How many steps can you climb in one day?

I think of myself as being relatively in shape and able to conquer most hikes and tasks. I greatly underestimated this hike. While looking for trails, I found one called Standing Stone Trail in Mill Creek, PA, located in Huntingdon County, PA. Part of this trail was called the 1000 Step Trail, and I was intrigued by not only the backstory, but the idea of an amazing view at the top. To get to the trailhead you will need to park along route 22 (40.39169, -77.91420), located between Mapleton and Mount Union. The hike covers 1.5 miles, which may seem easy, until you consider the elevation change of 850 feet. At the start of the trails/ruins/historical tours, I always tell my children a bit about the area, history, fun facts and things to know.

Without waiting too much longer, here is the history of this trail. The 1000 step trail was originally built by the quarry workers of the Jack's Mountain Tuscarora Quartzite (sandstone used to make silica bricks) ledge quarry. This stone steps were made to make their daily trek up the hill, easier and more efficient. Jack's Narrow was utilized in many ways including miles of dinkey railroad grade, two quarries, and refractories that made products for railroads, steel, iron, and glass. Imagine climbing those stairs everyday just to get to work!

On the trail, we found beautiful flowers, fresh wild blueberries, various animals, and many people. This trail is heavily trafficked, and some areas are touchy on passing people. My children were 4 and 8 when we did this hike and although my 4-year-old had to be carried part of the way, they both pushed through and made it!

The steps have varying widths, depths, and heights due to the natural form of rocks and placement. When we reached the top, we were rewarded in more than one way! We found a spectacular view on both sides, old railroad ruins, and to everyone's surprise, 1,037 steps.

The hike down was harder than the hike up because of the exhaustion of muscles. By the end, my legs were shaking and ready to rest up. My children stopped more on the way down, then the way up and that is saying something.

If you hike this trail, I would love to see photos of it, hear your thoughts and listen to your story. I can hike the same trail 700 times and never have the same hike twice. I hope to hear about your adventures! If you are interested in traveling to the area, feel free to contact me and I would be happy to book you a stay, give you an itinerary, and find other exciting things to do in the area!

Happy Hiking!!