West Rim Trail

Approach

For the southern terminus of this trail, head to the town of Blackwell which is along PA route 414. The northern trailhead is around a mile south of U.S. route 6 near the village of Ansonia on Colton Road. For directions from U.S. route 6 follow those given in the "getting there" section of the main page. Also, the map may be helpful as well.

Route Description

This trail meanders along the West Rim of the canyon for almost 30 miles. It follows the rim of the canyon with some dips and rises, but mostly stays even with the top of the gorge wall. This trail is a Class 2 route because of its' scenery along the steep western wall of the canyon. There are a few points at which a little scramble is needed to keep the trail. Views from the trail are unparalleled to any trail in the park as it passes over Colton Point which is one of the best viewpoints along the entire length of the canyon. This trail is usually done in two days with a night spent at the campground near Colton Point. Elevation gain is over 1000 feet depending on where you start and where your destination is. This trail has many scenic vistas and is a very enjoyable hike.

Essential Gear

Comfortable shoes, camping supplies (if doing the whole trail), trekking poles and plenty of food/water.

Miscellaneous Info

If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.

Images

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