Shingletown Gap, trail head
This is a hike close to my home in central Pennsylvania, and I’ve done it dozens and dozens of times. It is beautiful, and when I have visitors or guests, I usually take them here first. Still, it is very hard to capture through photographs. But here is an attempt.
The trail is very rocky, which makes it treacherous and slippery in the winter when icy. But it is fun to walk on!
There are plenty of trees affected by the hemlock beetle I mentioned in an earlier post.
I find this kind of forest very beautiful.
For the most part, the trail is very flat. That is why it is so great for visitors of all ages!
In places, you can find the ruins of old habitations, like the foundations of this cottage.
Downed trees like this provide excellent habitat for animals. Often, solitary bees will form nest aggregations in the exposed soil that the roots tear up.
Some of these trees are very old.
This stream is a good place to find salamanders and crayfish!
I never get sick of hemlocks and streams.
The stream is full of little waterfalls.
Looks a beautiful walk, running water makes a trail very special.
It sure does! The thing I can’t capture at all is how beautiful it sounds! It just babbles along beside the trail the whole time.
Looks fantastic! Very inviting. I think I’ll try it. Oh no – it’s 5,800 miles from my front door. Too far. Pity.
Hahaha, yes, I will have to do a “Take a hike” post in Abaco! But if you’re ever in PA, the hemlock ecosystem is gorgeous 😉
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I have been in the area for about three years and absolutely love Shingletown Gap! I’ve been on every trail multiple times and see something new on each hike. I was wondering if you know if there is any existing information on the history of the foundations? I recently camped off of the Lower Trail near one of the structures and would be interested to find out about it.
Yeah! All of Rothrock is fantastic. I’m afraid I don’t know anything about the history of those foundations other than that the whole area used to be heavily logged and is much more forested today than in the past. I think the only part of Rothrock that has never been logged is the Alan Seeger natural area, with its old growth hemlocks.
Your photographs are phenomenal. I wish I could be more specific, but it’s near 5:30 am & I need sleep. Thank you for sharing the beauty (and your talent) It’s very difficult to capture in pictures the feel of that remarkable place–I know because I’ve tried numerous times. But you managed to do it. I used to fly up the side of that mountain (on foot!) but due to some undiagnosed condition (part of it was Lyme Disease–figures!) I can’t climb even that simple but wildly beautiful trail anymore. Recently I wandered thru the rhododendron across from the parking area and crawled into the empty canal and looked around in there. But it’s not the same as heading up the ridge. I especially loved the walk that ended on the road to Little Flat. I don’t remember where it was, exactly, but I remember a place where, high up, springs start to pop up all around you–you hear them trickling in every direction. Some disappear again under the stones and slide downhill unseen but still heard, then all at once pour from unexpected places…out from under a root twisting along the ground, or a dark space among rocks further down. Looking at your photos I began to remember things…in the only beam of sunlight making it down thru the canopy, a soft green colony of princess pine, spotlit along the creek. Chains of rust-colored diatoms attached to an underwater stone. It’s those specific things I miss, the sorts of things I’d forget about til walking along and being surprised by them once again. But while looking at your photos, I felt the spirit of that place, and then began to remember specific instances from when I was there. I want to write them down before I forget. So glad to come upon people on the ‘net who are so generous in sharing what they see and experience. Kim D.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I definitely enjoyed reading about your experiences out there in your comment. I spent many many hours in Rothrock, wandering around, and I knew almost every trail! What a wonderful forest it is. 🙂
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