Hammersley Wild Area - Susquehannock State Forest - PA
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- A solo adventure in the Hammersley Wild Area, starting at Cross Fork and hiking out on the Twin Sisters Trail, then up and over a pipeline to connect with the Hammersley Trail, then camping along Hammersley Fork, then a nice short hike out on Day 2, and checking out some nice campsites along the way. Great scenery, nice and quiet with no noise from civilization, and a great night sky.
What an area!! Spent alot of yrs. hunting the Hammersley area. We came off McConnell Rd. and walked down the trail called the Hammersley which took us down to the main fork of the creek. Twin Sisters Trail shot up the other side heading towards Kettle Creek. The 2nd day of buck season we were walking down the snow covered trail for about 40 minutes when we seen light coming up the trail. Here 2 guys came from Rt.144 onto Twin Sisters and got lost. Then walked around all night aimlessly. We gave them some food and water and assured them staying on the trail would get them out. Not many would venture to the Main Fork and if they would follow it down to Cross Fork it would be miles and miles of hiking.
Thanks for a recent look at this area. Back in the mid 80's my gal & I hike many of these trails a favorite of mine was the Beech Bottom trail that was a steep climb up to old growth pine trees. There were beaver dams along the creek and if you approached quietly you could see them, also timber rattlesnakes, a truly wild area. I have photos.
Thanks for posting. We use to hunt back at Twin Sisters and fish in Hammersley back in 1967 when I was 14. Saw the biggest buck I've ever seen back there. There use to be beaver dams in Hammersley with good fishing before they put it in the STS trail system and then it spoiled the area with all the people coming in. The Twin Sister area sure looks a lot different now. Often wondered what it looks like today. Thanks again.
Thanks John! I can only imagine what it must have been like back then. It's just a large area and I really felt like I was far away from everything out there. Lots of stars in the sky at night and very quiet, except for the sounds of owls hooting in the trees. I may have to go back there again just for the camping. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Thanks for sharing. Did them trails in the 70’s. Great video !
Thanks so much for this video! Just this morning, I hiked from that same trailhead, up to the ridge top for a mile and a half. It is steep! And today, all of the Mountain Laurels were in bloom. Actually, that trail from the road is the Susquehannock Trail -- not the Twin Sister Trail. The Twin Sister also has a trailhead (of sorts, also lacking parking) on Rt 144. If you are standing on the road facing the STS, the TST is down the road maybe 200 yards or so to your left, to the south. The two join a short ways up the hill (@7:15 here), then split after you attain the ridge. I parked at the side road you show at 5:25, and it wasn't ideal. I am looking forward to returning to this beautiful wild area.
Another great video! I really enjoy the length of your videos. They give you the opportunity to fully observe and absorb the trail. I feel that you give us the true sense what it was like to hike the trail. Thanks for sharing your journey with me.
Thanks! I do my best to try and make you feel the pain of hiking along with me, or at least make you feel glad you're not. LOL
Very nice video. Hiked all over that area when I was in my 20’s. 68 now and not sure I’ll get back but it was great to see it again. Looks the same as you might imagine.
Thanks! I was hoping to see some stars at night since it is supposedly a dark skies region, but my campsite was too covered with trees.
Great video. Nice job showing to retrace your steps when the trail gets tricky. So much better then getting stubborn and possibly more off track. Beautiful area to bad it's not better marked.
Thanks Dragon. Yes it was really a scenic and beautiful area, but also very overgrown and not well marked. I almost want to go back there with a weedwacker and a can of paint. LOL
Back in 1971 after graduated one thing I & three other did was take a two day hike on Hammersley trail, & risers trail We left Indiana drove to PA went to Hersey factory Fig Newton factory Laughed our a** off driving threw Intercourse PA. then up to Hammersley Park. Back then the trails were nice will marker off, I Loved it! . My Friend & his girlfriend at time choice Florida We left PA drove down to Florida what was to ONLY be couple days ended up being little over a week. Man those were the day young great shape, cheap gas no computers no cell phones plus you could get apart time job anywhere. You didn't have to worry about all this crazies we have today I would never hike it alone without protection I'm talking gun dog & a couple friends.
Yeah, I'm with you on the 70's. For me it was my childhood. It was the last great decade before computers, cell phones and cable TV changed everything. And the music, oh man. I always get nostalgic on a summer day when I'm out there hiking. But I do see my share of crazies in the city where I live now, so it's great to get out there away from everybody. But I wouldn't dare go out there without multiple forms of GPS (aka watch, phone, etc) because it's too easy to get lost. That's something we didn't have back in the 70's. lol
awesome! Pennsylvania is a beautiful State!
Thanks! It truly is a beautiful state.
great video
Nice video. I think that may have been my silver Chevy Trax that you parked beside. My friend and I were hiking up there that weekend. 🤟
rrscooter21, I'm curious if you found it to be crowded when you were there. It was very strange for me not to see a single person on trail the whole time.
@@downtoearthadventures1528 We were on the opposite side of Cross Fork from where you hiked. We parked my car there and drove my friends car to Ole Bull State Park and hiked back to Cross Fork from there. And no, we didn't see another soul all weekend.
Pretty cool. Thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Just finished the whole STS in early May. Only saw 5 total people in 5 days. Only one other backpacker.
Also, Hammersley is the best area of the whole trail.
Congrats on doing the whole STS! I did like the Hammersly area for being so quiet. It really feels like you're out there away from everything. Lots of stars in the night sky and the sounds of owls singing you to sleep. LOL
Thanks for sacrificing yourself up and down that pipeline. I just turned 50 and definitely won't be doing this section.
Yeah, if this video saves even one person from doing it, then it was all worth it. LOL
Great video, I hiked TST with my brother last august. Did you see any sign of bears? We encountered 1 rattlesnake near the ferns.
Thanks! I never did see any bears or snakes, or any people (except for the one group that came past my campsite). It was very strange to go 2 whole days without seeing anyone on the trail. But it was a beautiful area and nice and quiet.
Can u see stars and Milky Way there to naked eye
Thanks for the video. I’m doing this trail very soon going CW and I understand that the last water source will be just before i start the pipeline section?
Yeah, if you're going CW, then the last water source will be just as you leave the STS trail to start the pipeline. I did not see any water sources on the Twin Sisters Trail at all.
Where is your compass?
It's a good question. I actually have 2 compasses if you count my phone and my watch. And I also carry a battery bank to keep them charged. But it's probably a good idea to also carry an analog compass as a backup. Being able to navigate by map and compass is a good skill to have, but honestly, if we didn't have the GPS system then I probably would not feel safe going so far out into the wild areas. In the worst case scenario if everything failed, I would probably just go back the way I came in, or at least just head towards the sun since that is generally facing south towards the highway. In PA there is only so far you can go before you cross a road. LOL