OliverPhineas’ Trip Reports

Explore of the Hammersley Wild Area near Cross Fork, Pennsylvania is the trace recording of this four-trail hike, which is a moderate 10.8-mile loop trek. These trails start along the Trout Run Road on the John Summerson Branch Trail which is a moderate walk, with a continuous gradual steepness for the 4 mile ascent. At the top of the John Summerson Branch Trail ascent turn right at the Trout Run Ridge Trail to hike toward the Beech Bottom Trail to find the F. H. Dutlinger Old Growth Forest Hike at the summit of the Beech Bottom Trail. This is a 0.5 mile spur along the Trout Run Ridge Trail that trails through the Old Growth Hemlock Grove. While hiking on the Trout Run Ridge Trail, the path to the Beech Bottom Trail turn was missed at the 5 mile mark during this loop hike due to a misplaced trail sign. The hiker came to a pipeline within 0.25 miles after the missed left turn on the Trout Run Ridge Trail hike, which gave the hiker an unmistakable visual clue of the missed turn on the Trout Run Ridge Trail. At this point, the hiker must turn back in the reverse direction to the Trout Run Ridge Trail and locate the missed turn. After a visit the Old-Growth hemlock forest on the upper portion of Beech Bottom Trail, this loop hike returns to the Trout Run Road trailhead parking area using the Lock Branch Trail which is a moderate walk, on a continuous gradual steepness along an old oil well pipeline road for the 3.2 mile descent.On this rather warm spring day, with the afternoon temperatures reaching in the high 70's and almost no wind, the punkies or swarming biting gnats, came out to be a nuisance at times. Not a big deal, but something to be dealt with in truly wild areas, where nature sets the rules. This longer loop trek report is also published under the "Summerson - Trout Ridge - Lock Branch Loop"