Trail Club sets anniversary hikes

Susquehannock Trail Club celebrates its 40th year with a series of weekend hikes on the 85-mile Susquehannock Trail System.

Dubbed "Seven Sallies on the STS," the series takes hikers around Potter County's most famous trail in three weekends and an additional day.

STS, was completed in 1967, linking a series of old railroad grades, logging roads, and woods trails into one continuous loop. Hikers who complete the whole trail, either on one excursion or in sections, can earn a "Circuit Hiker" designation.

As of this past December, 942 Circuit Hikers had been recognized. Club leaders hope to reach the 1,000 milestone in this 40th anniversary year.

The series begins on Saturday, March 31. Each day's leg will be 10 to 14 miles. Healthy children ages 12 and up and adults in good physical condition can walk these sections in a day's time, but most of the day-trips will be broken into two segments so hikers can choose to go just half the distance.

On March 31, the hike will go from a point on Rock Ridge Road to Denton Hill, for a total of 13 miles. Hikers should meet at Patterson State Park at 8:45 a.m. The morning section of the hike will go to Patterson Park, where a lunch break is planned at about 1:15 p.m. Morning hikers who have had enough for the day can opt out there; finish time for the others is estimated at 5:45 p.m.

On Sunday, April 1, a hike will go from Denton Hill to the Cherry Springs Fire Tower. The morning section will go from the forestry office to the intersection of Lyman Run Road, some 6.6 miles. After a lunch break there, the afternoon section of the hike will proceed up the notorious "Cardiac Hill" to the fire tower on Route 44.