Farewell to the Tuscarora Trail

Fewer rocks today, and some killer views, before I left the Tuscarora Trail where it meets the Standing Stone Trail.  Both are part of the long-distance cross-country route called the Great Eastern Trail--Alabama to New York, an alternative to the Appalachian Trail, and well worth checking out.

"Hither to Yon" - Day 3

I came to Cowans Gap State Park today.  The centerpiece of the park is their lake, with sandy beach and wonderful mountain backdrop.  The Tuscarora Trail takes you right through the center of the action.

In summer, this place is hopping.  The park's campground is huge.  Today, on a cool early spring morning, though, it was a quieter place.  A few campers had the best spots close to the lake.  A few day hikers were strolling around it.  And one long distance hiker was passing through on his way from Hither to Yon.

Earlier in the day the trail had taken me past the elaborate Hang Glider launch site beside US 30 overlooking McConnellsburg, PA.

It was quiet there, too.  Too chilly for hang gliding.  But most importantly the wind was wrong--out of the northeast.  These launch pads face west toward the town far below.

It wasn't too chilly for the Common Eastern Garter Snake, though.  Their winter hibernation is over.  I found this one on the trail, collecting the rays of the warm spring sun.

By the end of the day I left the Tuscarora Trail behind and headed for the Standing Stone Trail.  As mentioned in the caption to the opening photo above, I'm following the route of the Great Eastern Trail.  With luck I'll follow the GET all the way to its northern terminus at the Finger Lakes Trail in west central New York State.   I also hiked past the southern Terminus last fall in Alabama.  The middle part I may never do.  It seems that I'm making a habit of hiking most of a trail but not all.  My goals are different.  I'm not ticking off a list of trails to pad my hiker resume, I'm walking home--extending my Personal Continuous Footpath to all the place I've lived.  The home in my sights at the moment is State College, PA, and it's now only about ninety miles away.  Wish me luck.


Here are screen shots of the trail track for today and of the elevation profile.

And here is the EveryTrail version of the track, with embedded links to many more photos. 



Tuscarora Trail to Cowans Gap St. Pk. at EveryTrail
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