huckepack

Mid State Trail

Length

This trail
502.2 km
How
Measured on our OpenStreetMap map line (data of 6 Nov 2026): the main route
Official
528.5 km, sum of the 20 main stages (Mid State Trail Association)

502km

Ascent · descent

This trail
13,390 m up, 13,150 m down, estimated
How
Estimated from the GEDTM30 terrain model along our OpenStreetMap line: every main stage's climbs and drops along samples 100 m apart, each counted once it reaches 10 m
Keep in mind
A 30 m terrain model: short climbs between the samples are missed

estimated: 13,390m ↑13,150m ↓

Difficulty

What
How hard the trail is, in three ways: the terrain, the climate in season and the length of the days
Scale
Easy to Hard, with the same thresholds for every trail; each takes its hardest measure
Keep in mind
It describes the trail, not how it will feel to you: that depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather you get
  • Terrain: DemandingNatural ground: 72 %
  • Climate: Moderate in May–JunHeat: 25 °C by day (June)
  • Effort: HardLongest day: ≈ 14 h 15 (stage 16)

All measures

Terrain: Demanding; Climate: Moderate in May–Jun; Effort: Hard

Days

This trail
20 days, one per stage of Mid State Trail Association's stage list
Why
No source suggests days for the route as listed here

20days

Per day

This trail
25 km · ≈ 670 m ↑
How
The trail's length (our measurement, 502 km) ÷ its days (20, one day per stage of Mid State Trail Association's stage list); ascent likewise
Keep in mind
Stages vary in length; see the stage table

25km· about 670 m ↑
Season

Landscape

Source
ESA WorldCover satellite land cover, along the main route
  • Forest: 93%
  • Grassland and shrubs: 4%
  • Farmland and villages: 3%

Landscape along the route

Mostly Forest

Photos

Photos from Wikimedia Commons by Nicholas A. Tonelli; each photo's licence in the gallery

Location

Country
United States
Regions
Pennsylvania
Start
Maryland line at PA 326 / Black Valley Road, near Flintstone
Finish
New York line at Heffner, Mayo and State Line Roads, near Lawrenceville
Route type
Point to point
Travel hubs
  • Cumberland station (Maryland)23.4 km by road · 20 min
  • Pittsburgh Union Station194.5 km by road · 161 min
  • Dulles International Airport (IAD)193.7 km by road · 151 min
  • Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)204.8 km by road · 155 min
Protected areas
Buchanan State Forest; Rothrock State Forest; Bald Eagle State Forest; Tiadaghton State Forest; Tioga State Forest; Penn-Roosevelt State Park; Poe Valley State Park; Poe Paddy State Park; R. B. Winter State Park; Ravensburg State Park; Little Pine State Park; Hills Creek State Park
Managed by
Mid State Trail Association, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Bureau of Forestry)Official website (opens in a new tab)
Waymarking
Orange blazes; side trails and road detours are blazed yellow.
GPX
GPX trackOur tracing from OpenStreetMap
  • Trail
  • Start
  • Stage start
  • Finish
  • Contour lines

Difficulty

Terrain

Rates
How hard is the ground to walk: the path, the climbing, the steep bits, the ground underfoot?
How
Rated over the whole main route.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Path grade
the trail's SAC grade, stated, converted or estimated
  1. EasyT1
  2. ModerateT2
  3. DemandingT3
  4. HardT4 to T6
Climbing
the trail's ascent (the terrain model's estimate) over the main stages' length
  1. Easyunder 15 m per km
  2. Moderate15–30 m
  3. Demanding30–50 m
  4. Hard50 m or more
Steep stretches
share of the route steeper than 15 %, up or down (terrain model)
  1. Easyunder 5 %
  2. Moderate5–15 %
  3. Demanding15–30 %
  4. Hard30 % or more
Natural ground
share on footpaths and trails (OpenStreetMap); never Hard on its own
  1. Easyunder a third
  2. Moderatea third to two thirds
  3. Demandingtwo thirds or more

