Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail 70 Mile Thru Hike Part 1 2022 - The Beginning

[@Packsalot]

Fun to try out new trails. 70 miles is a good length trail too. Nice how they have it marked. I've never had to stay in a designated backcountry camp except in Zion NP. It is nice that they have restrooms though. Not sure about cold soaking a hot meal. You would save on fuel, stove, and weight though. Oh, the dirty ground dwellers, that's me. LOL. Cool to see the deer. Nice trip so far. Have a great day.

[@backpackingadventures4813]

Thanks Steve! It was very different for me as far as having the shelter areas with all the amenities. Felt like cheating. Lol. I’m not a fan of cold soaking but true cold soaking where you take food that you would normally cook and use cold water. I can eat non hot foods like bars and stuff like that. But I still prefer a nice hot meal at night even in the hottest days of summer. It’s a personal preference more than anything.

[@unpavedexplorer338]

Hello Dan, another start to a great adventure. Dirty Ground Dweller was funny. Take Care and Keep Exploring The Outdoors.

[@backpackingadventures4813]

Thanks John! 👍

[@BackpackingwithBuckley]

Dan! I'm in NE Ohio now. I may be here for quite a while! I was so happy to see this trail is nearby!! Perhaps we will have to get together someday!

[@backpackingadventures4813]

It is pretty close to Ohio, relatively. It’s a nice trail. You have to reserve camping areas though so there is a planning aspect to it. But has all the conveniences. I would love to meet up but probably won’t be until my wife recovers, etc.

[@cupcakescorner7684]

Nice hiking and viewing. Night camping is exciting. Love that bonfiring. Good meal

[@backpackingadventures4813]

Thanks! The first day was a great day and we had a great camp.

[@brianc1651]

I visited every state park in PA except one. When I did Ohiopyle in March, I stayed at two different shelters. The fireplaces were great as it was cold and snow with still alot of snow on the ground. I need to do the whole trail eventually.

[@backpackingadventures4813]

The entire trail is great. I want to go back in the winter to just stay at a shelter. Preferably with some snow on the ground. I think it would be really nice on the winter especially with a fire place.

[@DragonRoams]

Off to a great start. I haven't been to this trail yet but I understand the camping is handled similar to how Oil Creek does it. I did the Gerard trail and was impressed with how they handled the established camping areas.

[@backpackingadventures4813]

This was my first time there as well. It wasn’t something I was used to as far as having all those amenities but it was a great change of pace. I still need to get out to oil creek and Gerard trail. They are in my list. 👍

[@Johnnywalleye1]

I did this trail in 2019 , thanks for the memories,

[@backpackingadventures4813]

You’re welcome.

[@powerfool650]

I live 5 miles from mile 70. Run and walk the trail alot. I like to hike up and sit on trail when they do the point to point ultra marathon. Amazes me they can run that entire trail in 12 hours. The cut off for the race is 22 hours. It is a beautiful trail though. Even better when the mountain laurel is blooming. From my back door to the Decker shelters if I take our local trails is only a 3 mile walk.

[@backpackingadventures4813]

That waited be amazing to live that close to the trail. I’ve been hiking on trails where they have marathons and races going. It is pretty impressive to watch them fly by. I think I was there a couple weeks to early for the bloom. But after this trail I was on the Black Forest Trail and hit it at its peak. Beautiful.

[@DaveOffGrid]

Nice one Dan! This looks like a really cool trail that mixes a lot of conveniences with some longer distance hiking. Really dig it!

[@backpackingadventures4813]

It is definitely that. Long trail with lots of convenience. But the inconvenience is that you can only camp at those areas so you better be able to do the moles needed. But I think shelter areas are spaced 8-10 miles apart so most could do it. It was really neat. Crowded though.

[@BackpackingWithJason]

I’ve been there before. Those shelters are really nice. I don’t know if I could eat the All American Burger cold soaked 🤢. I like it hot. Lol Great start to your trip 👍🏻👍🏻

[@backpackingadventures4813]

I’m with you! The thought of cold American Works is not appetizing to me or any food that should be hot. He was trying to save some weight but not bringing a cook kit.

[@BackpackingWithJason]

@@stoicodysseys6352 that’s awesome. You’ve got me wanting to try some cold soak meals. Especially in the heat. Have a good evening and I enjoyed the video

[@toesockoutdoors3627]

Not sure if you’re posting the videos the same day that you record them, but the shelters with all the noisy trucks are coming up, the Rt. 31 shelters; there is s rock quarry way too close. Also, if you stay at the Turnpike shelters, the pump water is terrible! There is a spring there, but I’ve seen it dried up before

[@backpackingadventures4813]

Nope. I’ve been back for a few weeks. We found out the hard way with the rusty water pumps. Most were ok but a few were really orange. We stuck with the springs or streams if they were around.

[@brianjohnson1554]

Mind sharing what your shuttle cost was. Interested in doing this trail sooner than later.

[@backpackingadventures4813]

Sure! The cost was $165 for the shuttle at the time I registered it. However, that is for the shuttle, not per person. If it is just you and you are the only one on the shuttle it will cost you $165. If you have 4 people than it will cost each $41.25. When I did it there was another person using it that same day that was not in my group so it was 50/50 then I split the 50% with the person I was hiking with. If you call and if your time frame is flexible, ask the person at Wilderness Voyageurs for a day that others are using the shuttle. That way you split it and is cheaper unless you already have a group you are going with. wilderness-voyageurs.com 👍

[@brianjohnson1554]

@@backpackingadventures4813 Thanks for the input!

[@Wondering_Fireball]

Can you send me any info you can for your trip. I live in GA and want to do that trail next September/ Oct.

[@backpackingadventures4813]

Absolutely, Send me your email address to [e-mail] and I’ll send you what I have.

[@backpackingadventures4813]

Or if you’d rather leave your email address in a reply to this and I’ll email you what I have.