Hawn Mountain, PA - Pulpit Rock vista.jpg
Zeete · CC BY-SA 4.0

Valley Rim Trail / Appalachian Sunset Point–Valley Rim Trail / Appalachian Viewpoint, 7 sights is a 9.7-mile out-and-back in Hamburg Reservoir Watershed near Eckville, PA. The route passes Valley Rim Trail / Appalachian Viewpoint and Valley Rim Trail / Appalachian Sunset Point. It climbs 2,267 ft, with sections as steep as 20% grade, and is mostly rock. It scores 78/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi623 – 1,588 ft · steepest grade: 20%10.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Appalachian Trail 40.62549, -75.95365
Nearest town Eckville, PA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Valley Rim Trail / Appalachian Sunset Point–Valley Rim Trail / Appalachian Viewpoint, 7 sights

9.7 mi · ▲ 2,267 ft · 4 hr 22 min

Elevation 623–1,590 ft

Out & Back · Hamburg Reservoir Watershed

Trailhead: Appalachian Trail · 40.62549, -75.95365

Weather Sep 5: sunrise 6:36 AM · sunset 7:31 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Appalachian Trail, heading W.
  2. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Appalachian National Scenic Trail, heading S.
  3. 1.8 miBear left onto Pinnacle Trail / Appalachian Trail, heading E.
  4. 0.6 miTurn right, heading SE.
  5. 0.3 miSharp left onto Furnace Creek Trail, heading SE.
  6. 350 ftBear right onto Red Trail, heading NE.
  7. 0.5 miSharp right onto Valley Rim Trail / Appalachian Trail, heading S.
  8. 50 ftPass Valley Rim Trail / Appalachian Viewpoint.
  9. 0.4 miPass Valley Rim Trail / Appalachian Sunset Point.
  10. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  11. 50 ftBear left onto Reservoir Road, heading E.
  12. 300 ftTurn left onto Valley Rim Trail, heading SE.
  13. 50 ftSharp right, heading SE.
  14. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  15. 100 ftSharp right onto Pulpit Rock Trail / Appalachian Trail, heading SE.
  16. 0.5 miTurn left onto Pulpit Rock Trail (Blue Trail), heading N.
  17. 0.3 miReach Valley Rim Trail / Appalachian Sunset Point, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  18. 0.3 miTurn right onto Pulpit Rock Trail / Appalachian Trail, heading W.
  19. 0.5 miSharp left, heading W.
  20. 150 ftBear right, heading W.
  21. 50 ftSharp left onto Valley Rim Trail, heading W.
  22. 50 ftTurn right onto Reservoir Road, heading W.
  23. 250 ftBear right, heading NE.
  24. 50 ftTurn left onto Valley Rim Trail / Appalachian Trail, heading NE.
  25. 0.4 miSharp left onto Red Trail, heading W.
  26. 0.5 miBear left onto Furnace Creek Trail, heading NW.
  27. 400 ftSharp right, heading W.
  28. 0.3 miTurn left onto Pinnacle Trail / Appalachian Trail, heading SW.
  29. 0.6 miBear right onto Appalachian National Scenic Trail, heading W.
  30. 0.9 miBear right, heading NE.
  31. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Appalachian Trail, heading N.
  32. 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 surface

86% rock12% dirt2% paved

Weather

Sunrise 6:36 AMSunset 7:31 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.4 mi in (~117 min). Leave by 5:14 PM for the 7:31 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:19 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Appalachian Trail Trailhead