Demanding

  • SAC hiking scale

    This trail
    T2 (our estimate)
    Basis
    DCNR: "a rugged and demanding mountain top trail, and hikers must carefully assess their own ability to cope with the difficulties and possible dangers involved". The association names ankle-biter rocks in the Detweiler Run valley, sharp boulders and knife edges in State Game Lands 97 and glacial mud in Tioga County, along rocky ridge crests with steep descents into the gaps; a blazed footpath without exposed climbing: mountain hiking (T2).
    Scale
    The Swiss Alpine Club's hiking scale, from T1 (easy) to T6 (very hard)
    Why
    Trails rate difficulty in many local scales, or only in words; we translate each into this one so trails compare
    Keep in mind
    An estimate: how hard a trail feels depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather
    T1 · Hiking
    Well-made paths, mostly flat or gently sloping. No risk of falling; trainers are enough.
    T2 · Mountain hiking
    A continuous path, steep in places, where a fall can't be ruled out. Be sure-footed; wear hiking boots.
    T3 · Demanding mountain hiking
    The path is not always visible; exposed spots may have chains or ropes, and you may need your hands for balance.
    T4 · Alpine hiking
    Often no path. Hands are needed in places, terrain is exposed, and there can be easy snowfields.
    T5 · Demanding alpine hiking
    Mostly pathless, with easy climbing and exposed, demanding terrain. Needs alpine experience.
    T6 · Difficult alpine hiking
    Pathless, very exposed, with climbing and glaciers. For experienced mountaineers only.

    The scale at the Swiss Alpine Club (opens in a new tab)

    estimated T2
  • Climbingestimated 25 m per km
  • Steep stretches9 % of the way
  • Natural ground72 %

Climate

Rates
How hot, cold, wet and windy does it get?
How
From 30 years of daily weather (ERA5), rated per month. Without months picked: the trail's best run of at least two season months, each measure at its hardest month. Pick months in the search to rate it for yours.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Heat
mean daily high at the lowest point
  1. Easyunder 22 °C
  2. Moderate22–27 °C
  3. Demanding27–32 °C
  4. Hard32 °C or more
Cold
mean nightly low at the highest point
  1. Easy8 °C or more
  2. Moderate3–8 °C
  3. Demanding−2 to 3 °C
  4. Hardbelow −2 °C
Wet days
days a month with 1 mm of rain or more, the wetter of both points
  1. Easyunder 10
  2. Moderate10–14
  3. Demanding14–18
  4. Hard18 or more
Snow
days a month with 1 cm of snow or more at the highest point
  1. Easyunder 1 day
  2. Moderate1–3 days
  3. Demanding3–6 days
  4. Hard6 days or more
Wind
mean of the day's strongest wind (hourly mean, 10 m above ground), the windier of both points; over land: a point whose 25 km weather cell is mostly sea takes the nearest mostly-land cell's
  1. Easyunder 15 km/h
  2. Moderate15–20 km/h
  3. Demanding20–25 km/h
  4. Hard25 km/h or more

Moderate in May–Jun

  • Heat · June25 °C by day
  • Cold · May8 °C at night
  • Wet days · May14 days
  • Snow · May0 days
  • Wind · May14 km/h

Effort

Rates
How long are the days?
How
Rated by the longest main stage; a time range counts its upper end.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Longest day
walking time of the longest main stage, stated or by DIN 33466
  1. Easyup to 4 h
  2. Moderate4–6 h
  3. Demanding6–8 h
  4. Hardmore than 8 h

