Hike to Rusty Falls-Loyalsock State Forest and Eagles Mere Conservancy

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I’ve hiked to Rusty Falls in the Loyalsock State Forest a few times, always along the red blazed bridle trails from Shanerburg Road (see Hike No. 40 in Hiking the Endless Mountains).  On this hike we did something different, we hiked to it from the Eagles Mere Conservancy via the Falls Path.  This was an enjoyable hike.  This route also makes the falls accessible in winter when Shanerburg Road may be impassable. 

We parked near the Outlet Pond and followed the old rail bed past the Conservancy Cabin.  We then turned right onto the Rainbow Path, blazed with rainbow placards.  The trail took us across a gravel road and into some hemlocks.  Next was a left turn onto the Falls Path, blazed blue.  This trail crossed small streams under a hardwood forest.  We crossed the Rainbow Path and soon entered a beautiful hemlock forest with some large trees, a highlight of the hike.  We reached a private property line where the trail turned right, under more scenic hemlocks.

We then entered the state forest with hardwoods.  The path reached a forest road, and turned right onto it, descending to the red blazed bridle trail.   We turned left, or straight, onto the red trail/forest road which took us down to Rusty Run.  Cross Rusty Run as best you can, there is no bridge and its not a very big creek.  The forest road turned left and then right.  At the right turn we followed an unblazed trail to the left, which was obscured by a fallen tree.  The trail took us to Rusty Falls.

The falls are not very big, the bottom drop is 10-12 feet tall, and there is also a 4 foot drop upstream.  But it is a very scenic and serene setting.  If you’re feeling adventurous, go off trail and head upstream.  Enter a narrow hemlock gorge with cascades and pools.  You will soon see Upper Rusty Falls, an 8 or 9 foot falls with a deep pool and a grotto with hemlocks.  I think it is the most scenic of the falls.  

Return the way you came.  Overall, this hike is fairly easy with some hills and gradual declines and climbs.  There are wet spots.  It is about 2.5 miles, one way.

Parking is at 41.410100, -76.574777.

Information about the Eagles Mere Conservancy.

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Rusty Falls. Hiked in via the Falls Path from the Eagles Mere Conservancy. Nice trail.

A post shared by Jeff Mitchell-Outdoors Author (@hiking_mitch) on Apr 12, 2020 at 4:39pm PDT

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Rusty Falls via the Falls Path, which is blazed light blue. There are some beautiful hemlock forests along this trail.

A post shared by Jeff Mitchell-Outdoors Author (@hiking_mitch) on Apr 12, 2020 at 4:45pm PDT

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Little did I know a few hundred feet upstream from Rusty Falls is this gem in a hemlock grotto and deep pool. Located in a beautiful hemlock gorge.

A post shared by Jeff Mitchell-Outdoors Author (@hiking_mitch) on Apr 12, 2020 at 4:50pm PDT

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Upper Rusty Falls.

A post shared by Jeff Mitchell-Outdoors Author (@hiking_mitch) on Apr 12, 2020 at 4:52pm PDT