Mocanaqua Loop Trail |
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Home » Luzerne County » Departments/Agencies » Parks and Recreation » Trails » Mocanaqua Loop Trail |
 Mocanaqua Loop Trail
COMPLETE
Earth Conservancy
Jacqueline Dickman
101 S. Main Street
Ashley, PA 18706
(570)-823-3445
j.dickman@earthconservancy.org
WEBSITE:
www.earthconservancy.org
map available at website
TRAIL DESCRIPTION: The Mocanaqua Loop features a variety of hikes along blazed trails over a cleared natural surface. The initial ascent to the hiking trails is about 1,000 feet of steep and challenging hiking. The shortest hike, the “orange loop” is about 2.5 miles and takes about 60-80 minutes. The longest loop is about 7-8 miles from start to finish.
The “Loop” offers a variety of short to medium length hikes along the northern reach of Penobscot Mountain. Hikes along the ridgetop area include overlooks where panoramic views of the Susquehanna River, surrounding mountain ranges, and the small communities that dot the valley’s floor, can be enjoyed. The trail consists of four interconnecting looping trails that take hikers to low-lying areas, ridgetop overlooks, former coal mined areas, and natural wooded areas. The four loops combined, encompass about 15 miles of natural trail. There are a few strategically placed lookouts, which are challenging to get to, but well worth the climb, offering incredible views of the Susquehanna River and the valley below. The physically challenging main loop is approximately 3.5 miles, one-way, from the trailhead facility located in the town of Mocanaqua, to the last established lookout, on top of the mountain. However, there are several “looping” trails within the area, to provide variety for frequent users and to accommodate various levels of difficulty and time constraints.
ThHINGS TO SEE: Views of the Lower Wyoming Valley, old railroad building remnants, a variety of wildlife, significant culm piles, and interesting natural rock formations.
TRAILHEADS AND PARKING: From U.S. Route 11: Turn onto the Shickshinny Bridge (Route 239) going to Mocanaqua and take the first left after crossing the bridge. This will be a short, dead-end street with only a few houses on the left-hand side. The trailhead is located at the end of the street, as well as a parking area.
FUNDING:
The Earth Conservancy received almost $250,000 to plan and build the Mocanaqua Loop Trails.
RECENT/CURRENT ACTIVITIES AND ISSUES:
Acquisition: N/A
Events: N/A
Management/Maintenance: N/A
Other: N/A
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Last Updated: Fri May 16 17:50:03 EDT 2008
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