Pinnacle Trail Head, AT Access — Attraction in Windsor Township

Great trail! I did the 9 mile loop, which takes you past Pulpit Rock and The Pinnacle. I did the trail in late January, so it was pretty quiet, but there were still a few other hikers out there. I would just be careful of the ice if you go in the winter like I did. About a quarter of the trail was completely iced over, so I ended walking next to the trail and hopping between rocks just to avoid face planting on the ice. Other than the length and the ice, it was a pretty easy trail.

To take the 9 mile loop counterclockwise like I did, just follow the road up from the parking lot. About half a mile from the parking lot, the road bends right, and there's a sign that points you towards the Appalachian Trail. You'll have to cross Furnace Creek over a small wooden bridge; after that, the start of the Appalachian Trail is on your right. Just follow the trail, which is marked by white trail blazes, about 4 miles until you see a massive rock cairn (in my photos, it's really hard to miss). Once you see cairn, the Pinnacle is a few hundred feet off the trail. Once you're done looking over The Pinnacle, hop back on the trail (again, marked with white trail blazes), and the follow the trail until it dead-ends and you're forced to go left or right. After that, just take a left and follow the blue trail blazes until you get back to the parking lot; there's a sign pointing you back to the parking lot that's...

I hike this section of the Appalachian Trail regularly. Usually two to three times a week at least. It is one of my favorite trails in this part of PA. The hike up to pulpit rock is one of the better hikes in the area. Usually takes about 40 minutes to an hour to reach pulpit depending on weather and terrain. Usually expect about another 40 minutes to an hour to cross the ridge from Pulpit Rock to the Pinnacle. About 45 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes to get down from the Pinnacle. If you are inexperienced and looking for something easier, the loop that goes up and around the reservoir is always enjoyable and has nice scenery. The parking lot and trails definitely can get crowded on the weekends. I have seen the largest crowds during the summer months. Cars will be parked all the way down reservoir road. Best advice is plan your trips accordingly and be safe...

It is a beautiful hike but not too easy. The path uphill does have elevation gain, and the Appalachian trial connecting pulpit rock and the pinnacle is very rocky. We did around 8.75 miles around trip. Took the blue trial along the furnace creek up (which was left on the gravel road) , and then right on the Appalachian trail (white trail) from the helipad area. This way we reached straight up to the Pinnacle first. Then took the white trail back (right) to pulpit rock. After that, we took the gravel reservoir road back to the parking lot. Carry plenty of water and snacks. Water resistant shoes needed if it has just rained recently. Phones do have range most part of the hike, which is good for finding directions. The views from the top are spectacular and we even saw some hawks cruising...