Hiking Tuscarora Mountain

Tuscarora Mountain

On the way home from Indianapolis, my husband and I decided to stop at the Tuscarora Mountains for a 2-hour hike. I’m not someone who road trips very well (meaning about 5 hours is my limit for sitting still, and I need to use the bathroom every couple of hours.) The weather was perfect, and we thought it would be a good stop. Since my husband grew up in the area, he knew Tuscarora Mountain well.

The Tuscarora Mountains are an accessible destination to get to if you’re in central PA and Franklin Counties. Many main roads like the Pennsylvania turnpike come within minutes of the trailhead for Tuscarora Mountain. There are a few hiking trails that reach the summit of Tuscarora Mountain, but you can also park at the top of the big mountain and admire the view.

We saw a few deer as well as a few giant spiders at Tuscarora Mountain. This was a little to close for comfort.

The trail is one of the more overgrown trails we’ve been too recently. Some spots have a calf-length grass. I advise you to wear long pants (even if it’s hot) and use bug spray. The public health major in me, says that Lyme disease is most prevalent in PA so be protected.).

Hiking Tuscarora Mountain Pa — Hiking Tuscarora Mountain

There are a few rocky spots, especially to the summit of Tuscarora Mountain, but for the most part, it’s an easy trail. It’s 4 miles out and back (8 round trip), but if you feel like that’s too overwhelming, you can park at the top of Tuscarora Mountain and walk down then back up.

The trail is well marked, and unless you decide to go bushwhacking, it’s next to impossible to get lost.

The top is worth the climb and even if you want to make a pit stop and just drive to the top, it’s beautiful. It’s one of my favorite summits of hiking so far. Since we have family around here, it would be a fun stop to go back. It looks like there are plenty of trails.