Join us as we hike the mountain plateau of Weiser State Forest’s Haldeman tract in search of one of Dauphin County’s most scenic views at the hang glider launch
The Haldeman Tract of Weiser State Forest is over 5300 acres of woodland on the western end of Broad Mountain in Dauphin County, PA. There are many trails to explore plus picnic areas and campsites. In this adventure, we explored a loop encompassing much of the plateau on our way to the exquisitely expansive view at the hang glider launch.
We drove up Broad Mountain on White Oak Road to the Minnich Hit Picnic Area in the heart of the Haldeman Tract at 40.52227, -76.74776. Minnich’s Hit had a number of picnic tables, charcoal grills, an information kiosk, and latrines. We headed east on the Shale Run Trail then turned north to parallel the state forest boundary on the Preserve Line Trail. The terrain has only small elevation changes being on the mountain plateau.
The trail splits at 40.54174, -76.73817 as it approaches the northern edge of Broad Mountain. At the split we took the enticing Matter trail into a more mature pine and spruce forest. This proved to be one of our favorite sections of the hike on account of the burst of green during our mid autumn trip after most of the leaves had fallen. The Matter Trail ran into a gravel road, the Schreffler Trail, at 40.53586, -76.75450. We turned right (north) to use the Schreffler trail as a brief connector to the alluring Rocks Ridge Trail.
We followed the Rocks Ridge Trail hoping the name indicated impressive rock formations. The trail was rocky in spots and had a few large boulders and rock slabs protruding from the ground. However, there was nothing to get excited about. The trail left the woods and met up with the grassy Deep Hollow Trail briefly then Wolf Pond Road, leading to the hang glider launch site.
The woods opened to a large field with a spectacular view to the west, in the direction of the Susquehanna River with the hills of Perry County on the horizon. Our favorite part of the scenic landscape was the undulating serpent-like Berry Mountain hemming in the north side of the valley.
Overall, the loop we took was 10.2 miles.
Minnich’s Hit picnic area is at 40.52227, -76.74776.
The hang glider launch site is at 40.51862, -76.77823.
If you are interested in visiting the hang glider launch site without the hike, you can drive to it via Wolf Pond Road.
The trail loop through the Weiser State Forest Haldeman Tract was relatively easy. The trails were distinct and well maintained. The terrain was relatively flat, with the greatest elevation change being a dip on the Preserve Line Trail that climbed 500 feet over the course of 2.4 miles. As would be expected, parts of the Rocks Ridge Trail were rocky, but still easy. If you prefer smoother terrain, you can bypass the Rocks Ridge Trail by Staying on the Matter Trail. The view from the hang glider launch site was spectacular, but apart from that, we didn’t encounter exceptional features. It was just a nice walk in the woods. The ease of the trails, and the multiple options to adjust the length of your adventure makes this a great excursion for families.
Be sure to check out our other adventures.
