West Rim Trail (Pine Creek Gorge)

Tioga State Forest (Ansonia to Blackwell, Tioga and Lycoming Counties)

The West Rim Trail follows the western edge of Pine Creek Gorge, often called the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, for about 30 miles between Ansonia and Blackwell. The Keystone Trails Association (KTA) says it offers dozens of vistas, many more than 1,000 feet above the gorge floor, and DCNR says many vistas have been cleared to give views of the Pine Creek Valley.

Wikipedia says Outside magazine named it its “Best Hike in Pennsylvania” in 1996. Dave Gantz, writing for Purple Lizard Maps, says most backpackers do it over a two- or three-day weekend.

The hike

Wikipedia describes the trail southbound from the northern trailhead on Colton Road, half a mile south of US 6 near Ansonia. The trail is blazed orange (The Outbound). It starts low and climbs a long diagonal up the gorge wall; Gossamer Gear’s writer counted about 1,000 feet of climbing in the first 1.5 miles. At mile 2.6 it reaches the rim and the first vista, near the junction with the Barbour Rock Trail, with Leonard Harrison State Park across the gorge.

At mile 4 the trail cuts across a corner of Colton Point State Park, then leaves the gorge for about five miles to get around the side canyon formed by the branches of Four Mile Run. It returns to the rim at mile 9 and follows it past side gorges and small waterfalls to the Bradley Wales Picnic Area at mile 15.9, which The Outbound calls a rough midpoint with water and pit toilets.

South of Bradley Wales the trail turns inland for a long stretch to avoid private land, then rejoins the rim at mile 19.7 for about eight more miles of views. At mile 26.5 it meets the Bohen Run Trail, which drops past a waterfall to Pine Creek at Blackwell and connects to the Mid State Trail. The last stretch passes an old dynamite shed and descends along Lloyd Run to PA Route 414 south of Blackwell, across from a Pine Creek Rail Trail parking lot (Wikipedia). Gantz and The Outbound call this the Rattlesnake Rock access.

Gantz says most hikers prefer the northern half’s views, and Gossamer Gear’s writer found the northern half “far more scenic than the southern.” Wikipedia notes the trail follows old logging railroad grades from the late 1800s, when the gorge was nearly clear-cut. Gantz notes that summer can be hot and overgrown and late fall brings hunting season.

Across Pine Creek, the Black Forest Trail makes a much harder loop.

Tips

Arrange a shuttle. Gantz and The Outbound point to Pine Creek Outfitters near the northern trailhead.
Don’t plan to park overnight at Bradley Wales. Gantz says it’s a drop-off point only.
Carry extra water capacity. Some stream campsites may be dry in summer and fall.
Go midweek in spring or fall to avoid the leaf-season crowds (Gantz).
Check fire rules. DCNR bans campfires March 1 to May 25 without permission and when fire danger is high or worse.
Hunting: the 2026 regular firearms deer season runs Nov. 28 to Dec. 13, Sundays included (Pennsylvania Game Commission). Wear orange.

Camping

Tioga State Forest allows backpackers to camp in most areas for one night at a location without a permit, but says permits are always required in the Pine Creek Gorge because of high use and sensitive ecosystems (see the notice above). A permit is also needed to stay more than one night at a site, for an emergency contact, or for a spring campfire, and groups of more than 10 need a Letter of Authorization. Don’t camp in designated Natural Areas, within 200 feet of a forest road, within 25 feet of a trail, or within 100 feet of a stream or open water.

Inside Intel: Gantz says most campsites are where the trail crosses streams draining into Pine Creek, while several vista sites have no water. One hiker on the VFTT forum camped at Horse Run and Bohen Run over a dry Labor Day weekend and still “found enough water.”

Trail facts

Distance: About 30.5 miles one way (30 per DCNR)
Route type: Point to point
Difficulty: Moderate
Campsites: Dispersed, mostly at stream crossings; some dry vista sites
Water: Side streams (unreliable late in summer and fall); Bradley Wales Picnic Area
Permits: Confirm with Tioga State Forest (see notice)
Fires: Restricted March 1 to May 25 and in high fire danger
Trailheads: Colton Road near Ansonia (north); PA 414 south of Blackwell (south)
Last verified: October 12, 2026

The Lowdown

Light enough to carry extra water:

Several West Rim Trail vista campsites have no water source, so every ounce saved on a sleeping pad can go into your water bottles. See the pads reviewers like.

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Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.