I recently decided to take on the Allegany 18 Challenge. What is the Allegany 18 Challenge you ask? It is a challenge where you hike 18 of the original hiking trails in Allegany State Park. .
To start the challenge stop by the Red House administration building and pay $20 for the packet and materials you will need to participate. The packet consists of a folder, welcome letter and trail maps for each of the hikes that you will need to complete.
After receiving your packet you will need to fill out your information for the packet number you have been provided. Once you've completed the paperwork you can begin your quest to complete the trails. Trails can be completed in any order and you must either make an etching of the Allegany 18 trail markers on each trail or take a picture of the trail.
In this series I will walk through each of the trails and detail what I find on the trails and the conditions on the days that I hiked them. For difficulty, I will be using the ratings that the park provides for each trail. I will not be posting pictures of the trail markers, you will need to find these on your own adventure.
My goal is to share my quest with you and provide any insights into each trail. I will be attempting to complete the trails in what I believe to be the easiest to hardest.
If you decide to take on the challenge good luck and please share your experiences with us. Always remember to let someone know when and where you will be hiking, how long you expect to be gone and when you plan to return.
When hiking it is important to check the local weather forecast, have food and water with you, and bring essential items like a small first aid kit. The packet provided will also give you a list of recommended items and dangers you may encounter.
Trail 1 of 18 - Bear Springs
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| Every journey begins with that first step. |
After talking with a number of staff at the park and hikers in the area I learned that Bear Springs is the easiest trail to start with. I haven't done a ton of intense hiking over the last few years so lets start slow.
Trail Name: Bear Springs
Trail Length: 0.5 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Time Needed:. 30 minutes
Bear Springs is located along ASP 1 approx. 2.5 miles north of the Quaker Run admin building. Park in the lot on the side of the road next to the trail head and head over to the trail head marker for more information. It is a short straight trail that is not a loop. It is the shortest Trail in the park and is a mostly flat walk.
On the day that I hiked the trail is was wet and muddy so proper footwear is a must. While walking along the trail there is a switchback that will make the slight change in elevation easy to navigate.
After a short walk you will find a long abandoned picnic area where I imagine visitors enjoying the natural spring and a family outing in days long gone.
Past the picnic area you will find the destination of this trail, the covered natural spring. Do not drink the water from the spring as it contains iron and iron eating bacteria.
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| As tempting as it might be don't drink the water! |
At this point turn around and head back to the trail head. Do not continue on the trail going past the covered spring as this is a social path that has developed from curious adventures over the years and is a trail to nowhere.
First trail complete, 17 more to go.
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