Day Hike

Not far from our home in central PA lies Pine Grove Furnace State Park - a rather sprawling area equipped with hiking and biking trails, an outdoor summer camp, 2 lakes and plenty of forested land. For as long as I can remember, I have visited the park multiple, multiple times each year for work or for fun. We had cookouts, swam in the lake, canoed illegally through bunches of water lilies; but most commonly, we hiked the trail called Pole Steeple.

This short hike through the woods is only about 3/4 of a mile, but every time I go I somehow manage to forget that the trail has the word steep in it for good reason. You really are walking at a noticeable angle for the duration of the trail. The portion pictured in the photo above, where you are climbing right up that rocky outcrop, is only at the very end (and honestly, the picture makes it look way more intense than it actually is). For years this part of the trail was closed and you were forced to hike around, but a few weekends ago when my friend Brigid and I drove up for a day hike, it was open to the public for use. It was a beautiful day, and we enjoyed the workout, slight rocky challenge and view from the top.

dang.

surprisingly candid shot

the view

{also gorgeous in the fall}

don't look down!

ponderous moment

others experiencing ponderous moments

sustenance

in case you need to cool off on the way down

All in all, the hike makes for a fun couple of hours, and you can easily wile the rest of your day away at the lake by shore or by boat. If you're from or visiting the area, you can find more information about this trail here. Happy hiking! :)