Tuscarora Trail
The Tuscarora Trail is a spur of the Appalachian Trail (AT) that travels through four states and offers serious backpacking opportunities of its own. The trail enters Pennsylvania’s Ridge and Valley Region from Maryland, south of McConnellsburg, and joins the Appalachian Trail north of Carlisle.
The Tuscarora Trail in Pennsylvania and Maryland and the Big Blue Trail in Virginia and West Virginia were conceived in the late 1960s. The two trails were built to bypass development pressures along the AT in northern Virginia. If the AT had not received protection under the National Scenic Trails Act of 1968, the Tuscarora and Big Blue would likely have become the new AT route starting in northern Virginia. When the AT received federal protection, however, Keystone Trails Association and Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) decided to maintain the Tuscarora and Big Blue as AT spur trails.
By the early 1980s, several years of gypsy moth defoliation and other factors led to heavy tree mortality along the ridges of mountainous south-central Pennsylvania. The Tuscarora Trail was exposed to full sunlight, resulting in explosive growth of thicketlike plants and bushes. This change in the forest, coupled with a loss of trail maintainers, made much of the Tuscarora Trail all but inaccessible to hikers.
In 1990, the North Chapter of Potomac Appalachian Trail Club was asked to assist a maintainer in opening a particularly bad section of the trail in Franklin and Fulton Counties. Even after several years of work to get the section open, there were rumors that the Tuscarora Trail in Pennsylvania would be abandoned. Since the North Chapter’s section of the AT was in excellent condition, the group decided to take on the challenge of the Tuscarora. The trail officially reopened in 1995.
In 1997, the 110-mile Tuscarora and 142-mile Big Blue were unified to become a single trail known as the Tuscarora Trail. The complete 252-mile route is now maintained by PATC. The trail is blazed blue to match the standard color for side trails in the AT system. A guidebook and maps for the entire trail are available; the north section, including Pennsylvania, is covered by maps J and K, and the south half is covered by maps F, G, and L.
The maps and guides for Pennsylvania are available in KTA's Bookstore.
Hikers on the Tuscarora Trail must be aware that the trail traverses a significant amount of private land. Always respect landowners’ rights and privileges, and remember that it is their kindness that allows an unbroken route for the Tuscarora Trail.
For more information, contact:
Potomac Appalachian Trail Club
118 Park St. SE
Vienna, VA 22180-4609
(703) 242-0693 or (703) 242-0965 for the activities tape
http://www.patc.net/Patc/
The Tuscarora Trail in Pennsylvania and Maryland and the Big Blue Trail in Virginia and West Virginia were conceived in the late 1960s. The two trails were built to bypass development pressures along the AT in northern Virginia. If the AT had not received protection under the National Scenic Trails Act of 1968, the Tuscarora and Big Blue would likely have become the new AT route starting in northern Virginia. When the AT received federal protection, however, Keystone Trails Association and Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) decided to maintain the Tuscarora and Big Blue as AT spur trails.
By the early 1980s, several years of gypsy moth defoliation and other factors led to heavy tree mortality along the ridges of mountainous south-central Pennsylvania. The Tuscarora Trail was exposed to full sunlight, resulting in explosive growth of thicketlike plants and bushes. This change in the forest, coupled with a loss of trail maintainers, made much of the Tuscarora Trail all but inaccessible to hikers.
In 1990, the North Chapter of Potomac Appalachian Trail Club was asked to assist a maintainer in opening a particularly bad section of the trail in Franklin and Fulton Counties. Even after several years of work to get the section open, there were rumors that the Tuscarora Trail in Pennsylvania would be abandoned. Since the North Chapter’s section of the AT was in excellent condition, the group decided to take on the challenge of the Tuscarora. The trail officially reopened in 1995.
In 1997, the 110-mile Tuscarora and 142-mile Big Blue were unified to become a single trail known as the Tuscarora Trail. The complete 252-mile route is now maintained by PATC. The trail is blazed blue to match the standard color for side trails in the AT system. A guidebook and maps for the entire trail are available; the north section, including Pennsylvania, is covered by maps J and K, and the south half is covered by maps F, G, and L.
The maps and guides for Pennsylvania are available in KTA's Bookstore.
Hikers on the Tuscarora Trail must be aware that the trail traverses a significant amount of private land. Always respect landowners’ rights and privileges, and remember that it is their kindness that allows an unbroken route for the Tuscarora Trail.
For more information, contact:
Potomac Appalachian Trail Club
118 Park St. SE
Vienna, VA 22180-4609
(703) 242-0693 or (703) 242-0965 for the activities tape
http://www.patc.net/Patc/
