Hammersley Wild Area

[jmitch]

http://www.docs.dcnr.pa.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/document/Hammersley_brochure_2019-04-10.pdf

Has 50 miles of new trails with many loop options. There are mountaintop meadows, old growth forests, beautiful streams, swimming hole, great camping, and scenic forests.

[DSettahr]

I've hiked in the Hammersley area 3 times now- it's one of my favorite spots for backpacking in PA. The first time I hiked through while thru-hiking the 85 mile Susquehannock Trail System (a trip that to this day remains one of my favorite backpacking trips I've ever undertaken). I didn't camp in Hammersley then but I enjoyed the area so much that I convinced my friends to undertake our annual backpacking trip there twice- once in 2014, and again in 2015.

I still have yet to hike the full Twin Sisters loop (or visit the Twin Sisters vista for that matter. Nor have I had any encounters with the ghost that supposedly haunts the old lumber camp sites scattered throughout the valley). At some point, I'll make a return visit to the area (my friends and I have talked a little bit about heading back to Hammersley again on one of our future annual backpacking trips).

Nice to see that DCNR has updated the map and brochure for this area, although somehow I suspect that they did not field truth the condition of all trails in the area prior to including them in the official, published map. The STS is generally in good shape and easy to follow, but in my experience (and based on what I've read in trip reports from others who've visited the area) any of the other trails throughout the Hammersley Wild Area can be a real crap shoot as far as what condition they are in.

[trailnotfound]

Fun area, but some of those trails definitely don't exist, like the stretch along Hammersley Fork between the STS and Dutlinger NA. That said, I love these maps showing defunct trails. Some of the best outings I've had have been exploring abandoned trails, which I'd never have checked out if they weren't on maps anymore. I'm going to try to get up there in the spring, pre-nettles but post-snow.

[jmitch]

Trailnotfound- I think these trails are now blazed in the Hammersley.

DSettahr- Twin Sisters Loop is great but avoid that walk on the swath on the north end. A much better idea is to descend the ridge along the north limit of the meadows. The ridge is open and has great views looking down the gorge of Hammersley Fork, at the bottom, cross the creek and reach the STS.

[trailnotfound]

DSettahr- Twin Sisters Loop is great but avoid that walk on the swath on the north end. A much better idea is to descend the ridge along the north limit of the meadows. The ridge is open and has great views looking down the gorge of Hammersley Fork, at the bottom, cross the creek and reach the STS.

That's a great idea. The last few times I've followed the old Dillon guidebook suggestion of walking the drainage down, and while I'd rather do that than walk a gasline, it's full of downed trees and gets pretty weedy at the bottom.

[jmitch]

STS now has four shelters and one hut. More info in the fall 2019 newsletter in the link below

http://www.stc-hike.org/

[jmitch]

Photos of the ridge walk down from the meadows to the STS. Really beautiful, should be a trail.

Looking down on the beginning of the ridge walk by jeffmitchell2010, on Flickr

Hammersley Canyon comes into view by jeffmitchell2010, on Flickr

Hammersley Canyon by jeffmitchell2010, on Flickr

Hammersley Canyon by jeffmitchell2010, on Flickr

Looking up to the meadows from the ridge walk by jeffmitchell2010, on Flickr

Untitled by jeffmitchell2010, on Flickr

Final view on ridge walk by jeffmitchell2010, on Flickr

[jmitch]

Views from the meadows. Whole album of this superb hike:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/49239558@N04/albums/72157663723207589/with/24516440309/

Untitled by jeffmitchell2010, on Flickr

Untitled by jeffmitchell2010, on Flickr

Untitled by jeffmitchell2010, on Flickr

Views from the top of the meadows by jeffmitchell2010, on Flickr

[Woodly]

Real nice photos and descriptions...thanks