continue on Bohen Run Trail
[  6.25]  Cross over Jerry Run at the top of Jerry Run Falls; view of falls on the left
[  7.25]  Hop guardrail at Route 404, turn left and cross bridge
[  7.35]  Turn right on Pine Creek Rail Trail
[  8.90]  Side trail on left to Pine Creek with view of Rattlesnake Rock
[  9.00]  Side trail on left to Pine Creek with 2 log benches
[  9.10]  Side trail on left opposite Rattlesnake Rock parking that leads to Rattlesnake Rock
[  9.25]  Back at parking lot