Hard

  • Longest day · stage 16estimated 14 h 15

Climate

Days in season · lowest point
2–28°C
Nights in season · highest point
−8 to 15°C
Wet days a month
8–13
Daylight
9.3–15.0h
SeasonDay high and night low−10 °C0 °C10 °C20 °C30 °C40 °CWet days, at the highest point51015Daylight9.6 h10.6 h11.8 h13.2 h14.4 h15.0 h14.8 h13.8 h12.4 h11.0 h9.9 h9.3 hJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Climate by month, 1995–2024 average
MonthLowest point, day high / night low (°C)Highest point, day high / night low (°C)Wet daysSnow daysFrost nights at the highest pointDaylight (h)
January1.7 / -6.4-0.1 / -7.89.36.228.89.6
February3.6 / -5.91.8 / -7.28.86.126.410.6
March8.7 / -1.66.7 / -3.39.7423.711.8
April15.5 / 4.313 / 2.110.81.11013.2
May20.9 / 10.317.8 / 7.712.80.10.814.4
June25.4 / 15.422.6 / 12.611.40015
July28.2 / 18.125.4 / 15.310.80014.8
August27.3 / 17.724.7 / 14.89.50013.8
September23.3 / 13.920.8 / 11.39.10012.4
October16.7 / 814.2 / 5.17.60.53.311
November9.7 / 27.4 / -0.87.61.917.69.9
December4.1 / -2.72.1 / -4.98.6527.69.3

Climate by month

Source
ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, averages for 1995–2024
Places
The trail's lowest and highest point, adjusted to their height
Bars
From the mean night low to the mean day high
Wet days
At least 1 mm of rain; snow days at least 1 cm of snow
Daylight
Sunrise to sunset in the middle of the month
Shading
The trail's season

Stages

RouteDistanceAscentDescentElevation
1Maryland line PA 326 Rainsburg Gap23.6 km820 m ↑530 m ↓270 → 560 m
2PA 326 Rainsburg Gap Ashcom Road (SR 1004)22.7 km480 m ↑720 m ↓560 → 320 m
3Ashcom Road (SR 1004) PA 36 Loysburg Gap32.0 km490 m ↑470 m ↓310 → 340 m
4PA 36 Loysburg Gap PA 164 near Martinsburg20.6 km570 m ↑330 m ↓340 → 580 m
5PA 164 near Martinsburg Lower Trail Williamsburg Station24.8 km350 m ↑680 m ↓590 → 250 m
6Lower Trail Williamsburg Station Alfarata Station near US 2217.8 km20 m ↑60 m ↓250 → 220 m
7Alfarata Station near US 22 PA 26 Jo Hays Vista31.9 km670 m ↑260 m ↓210 → 630 m
8PA 26 Jo Hays Vista Detweiler Junction24.3 km450 m ↑660 m ↓620 → 400 m
9Detweiler Junction US 322 Seven Mountains16.4 km550 m ↑440 m ↓400 → 510 m
10US 322 Seven Mountains PA 45 Hairy John's Picnic Area42.9 km960 m ↑1,020 m ↓510 → 450 m
11PA 45 Hairy John's Picnic Area PA 192 R. B. Winter State Park18.1 km530 m ↑510 m ↓440 → 460 m
12PA 192 R. B. Winter State Park PA 880 Ravensburg State Park33.3 km1,190 m ↑1,320 m ↓460 → 330 m
13PA 880 Ravensburg State Park PA 15021.1 km620 m ↑780 m ↓330 → 160 m
14PA 150 PA 44 (through Woolrich)22.4 km860 m ↑830 m ↓160 → 180 m
15PA 44 Little Pine State Park (SR 4001)16.9 km670 m ↑650 m ↓180 → 210 m
16Little Pine State Park (SR 4001) PA 414 Blackwell40.6 km1,500 m ↑1,480 m ↓230 → 250 m
17PA 414 Blackwell PA 287 near Antrim24.6 km830 m ↑680 m ↓260 → 400 m
18PA 287 near Antrim US 639.4 km690 m ↑640 m ↓390 → 440 m
19US 6 PA 287 Ives Run (Tioga-Hammond Lakes)24.6 km580 m ↑660 m ↓440 → 360 m
20PA 287 Ives Run (Tioga-Hammond Lakes) New York line30.2 km560 m ↑430 m ↓350 → 490 m

Totals and averages count the main stages only. ≈ marks our estimates where the source gives no figure: ascent and descent and heights from the terrain model (GEDTM30, 30 m grid, sampled every 100 m; climbs and drops counted once they reach 10 m), to the nearest 10 m.

