North Country National Scenic Trail

Slippery Rock Gorge Trail is part of a larger trail system, The North Country National Scenic Trail. The NCT passes through seven states along the Great Lakes region. In Pennsylvania we maintain over 200 miles of the NCT. I’ve been hiking the NCT trail system in McConnell’s Mills. This section of the trail gives impressive views of Slippery Rock Gorge. It also leads you through old growth forests. There are sections of old hemlock, oak, beech, maples, and basswood trees. The valley is steep, there are many long climbs and switchbacks from the top of the valley to the valley floor. It is a challenging hike, but the rewards are great. Not only is it very quiet and solitary. The trails offers amazing views of the gorge and the creek below. Along the way are many hidden waterfalls, and a chance to listen to the wind blow through the old trees. This is what is must have been like thousands of years ago! I started at the Hell’s Hollow Valley. This is the easiest end to start at, after ascending up two steep climbs, the trail flattened out and I was in one of the first old growth forests along the trail. I past several landslides and seeps. The morning was cold, but the sun was out. It was quite enjoyable to listen to the sounds of the birds and the rushing water below. Ice still hadn’t melted and it formed wonderful little shapes off of tree branches and overhangs. I only hiked 2.5 miles out and back, and got nowhere near doing the full length of the trail, which stands at 6.2 miles. However, It was nice to take in the peace that nature provides.