AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Contour Trail & Rachel Carson Trail

6.3 mi · ▲ 589 ft · 2 hr 24 min

Contour Trail & Rachel Carson Trail is a 6.3-mile out-and-back near Keown, PA. It climbs 589 ft, with sections as steep as 17% grade, and is mostly paved. It scores 9/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi942 – 1,240 ft · steepest grade: 17%6.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 40.60594, -80.01287
Nearest town Keown, PA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Contour Trail & Rachel Carson Trail

6.3 mi · ▲ 589 ft · 2 hr 24 min

Elevation 941–1,239 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 40.60594, -80.01287

Weather Sep 5: sunrise 6:52 AM · sunset 7:48 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 200 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  3. 1.6 miBear right, heading SE.
  4. 0.8 miBear right, heading SE.
  5. 100 ftBear left onto Rachel Carson Trail, heading SE.
  6. 0.3 miBear left onto Blue Trail, heading SE.
  7. 450 ftBear left onto Old White / Red Dot Trail, heading S.
  8. 200 ftBear right onto Blue Trail, heading SE.
  9. 0.1 miBear left onto White / Brown Dot Trail, heading SE.
  10. 50 ftContinue straight onto Blue Trail, heading SE.
  11. 100 ftBear right onto White Trail, heading SE.
  12. 50 ftSharp left, heading SE.
  13. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Contour Trail, heading S.
  14. 50 ftReach Rachel Carson Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  15. 0.1 miSharp right onto White Trail, heading N.
  16. 50 ftBear left onto Blue Trail, heading N.
  17. 50 ftContinue straight onto White / Brown Dot Trail, heading N.
  18. 50 ftBear right onto Blue Trail, heading N.
  19. 0.1 miBear left onto Old White / Red Dot Trail, heading S.
  20. 200 ftBear right onto Blue Trail, heading S.
  21. 450 ftBear right onto Rachel Carson Trail, heading NW.
  22. 0.3 miBear right, heading W.
  23. 0.8 miBear left, heading N.
  24. 1.6 miTurn left, heading W.
  25. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/contour-trail-rachel-carson-trail-out-back-10-km

Trail surface

66% paved27% dirt4% gravel3% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:52 AMSunset 7:48 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.5 mi in (~71 min). Leave by 6:16 PM for the 7:48 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:07 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Keown, Pennsylvania