Wintergreen Gorge - Erie, PA
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member jonathanatpsu
N 42° 07.540 W 079° 59.865
17T E 582840 N 4664215
A hike at the popular Wintergreen Gorge in Erie, PA
Waymark Code: WM12H51
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 05/28/2020
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member wayfrog
Views: 0

This scenic hike is at Wintergreen Gorge in Erie, PA. This property, along Four-Mile Creek, is owned by Penn State University and is a part of its Behrend College campus. The hike begins at the Cooper Road trailhead. There are a number of side trails you'll notice on this hike that can be explored to increase the distance of the hike. This description, however, will only focus on the main trail that leads to the "Devil's Backbone" overlook. The hike is pretty straight forward. From the trailhead, you continue on the main trail, also known as the Four-Mile Creek Trial. In a little less than half a mile, you will encounter the most difficult climb of the hike, a hill that ascends to the Prischak Parking Lot trailhead. For hikers who want a shorter hike, you can park at this parking lot and hike from there, which will cut the distance in half. Continue past the parking lot on the main trail. You will notice that the trail splits in two, with a smaller trail continuing along the rim of the gorge and the main trail continuing a bit farther from the rim. Either way is fine and will lead you to the same place. If you choose the trail along the rim, watch your footing, as there are many tree roots on which to trip, and a long fall if you do. When you get to the end of the main trail, which is about a mile from the starting point, veer to the right to get to Devil's Backbone. This narrow strip of land with long drop-offs on either side provides nice scenic views. On a clear day, you can see Lake Erie to the north. To the south, you will have a nice view of the trees that cover the hills. From here, you can either retrace your steps back to where you started, or, if you're more ambitious, continue down to Four-Mile Creek, or turn back an hike along the rim. There are many more trails to explore in this area. Just be careful! The total distance of this hike from the Cooper Road trailhead to Devil's Backbone and back is right around 2 miles. If you begin at the Prischak Lot trailhead, it will be about a 1-mile roundtrip.
Picture location 1: N 42° 07.535 W 079° 59.870

Picture Location 2: N 42° 07.117 W 079° 59.375

Picture Location 3: N 42° 06.782 W 079° 59.325

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