From the Laurel Highlands to Lake Erie

The hiking trails of western Pennsylvania offer both novice and experienced hikers a wide variety of natural terrain and human history. Explore the summit of Mount Davis and Lake Erie's beaches; walk through carpets of mayapples and cathedrals of virgin hemlock; visit plunging waterfalls and the overgrown relics of the great ages of logging, canal building, and railroading.

Veteran trailblazer and outdoor activist Tom Thwaites has completely revised and updated this bestselling guide, which features 10 new trails, to reflect the recent improvement and expansion of hiking trails in western Pennsylvania. Here you'll find something for every hiker: introductory walks of 1-5 miles; intermediate day hikes of 5-10 miles; and "bootbusters" of 10 miles or more, some suitable for backpacking. Thirty-one hikes are based in the Laurel Highlands and Allegheny National Forest, with the remainder grouped around Pittsburgh.

Each hike description includes information on:

"Tom Thwaites is one of Pennsylvania's most experienced and knowledgeable hikers . . . his guidebook for hikers not only tells where to find trails but gives information that makes the paths come alive."
—David Thompson, News Sun (Newport, PA)