Terrain

Highest · lowest point
822m high156m low

Gradient

Steepest climb
30 % (17°), 151 m up over 500 m, stage 4
Steepest descent
−34 % (19°), 172 m down over 500 m, stage 12
Gradient
Height per distance: 20 % is 20 m up per 100 m forward; 100 % is 45°, not 90°
Keep in mind
Averages over 500 m from a 30 m terrain model: steps and ladders within them are steeper
GradientAngleFeels like
10 %6°Noticeable on a road
20 %11°A steep path, slow going
30 %17°Very steep, often steps
100 %45°Scrambling

30% ↑−34% ↓

Steep stretches

This trail
22 km up, 24.3 km down: the darkest parts of the profile
Steep
15 % or more (9°, 15 m of height per 100 m), in 200 m stretches
Why it matters
Slow going uphill, hard on the knees downhill

46.3km

Surfaces

  • Natural ground: 72%, 357.6 km. Earth, grass, rock and roots: footpaths and forest trails. Can be muddy after rain.
  • Gravel: 23%, 114.8 km. Gravel, compacted and stony surfaces: mostly forest roads and farm tracks.
  • Paved: 5%, 26.4 km. Asphalt, concrete and cobbles: roads and village streets.

72% natural23% gravel5% paved
200 m400 m600 m822 m123456789Stage 101112131415Stage 1617Stage 1819200 km498.9 km

Terrain along the route

Heights
GEDTM30 terrain model (OpenGeoHub, from Copernicus and other elevation data), 30 m grid, the bare ground under the trees, every 100 m along the main route
Colours
Each 200 m by its gradient in walking direction: climbs warm, descents violet, darker when steeper (to ±30 %)
Ground
The strip below, from OpenStreetMap; the 46% without a surface tag is read from the way type (footpaths natural, tracks gravel)

Landscape

Forest93%Grassland and shrubs4%Farmland and villages3%12345678910111213141516171819200 km498.9 km

Landscape along the route

Source
ESA WorldCover 2021, a 10 m satellite map
Points
Every 100 m along the main route; each takes the most common class within 30 m, so the path itself doesn't count as bare ground
Groups
Its eleven classes, folded into the six shown
Keep in mind
What the landscape looks like, not which plants grow there

Sleeping

Wild camping is restricted. In the state forests backpackers may camp without a permit for one night in any location, but not in Natural Areas, within 200 feet of a forest road, 25 feet of a trail or 100 feet of a stream or open water; a free permit for more than one night at a site. Parts of the trail pass through other ownerships which manage camping differently.

113.5 km without a bedCamping27Huts0Hostels0Rooms112345678910111213141516171819200 km498.9 km

Places to sleep along the route

Ticks
One per place to sleep: 27 campsites, 0 huts, 0 hostels, 1 guest houses
Counted
Within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end (stage towns often lie off the trail); no hotels or day shelters
Shaded
The longest stretch without any, km 0–113.5
Source
OpenStreetMap: it may miss places or list closed ones, so book or check locally

Water & Supply

Clean water

This trail
131.2 km without clean water, km 348.9–480.1, stages 16–20
Rating
  1. Frequentup to 10 km
  2. Regularup to 20 km
  3. Scarcebeyond
Counted
Within 500 m: 6 taps, fountains and drinking springs, 1 places to sleep with drinking water, 11 refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites
Refills
Guests come first and many close out of season: ask, and carry a little extra. Places marked without drinking water are left out
Source
OpenStreetMap; the counts include the approach and variant, the chart shows the main route

