Loops are great but if all you find in your area are thru hikes you can section them easily. 2 people with 2 cars. Do the shuttle thing.
I agree that our state forests are under rated too, and don't forget the Allegheny National Forest, visit the pa dcnr site (google it, i don't have the link here now, sorry)
Slainte` from the frozen North Coast of Pennsylvania
http://www.facebook.com/PennaCnC
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWN...c533yD7MVUqC7g
May also want to checkout Meetup.com. The site is designed to introduce people from the local community that like to do activities... like backpacking, hiking and camping. Even if you do not go you can at least see where others are planning trips. Most of my trips now are with a local Meetup group. Not that it matters, but I am leading a 2 day backpacking trip next weekend. If you do go you will meet several nice people with similar taste and interests.
Another option is to review some of the local YouTubers and see where they go. Sintax77 is just south of Philly and heads North alot. This is what got me back into going on trips. I came across Adventure Archives who are based out of Columbus, OH and they featured several local trails and places I had never been too. Have fun with it.
Yes great question as I’m ready to drive south to chase decent weather
I’m in Michigan and was thinking red river gorge in Kentucky due to all the posts I’ve seen from there and folks are in shorts
Even just an in and out for the first few trips works very well. Makes you feel comfortable knowing the route taken. Besides the trail always looks a little different going the opposite direction It's just good to be out
My favorite source for hiking trails is a National Geographic map. If an area is worth hiking, NG will have a map for the area which will cost around $7-8 bucks.
The maps have all the trails in the zone color-coded. This is what I used to plan my hiking trip in early-April to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It worked out perfectly.
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