Trail riding adventures in eastern Pennsylvania
The Maple Run, Burnt Mills and Dixon R. Miller Recreation Area trails in eastern Pennsylvania aren’t long individually, but can be combined to make for a great weekend of riding.
Start at the Maple Run loop trail in Pike County near the village of Pecks Pond, which offers an 8-mile loop trail. Maple Run is the easiest of the three trail systems, set in gently rolling, forested hills, with a few areas of rock and is a summer trail system.
Next on the list are the Burnt Mills trails, about 6 miles south of Maple Run on state Route 402. Burnt Mills isn’t a loop system but the 7 miles of summer and winter trails are scenic through forest. There’s also a trout stream and beaver pond, if you want to do some fishing.
Final stop: the Dixon R. Miller Recreation Area about 60 miles south, which offers 13 miles of summer and winter trails. The Miller Recreation Area offers the most challenges of the three trails. The trails are much rougher and steeper with areas of large rocks and hills. A map can come in handy for finding your way around.
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources closes a number of trails in the winter. The agency classifies trails as summer and winter trails. Summer trails are open from the Friday before Memorial Day to the last full weekend in September. The winter season runs from the day following the last day of the regular or extended antlerless deer season as established by the Game Commission through the following April 1.
The Maple Run, Burnt Mills area is west of the Delaware River in eastern Pennsylvania on Route 402, 2 miles north of the village of Pecks Pond. Route 402 is exit 30 on the Interstate 84 exit or exit 309 on Interstate 80. Maple Run access is from a parking area on state Route 402 a little less than 2 miles north of the village of Pecks Pond. Burnt Mills access is from a parking area on Route 402 1 mile south of Porters Lake.
The Miller Recreation Area is 5 miles south of Interstate 80, exit 284 on Route 115.
Maple Run info: Delaware State Forest, 2174A Route 611, Swiftwater, PA 18370-7746. Phone: (570) 895-4000.
Burnt Mills and Dixon R. Miller Recreation Area info: Delaware State Forest, 2174A Route 611, Swiftwater, PA 18370-7746. Phone: (570) 895-4000.
Pennsylvania trail info: dcnr.pa.gov/pages.
