Pennsylvania trails · Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
A 95.2-mile section of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail in Pennsylvania, with 1,731 ft of climbing. The full trail runs about 710 miles. Reaches Irwin Hill and other lake/summit/viewpoint destinations. Managed by National Park Service.
Elevation profile
The climbing leans toward the first third: 47% of the ascent falls between mile 0.0 and mile 31.7. It gives back about 9,808 ft along the way, so it rolls rather than climbing steadily.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Reaches
- Irwin Hill (summit)
- Big Spring Reservoir (lake)
- Beam Rocks (viewpoint)
Heads up
Getting there
Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail access — parking nearby. About 17 min drive (8 mi) from Johnstown. 40.40871, -79.00543 · directions
Daylight at the trailhead
On October 14, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:58 a.m., the sun rises at 7:25 a.m. and sets at 6:37 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 7:05 p.m. (EDT) — 11 h 12 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 95.2-mile route works out to roughly 36 h 07 min of walking — more than a single day of daylight here, so plan it as an overnight or hike it in sections.
Loop options
- Ohiopyle State Park Hiking Trails + Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail — 0.8 mi loop, 104 ft gain
- Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail + Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail — 10.3 mi loop, 3,442 ft gain
- Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail + Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail — 10.8 mi loop, 3,348 ft gain
Nearby trails
- Blue Knob State Park Trails — 23.2 mi
- 6 to 10 Trail — 24.5 mi