131.2kmScarce

Any water

This trail
131.2 km without any water, km 348.9–480.1
Rating
  1. Frequentup to 10 km
  2. Regularup to 20 km
  3. Scarcebeyond
Counted
Clean water, plus the 11 springs within 500 m
Keep in mind
Spring water's quality is unknown: filter, boil or treat it, and expect some springs to run dry in late summer

131.2kmScarce

Shops

This trail
159.5 km without a shop, km 309.7–469.2
Counted
7 supermarkets, convenience and general stores and petrol station shops, within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end
Keep in mind
Small village shops are often missing in OpenStreetMap, and opening hours vary: check before relying on one

159.5km
Water · 131.2 km withoutPublic drinking water · 240.3 km withoutSprings (treat before drinking) · 210.7 km withoutRefills at places to sleep · 131.2 km withoutShops · 159.5 km withoutSupermarkets · 337 km withoutConvenience and general stores · 159.5 km without123456789Stage 101112131415Stage 1617Stage 1819200 km498.9 km

Water and shops along the route

Ticks
One per place along the main route
Counted
Drinking water and springs within 500 m; refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites within 500 m; shops within 1 km, or 3 km of a stage's end
Shaded
Each lane's longest stretch without. "Water" counts every kind and opens into one lane per kind, each with its own
Source
OpenStreetMap: it may miss places or list ones that have closed or run dry, so check locally

Wildlife

Wildlife

Shows
Animals that can be dangerous to hikers on this trail: large animals, venomous snakes, scorpions and spiders, ticks, and plants that harm on touch
Level
Ours, read from the official source
High
A bite of a species it calls common can be life-threatening within hours
Moderate
It warns of attacks or serious harm, or places the trail in a risk area for tick-borne encephalitis
Low
The harm is mostly minor or treatable, or avoidable by how you behave
What to do
From the official sources: Pennsylvania DCNR; Pennsylvania DCNR; US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Pictures
Silhouettes from PhyloPic, not to scale, each maker named with its advice; the landscape is the trail's own, drawn by us

Black bear ModerateTimber rattlesnake ModerateBlacklegged tick Moderate

Black bear

Moderate danger

The association says that if you hike alone "you will meet more bears than people"; the Game Commission finds bears in large forested areas over three-quarters of the state.

If you meet one

  • Keep your campsite clean and clean up after meals
  • When backpacking, store food away from your overnight campsite, suspended between two trees, ten feet in the air and three feet from either tree
  • If you encounter a black bear, back away slowly without making direct eye contact
  • If the bear does not leave the area, make a loud noise like blowing a whistle or banging a pot

Don't

  • Never approach a bear, and be especially wary of mother bears with cubs
  • Do not run

Advice: Pennsylvania DCNR. Level: ours. Silhouette: Abby Weber (Ursus americanus), PhyloPic, public domain.

Timber rattlesnake

Moderate danger

DCNR says timber rattlesnakes may use trails, roads or open rocky areas for basking; the trail follows rocky ridge crests for much of its length.

If you meet one

  • Be aware. Look around before sitting or reaching into piles of rock, logs, or boards
  • Maintain a 3-foot buffer around a snake to avoid a strike
  • Remain calm and reassure the snakebite victim
  • If possible, immobilize the affected area and transport the snakebite victim immediately to the nearest medical facility

Don't

  • Never pick up a rattlesnake, even one that appears to be dead
  • Do not attempt first aid measures such as incision, suction, tourniquets, alcohol, or drugs on the snakebite victim

Advice: Pennsylvania DCNR. Level: ours. Silhouette: Blair Perry (Crotalus viridis), PhyloPic, public domain.

Blacklegged tick (deer tick)

Moderate danger

The blacklegged tick carries Lyme disease; the trail runs through forest and brush nearly all the way.

If you meet one

  • Walk in the center of trails
  • Use EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone
  • Treat boots, clothing and gear with permethrin
  • Check your body, clothing, gear and pets for ticks after being outdoors

Don't

  • Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter

Advice: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Level: ours. Silhouette: Guillaume Dera (Ixodes ricinus), PhyloPic, public domain.