Trail Run Project Logo

A mountain-side loop with 2000 feet of elevation change over technical terrain.


Your Rating: Rating Rating Rating Rating Rating      Clear Rating
Your Difficulty:
Your Favorites: Add To-Do · Your List
Zoom in to see details
Map Key

4.6

Miles

7.4

KM

85%

Runnable

2,752' 839 m

High

1,852' 564 m

Low

903' 275 m

Up

904' 276 m

Down

7%

Avg Grade (4°)

22%

Max Grade (12°)

Dogs Unknown

Features Fall Colors · River/Creek · Spring

No mountain biking. No horses.

Runner Notes

Depending on your strengths or what you are looking for on your run, consider the direction you go. Counterclockwise has a steep initial descent with long climbs (same direction as described above). Clockwise offers probably the fastest route because of the long downhills are over runnable terrain, but the climb would be at 15-20% grade.

Description

Accessible from McKenna Trail and Painter Rock Trail (via a connector), the North Loop Trail is a rugged 5 mile loop with 1000 feet of climbing. There are three elements to this trail: jaggers, rocks/boulders, runs. Going counterclockwise, the trail begins with a gentle descent, before turning straight down the mountainside at ~15-20% for a quarter mile, and then easing up again. The beginning section of trail, at roughly 2800 feet, is covered in knee-high grasses, similar to McKenna Trail. As you descend the trail, the grasses thin and vanish, before around 2200 feet, jaggers (briars) appear and thicken. This makes the trail a bit tougher to run because the jaggers are large enough to cut up your legs. You may note a run crossing that cuts the trail diagonally. You'll cross this run later, when it is much larger and rushing downhill.

Around the first mile, the trail takes a significant turn left (south), but there appears to be other options. Follow the yellow blazes. Very shortly after this turn, the trail makes another hard right, which is miss-able. Small logs and sticks are dragged across the trail to mark the turn. If you stay straight the trail becomes noticeably less "maintained" and you'll not see any yellow blazes.

It is very shortly after these series of turns that you'll come to a brief section with boulders on either side of the trail and look like monuments. It's a nice reprieve from the jaggers and monotony of the trail.

Once at the bottom of the mountain, the trail slowly begins rising. You'll cross two streams at this point. The first stream you'll have crossed earlier, and has grown as it picks up more water. The other stream originates within the loop. Roaring Run Natural Area contains several natural springs. Note the clarity of the water.

The final big turn marks the start of the 1000 foot climb. Unlike the descent, it is less steep and can be run in many of the sections. There is a connector trail to take you to Painter Rock Trail about mid-way up the climb.

You'll arrive back at the loop start with McKenna Trail to the right.

Contacts

Shared By:

Kevin Ketchman

Trail Ratings

  4.0 from 3 votes

#12367

Overall
  4.0 from 3 votes
5 Star
0%
4 Star
100%
3 Star
0%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
Trail Rankings

#235

in Pennsylvania

#12,367

Overall
7 Views Last Month
558 Since May 21, 2017
Difficult Difficult

0%
0%
0%
0%
100%
0%

0 Comments

Weather


Current Trail Conditions

Unknown
Add Your Check-In

Check-Ins

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started.