AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
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Nicholas A. Tonelli · CC BY 2.0
Spruce Swamp Natural Area

Stone Tower–Hines Pond, 8 sights

12.6 mi · ▲ 935 ft · 4 hr 40 min

Stone Tower–Hines Pond, 8 sights is a 12.6-mile out-and-back in Spruce Swamp Natural Area near Thornhurst, PA. The route passes Hines Pond and Stone Tower. It climbs 935 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 69/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi1,627 – 2,077 ft12.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Thirsty Hill Road 41.18445, -75.61750
Nearest town Thornhurst, PA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Stone Tower–Hines Pond, 8 sights

12.6 mi · ▲ 935 ft · 4 hr 40 min

Elevation 1,627–2,077 ft

Out & Back · Spruce Swamp Natural Area

Trailhead: Thirsty Hill Road · 41.18445, -75.61750

Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:36 AM · sunset 7:27 PM

  1. Start on Thirsty Hill Road, heading NW.
  2. 50 ftPass Hines Pond.
  3. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Choke Creek Nature Trail, heading NW.
  4. 0.6 miSharp left onto Butler Run Trail, heading E.
  5. 1.1 miContinue straight onto Keller's Swamp Trail, heading E.
  6. 1 miBear right, heading NE.
  7. 50 ftTurn left onto Birchstill Trail, heading N.
  8. 1.2 miBear right onto Sunday Trail, heading W.
  9. 0.7 miTurn right onto Bear Lake Trail, heading W.
  10. 0.7 miBear right onto McClintock's Gate Trail, heading S.
  11. 0.2 miPass Stone Tower.
  12. 250 ftBear left onto Stone Tower Trail, heading W.
  13. 0.4 miReach Stone Tower, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  14. 0.4 miBear right onto McClintock's Gate Trail, heading NE.
  15. 0.2 miBear left onto Bear Lake Trail, heading E.
  16. 0.7 miTurn left onto Sunday Trail, heading S.
  17. 0.7 miBear left onto Birchstill Trail, heading SE.
  18. 1.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
  19. 50 ftBear left onto Keller's Swamp Trail, heading SW.
  20. 1 miContinue straight onto Butler Run Trail, heading S.
  21. 1.1 miSharp right onto Choke Creek Nature Trail, heading W.
  22. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Thirsty Hill Road, heading NE.
  23. 0.4 miArrive 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/stone-tower-bear-lake-trail-out-back-7-sights-22-km

Trail surface

100% dirt

Weather

Sunrise 6:36 AMSunset 7:27 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.8 mi in (~158 min). Leave by 4:29 PM for the 7:27 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:11 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Hikes near Thornhurst, Pennsylvania