PA Turnpike crossing area update

April 15, 2014
See Section 3 updates


Starting from Section 2 NB km 20.02 to Section 3 NB km 1.02 (now 1.80 as trail is 0.78 km longer than the 12th edition Guide as a result) – Mid State Trail has been relocated westerly onto a narrow gravel State Game Lands access road, passing a remote SGL parking area, then into private land on a gradually descending path through brushy woods, behind a billboard (just east of a very active stone quarry, STAY ON TRAIL), to emerge on along SR 1004/Ashcom Rd just east of its PA Turnpike underpass. MST now crosses the Turnpike in this narrow underpass. The Cornell Road bridge on the south end of Section 3 over the PA Turnpike (I-70/76) was permanently removed earlier in 2014.  There is a pull-off parking area between Turnpike and quarry, south side of Ashcom Road and just north (compass west) of Turnpike underpass. North of Ashcom Rd continue on blazed and signed old RR bed between Turnpike and river to former end of Cornell Rd, then continue on grades to and then follow marked posts through Earlston Furnace Cinder Piles. Hikers should check the Mid State Trail web site updates http://www.hike-mst.org/index.php/the-trail/section-updates because there will be further construction detours when the PA Turnpike (and the Ashcom Rd underpass) is widened through this area. (11/13; 1/14; 4/14; 7/14)