Standing Stone Trail @ PAHikes.com

Trails

Standing Stone Trail

The Standing Stone Trail (SST) follows scenic ridgelines in Huntingdon, Mifflin, and Fulton counties: the south middle region of Pennsylvania's Tiltrock Country. Formerly known as "Link Trail" named for connecting Mid State Trail with Tuscarora Trail, Standing Stone Trail is a destination in its own right, offering Pennsylvania hikers and backpackers a link to dramatic scenery, wild plant and animal life, and compelling history.

The orange-blazed Standing Stone Trail is a 72-mile long main trail network with side trails. The northern terminus of the trail is at Greenwood Furnace State Park near McAlevys Fort, Pennsylvania. The southern end is a junction with Tuscarora Trail in Buchanan State Forest near Cowans Gap State Park. The SST uses both public (state park, state forest, state game land) and private lands.

Hikes on the Standing Stone Trail

Standing Stone Trail: Backpacking Twenty Miles on the SST

Oct 06, 2012

Our fall backpacking trip had us hiking close to home on the Standing Stone Trail. Starting at the intersection of the Standing Stone Trail and route PA655 just south west of Allensville, we hiked north east to the terminus of the trail at Greenwood Furnace State Park. Taking two days to complete this backpacking trip, I can sum the trip up like this: the first day provided us with a great trail for backpacking and the campsite was awesome, however the second day introduced us to a trail that made the most stalwart hiker give second thought to seeing this hike to completion.

Standing Stone Trail: Hiking Through the Rocks in Rocky Ridge N.A.

Sep 14, 2011

The Standing Stone Trail reaches from Cowans Gap State Park to Greenwood Furnace State Park. Along the way, one of the unique areas that it passes through is the Rocky Ridge Natural Area. This section is located a little distance south of the northern terminus. What makes this area unique are the rock formations found here. Large pillars of rock stand tall on the ridge top as the Standing Stone Trail meanders amongst them. This is a favorite place for rock climbing and for bouldering and it was a great place to go for an after work hike.

Standing Stone Trail: Stone Valley Vista in the Summer

Sep 07, 2010

In January of 2008 I climbed to the top of Stone Mountain to take in the view from the Stone Valley Vista. During this hike I thought to myself how nice this view would be during the spring or summer seasons. Fast forward to 2010, just a little past summer time, when an afterwork hike took us to the top of Stone Mountain. The view was just a spectacular as it was in January of 2008 and the Standing Stone Trail was a treat for all of us hiking on this afterwork hike.

Standing Stone Trail: Climbing the Thousand Steps

Apr 22, 2008

The Standing Stone Trail, formerly known as the Link Trail, extends from Greenwood Furnace State Park in Huntingdon County to Cowans Gap State Park in Fulton County. The trail travels across the tops of Stone and Jacks Mountain, through State Parks, Forests, and Game lands, connecting the Tuscarora Trail to the Mid State Trail. The section of the Standing Stone Trail that we hiked on this day is located in Jacks Narrows, between the towns of Mount Union and Mapleton Depot. It is called the Thousand Steps because of the thousand plus stone steps placed into the mountainside.

Standing Stone Trail: Northern Terminus

Jan 07, 2008

The northern trailhead for the Standing Stone Trail is located at Greenwood Furnace State Park within Rothrock State Forest. I had hiked many trails in Rothrock north of Greenwood but never ventured onto the trails found south of the State Park. For the past three years it had been suggested to me that I should hike the Standing Stone Trail. When the temperatures reached into the mid sixties in the middle of January I decided I would finally check out the Standing Stone Trail at it's northern terminus in Greenwood Furnace State Park.