HomePennsylvaniaDuncannon › Appalachian Trail - Duncannon Entrance

Appalachian Trail - Duncannon Entrance

4.8 ★★★★★ 108 Google reviews · Running trail in Duncannon, Pennsylvania · Open 24 hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Natural surface
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Open 24 hours

Confirmed from Appalachian Trail - Duncannon Entrance's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

Natural surfaceOpen 24hScenicHillyTrailhead parking

Hiking area on the Appalachian Trail with a parking lot and kid-friendly hikes.

What runners say about Appalachian Trail - Duncannon Entrance

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (108 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

🏞️ beautiful scenery 5 mentions

“I smiled the whole way several stops to warm my hands under my armpits other than that it was a very tranquil and beautiful beautiful hike!”

This section of AT, typically starts with hikers making their way across the Clarks Ferry bridge down off of Cove mountain and through the town of Duncannon. There’s a fairly steep ascent to top of Peters Mtn but one can take the Susquehanna trail about .25 mile up to avoid one mile of AT and it’s not as steep.

★★★★★ — Travis , Jul 2018

I am planning a thru hike for next year. I should have been this year, but Covid. On my way back west from my vacation seeing family and friends, I stopped here, just to set foot on the trail. It was one of the highlights of my trip.

★★★★★ — Knight , Aug 2021

Easy to navigate with the marked trail. Very steep in bankment yet appropriately arranged with stepping stones and steps. This section is not for the faint of heart.

★★★★★ — Barry , Sep 2025

It was a wonderful wonderful hike to the top of the Hawk Rock. I did it on January 22nd with 6 in of snow in the ground and when I got to the top at 11:35 a.m. it was 2° actual temperature minus 11 with the wind chill.

★★★★★ — Zachary , Jan 2025

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 108 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🏞️ Scenic views 10 mentions

“I smiled the whole way several stops to warm my hands under my armpits other than that it was a very tranquil and beautiful beautiful hike!”

More trails like this →

⛰️ Hills / elevation 8 mentions

“There’s a fairly steep ascent to top of Peters Mtn but one can take the Susquehanna trail about .”

More trails like this →

🅿️ Trailhead parking 8 mentions

“5 miles from railroad track at commuter parking lot at bridge at the junction of 322/22 and 147 over to the AT walk over bridge over 225.”

More trails like this →

🌲 Natural surface / singletrack 4 mentions

“There is a section of this trail that has a decent rock scramble with a little technical aspect to it so I would say dogs are probably not recommended on this section of AT.”

More trails like this →

Plan your run at Appalachian Trail - Duncannon Entrance

The practical stuff

  • AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
  • SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
  • Websiteappalachiantrail.org
  • Social Instagram · Facebook

Hours

Monday Open 24 hours
Tuesday Open 24 hours
Wednesday Open 24 hours
Thursday Open 24 hours
Friday Open 24 hours
Saturday Open 24 hours
Sunday Open 24 hours

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Appalachian Trail - Duncannon Entrance

99-37 Inn Rd, Duncannon, PA 17020

Get directions

Running trails near Duncannon

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Hawk Rock Overlook

4.8 ★★★★★ 562 reviews

Duncannon, PA

1 miLoopNatural surfaceScenic

Easy, two-mile hike to an overlook of the Susquehanna River.

under a mile away

Darlington Trail

4.2 ★★★★☆ 10 reviews

Marysville, PA

5.2 miles away

Darlington Trail

4.6 ★★★★★ 83 reviews

Marysville, PA

Natural surfaceShadedScenic

Area with kid-friendly hiking trails and marked geocaches.

5.4 miles away

Peters Mountain Appalachian Trail

4.8 ★★★★★ 200 reviews

Halifax, PA

4 miNatural surfaceScenic

Scenic 4-mile, rocky trail, part of the Appalachian Trail, with overlooks of the Halifax area.

5.6 miles away

Hampden Township Veterans Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 49 reviews

Enola, PA

6.8 miles away

UPMC Wellness Trail

5 ★★★★★ 3 reviews

Hampden Township, PA

7.3 miles away

All running trails in Duncannon, PA →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.