Donut Hole Trail: a long-distance trail through Sproul State Forest

The Donut Hole Trail is a point-to-point trail across Sproul State Forest, mostly in Clinton County; according to the Susquehanna Greenway, about 5 miles at Jericho are in Cameron County. It is walked on foot, with or without nights in the woods. The DCNR says it is blazed orange.

Length and difficulty

The sources do not give the same length. The Sproul State Forest page (DCNR) says approximately 90 miles, as do the Susquehanna Greenway and PA Wilds; the Kettle Creek State Park page (DCNR) gives 94 miles in total, and the Keystone Trails Association (KTA) 94.2 miles. According to Wikipedia, the trail was about 89 miles long in the late 1980s; in 2015 a major reroute south of Hyner Run State Park added several miles, for 94.2 miles today. The Sproul State Forest page (DCNR) says the trail ends at Hyner Run State Park; according to Wikipedia, that was the end of the original version, which was extended in the 1980s west to Jericho and east to Farrandsville.

The DCNR places the Kettle Creek State Park section in its highest category, "most difficult hiking". The KTA calls it one of the most remote and challenging backpacking trails in the state, with numerous steep climbs and unbridged stream crossings.

The map pin: Kettle Creek State Park

Kettle Creek State Park is in western Clinton County (97 Kettle Creek Park Lane, Renovo; latitude 41.37517, longitude -77.93277, per the DCNR). The DCNR says the trail passes through the park for only 0.4 mile, near the Lower Campground. The amenities listed at the trailhead are modern restrooms, potable water and picnic tables. The park is open every day, from sunrise to sunset.

Kettle Creek: a changed route

According to Wikipedia, for safety reasons the official route was moved in the 2010s to avoid the wide, unbridged crossing of Kettle Creek. The Susquehanna Greenway and PA Wilds still describe a major crossing there: do not attempt it when the water is high, and a yellow-blazed route avoids it. For the current route, the Sproul State Forest office in Renovo (570-923-6011) is the place to ask.

Getting to the ends

At Jericho, the trailhead is near the intersection of PA 120 and PA 872 in Cameron County: take the village's only street to its end, off PA 120. At Farrandsville, about 7 miles outside Lock Haven, cross the Route 664 bridge over the Susquehanna River, turn left at the end of the bridge and follow the river for 5 miles, then drive another 0.6 mile to where the road turns away from the river past a church. The trailhead is at the end of the road, in the Game Commission parking lot.

Permits, maps and camping

According to the Susquehanna Greenway and PA Wilds, a camping permit is required to stay more than one night at the same spot. The Sproul State Forest office in Renovo (570-923-6011) provides maps and permits, and the DCNR posts East and West PDF maps. According to Wikipedia, camping is prohibited along 8.1 miles of the route where it crosses a Nature Conservancy parcel.

Connections and day hikes

Per the KTA, the trail shares 8.6 miles with the Susquehannock Trail System. It links to the Black Forest Trail by the T-Squared Trail and to the Chuck Keiper Trail by the Jack Paulhamus/Garby Trail. PA Wilds suggests the stretch from Hyner Run State Park to Hyner View Overlook as a day hike.

Reported hazards

Wikipedia mentions uneven, wet terrain, rattlesnakes, mosquitoes, ticks and black bears, and says the trail is open year-round.