Hiking Pinnacle Overlook and Kelly Run
On Wednesday, March 29, 2017 I hiked out to Pinnacle Overlook in Susquehanna River State Park. The Overlook has been on my bucket list for some time and while it was definitely beautiful…
…the real surprise of the trip was Kelly Run itself.
The brook tumbles down through a deep, rocky gorge and empties into the Susquehanna River just above the Norman Wood Bridge in Holtwood, PA. On the way down it creates a delightful series of waterfalls.
Both of these beautiful sites are accessed via the trail system at Kelly’s Run Pinnacle Preserve in Susquehanna River State Park. Parking is located at the Holtwood Recreation Area. A spiderweb of trails runs up and down the steep slopes of the two sides of the gorge created by Kelly Run (trail map).
I hiked a 6.2 mile loop that started off descending to the banks of the Susquehanna River on the Old Pinnacle Road Trail. This gets the worst part of the hike, slogging through a corn field with no shade, over with early and saves the hike up Kelly Run and through the woods for the end.
After reaching the bottom of the river and crossing at the old bridge, turn uphill and follow the Conestoga Trail to the parking area and the Pinnacle Overview. The Conestoga Trail climbs sharply up the other side of the gorge and then runs along the river, providing great views to the south. There are several parallel trails here, some steeper than others, but they all meet near the top of the ridge and will take you to the Overlook itself.
On the way down, it’s a similar choice. I followed the Pinnacle Red Trail but the Pinnacle Yellow Trail will also work. These trails drop quickly down the side of the gorge to the outlet of Kelly Run where the aptly-named Kelly Run trail turns east and follows Kelly Run uphill.
The Kelly Run Trail parallels the brook past multiple awesome waterfalls and crosses the water several times. It’s a beautiful hike up the hill through rhododendrons and along the rocky edge of the gorge.
At the end of the hike, the Kelly Run Trail cuts up the left bank of the brook and climbs back to the top of the ridge and the parking lot.
