The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail is one of Pennsylvania's most popular backpacking trails. It stretches over 70-miles along the Laurel Mountain ridgeline. It offers numerous expansive views of the surrounding area. You’ll also hike through vibrant hardwood forests, dense hemlock groves, giant rock mazes, rhododendron-lined streams, and thickets of mountain laurel.

Pennsylvania is home to 229.6 miles of the scenic Appalachian Trail. The state is often referred to by backpackers as “Rocksylvania” due to its notoriously rocky terrain. However, this designation is somewhat overblown. Along the way, hikers can enjoy several breathtaking overlooks, including Pole Steeple, Pulpit Rock, The Pinnacle, and many other views.

Pennsylvania is often overlooked as a backpacking destination by many outdoor enthusiasts. However, some of the most scenic and rewarding backpacking trails can be found within Pennsylvania's vast 2.2 million acres of Forestland. These trails just sit there waiting to be discovered. Here is a list of some of the best backpacking trails in Pennsylvania that you won’t want to miss.

The Loyalscok Trail is a 59.2-mile point-to-point hiking trail located in Lycoming and Sullivan counties in north-central Pennsylvania. On a backpacking trip in this region, you can expect to hike through diverse scenery, with many spectacular mountaintop views, cascading waterfalls, babbling brooks, hemlock forests, deep gorges, and a picturesque pond. 

The Pinchot Trail System is a 23 mile loop located in Lackawanna County of Northeast Pennsylvania. You'll find that this hike doesn't have the breathtaking mountain views that other trails have. However, it makes up for it by taking you through a variety of natural ecosystems, including dense hemlock forests, open meadows, rhododendron tunnels, picturesque streams, and even a waterfall.

The Susquehannock Trail System is an 83.4 mile loop located in Potter County, Pennsylvania. When you traverse the trail, you'll be exposed to a variety of landscapes like – steep hillsides and valleys, wetlands, diverse forest types, open meadows, cascading streams, and a few nice overlooks. Also, as you venture further into this region's remote and unspoiled woodlands, you'll discover an abundance of wildlife.

The Escarpment Trail is a 25 mile hike located in the Catskill Mountains of New York. It’s a point-to-point trail that traverses the Windham-Blackhead Mountain Range and treats you with many panoramic views of the surrounding area. Additionally, on the Escarpment Trail, you’ll be able to explore the wreckage of an old plane crash, and if you’re willing to take a little side trip, you’ll get to see the spectacular Kaaterskill Falls.

The Perry Valley Loop is a 27.4-mile hike located in the George Washington National Forest of West Virginia. This trail is one of the best kept secrets on the East Coast. Few people know about it and that means you’ll basically have the trail to yourself. You will get to see incredible rock outcroppings with stunning cliffside views. The three notable views are Half-moon Mountain, Big Schloss, and Tibbet Knob.

The Pemi Loop is a legendary 31.5-mile hike located in the White Mountains National Forest of New Hampshire. On this route, you’ll enjoy long stretches of above-treeline hiking, including the Franconia Ridge Traverse and the Bonds Traverse. Along the way, you’ll knock out eight of New Hampshire's 48 4,000-foot peaks, each offering a spectacular view of the Pemigewasset Wilderness.

The Three Ridges Loop is a popular 13.2-mile hike located in the George Washington National Forest of Virginia. This route uses the Appalachian and Mau-Har Trail to form the loop. Throughout this hike, expect several steep climbs and some rock scrambles. However, in the end, all your effort will be rewarded with many beautiful views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Roan Highlands is one of the most scenic sections of the Appalachian Trail. It's located in the remote Pisgah and Cherokee National Forests, on the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. The highlight of the trip is the long stretch of grassy balds providing 360-degree summit views of nothing but mountains as far as the eye can see.

The Allegheny Front Trail is a 42-mile hike located in the Moshannon State Forest of Pennsylvania. It utilizes a network of hiking trails, old logging roads, state forest roads, and Native American Indian paths to form a loop. You'll get to experience six incredible vistas and traverse through a variety of forest habitats.

The Dolly Sods Wilderness is located on top of the Allegheny Plateau of West Virginia, and is part of the Monongahela National Forest. A backpacking trip in this area will expose you to a very diverse and unique landscape with sphagnum bogs, grassy meadows lined by spruce trees, windswept boulders, and beautiful mountain vistas.

The Bourn Pond - Stratton Pond loop is a 23.2-mile route located in Vermont’s Lye Brook Wilderness of the Green Mountain National Forest. On this loop, you'll make your way to two remote ponds, Bourn Pond and Stratton Pond. Bourn Pond is rich in beauty with spruce trees surrounding it and two small islands in the middle. The other pond you’ll hike to is named Stratton Pond. It’s very picturesque with Stratton Mountain towering over the large body of water.

The 47,815-acre Cranberry Wilderness is located in West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest. It's one of just a few remaining wild and remote places in the eastern United States. Throughout this region, you'll find an extensive network of trails that offer many different route options to form loops. One route that gives you the best the Cranberry Wilderness has to offer is an 18.5-mile loop consisting mainly of the North-South Trail and the Middle Fork Trail.

The Loyalsock Trail is a linear 59.2-mile footpath located near Williamsport, Pennsylvania. That trail can be a bit much for some backpackers because of its length. Thankfully there is another option hikers have - the Loyalsock/Link Loop. It takes a section of the Loyalsock Trail and uses a link trail to form a small loop that makes for an easy overnighter.

The West Rim Trail is a 30.5 mile point to point hike that skirts the edge of the Pine Creek Gorge, also referred to as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania. Its located in north central Pennsylvania inside the Tioga State Forest. In this backpacking guide, I will help you plan and prepare for your trip so you can get the most out of it.

The Spruce Knob/Seneca Creek route is a 16.5-mile, “lollipop” style hike located in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest. On this trail, you’ll get to experience a little bit of everything. With beautiful streams and waterfalls, high mountain meadows, incredible views from the Spruce Knob tower (the highest point in West Virginia at 4,863 feet), and an old plane wreck you can explore.