I woke up this morning to rain. Just what the forecast predicted (so glad I switched from a campsite to a yurt!).
Trail angel Bob met me at 9 a.m. (when the rain ended for the day) at the Glacier Ridge Trailhead. I dropped my car there, and he drove us to Hell’s Hollow, part of McConnells Mill State Park. Bob is working on the North Country Trail Association’s Hike 100 Challenge for 2026, so he joined me for the first 90 minutes or so.
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Heading Toward the Glacier Ridge Trailhead
The hike out from Hell’s Hollow was beautiful. Lots of little waterfalls, undulating trail and just great scenery. Despite the rain, there weren’t too many muddy spots. Excellent!
Bob said there was a stretch near McConnells Mill that is quite rocky. At one point, you can take an alternate trail that’s easier. Once he turned around to go back to his car, the trail got more difficult, with some steep climbs and, yes, rocks.
Around lunchtime I reached the Eckert Bridge, where I stopped to have lunch. The trail split here (trails on each side of the Slippery Rock Creek), so I took the Kildoo Trail instead of the NCT, as that was supposed to be the easier one. The Kildoo Trail was pretty rocky, so I’m not sure if that was the better choice. But it wasn’t too long. It also featured these giant, mossy rocks that I saw on the Potomac Heritage Trail’s Laurel Highlands section in Pennsylvania.
The trails merged at McConnells Mill, where I enjoyed views of a covered bridge and the old mill.
Day Is Done
The last half of the day was mostly easy. After a short road walk, the trail flattened out as it wound around part of Lake Arthur. At one point, though, it neared some public works areas with solar panels and other facilities. I lost the trail a few times in here, then just did a road walk around to rejoin it where the trail merged with the Glacier Ridge Trail.
Here, the trail began climbing again. Several parts were quite steep. Still, I made it to my car by 5:45. Tonight I’m staying at a cabin at the Peaceful Valley Campground. It’s not as nice as the yurt last night, but it will do.
Snowshoe
Pennsylvania miles today: 17.3 (27.8 km)
Pennsylvania NCT miles to date: 52.8 (85 km)
Total NCT miles to date: 3,935 (6,332.8 km)
Total NCT miles to go: 665 (1,070.2 km)
My most useful gear today: My Thermarest sit pad, which allowed me to enjoy lunch without getting wet or muddy.
