Worlds End State Park Camping Trip - Day 6

 Thursday, June 22, 2023

After breakfast we made our way south in Rt. 154 into the depths of Loyalsock State Forest on dirt/gravel roads to find Rusty Run Falls. It was located just off a bridle trail about 1.25 miles into the forest. We found the 7-8 foot falls easily and were happy to see it was running. We snapped our photos and headed back to the truck.

Rusty Run Falls

From there we worked our way back to Rt. 154 to find another dirt/gravel road that took us to the scenic Sones Pond, just outside of the Tamarack Run Natural Area. The pond is small, but it was deserted and a nice spot for a peaceful picnic – something to keep in mind for another visit to Worlds End.

Sones Pond

Alpine Falls

After snapping some photos we continued on the back roads deep into the forest to find the trail that would lead us to Alpine Falls. We found where the Loyalsock Trail crossed the road and followed it to the west, even deeper into the forest. After about a half hour of hiking we could hear water and continued following the rugged downhill trail to the stream bed and up the other side above the falls – which were a trickle. When running normally, the falls are about 7-8 foot tall, but there wasn’t much to see this day. We snapped a couple of photos anyway, then headed back to the truck, completing a 1.7 mile hike along the trail.

We were getting hungry, so we headed into the historic village of Eagles Mere to find someplace to eat lunch. The tiny village of Eagles Mere was founded in 1800 and became a famous mountain resort in the late 19th century. People came to the village for the clean mountain air and to enjoy swimming in the crystal clear waters of its lake. The village today remains much as it did years ago with quaint Victorian cottages for rental along with some shops and a museum along the main street.

Eagles Mere Town Clock

We had our lunch in a tiny café attached to the historic Sweet Shop, then walked around the very small village checking out the few shops and visiting the museum. Afterward we returned to the Sweet Shop for some ice cream before heading to our last destination of the day.

Our final quest for the day was to find the second “Ticklish Rock” in the area. This one was located between the southern edge of the State Forest north of Rt. 220, almost on the Sullivan County/Lycoming County line. We made our way off of Rt. 220 and onto some very narrow asphalt and dirt roads until we finally found the trail we needed. The hike into the forest from the road was short, but mostly uphill (of course), but the unmarked trail was easy to follow. We peered over the ledge above the rock, then found our way down to it to take some photos. Then we made our way back to the truck, completing the ½ mile trek.

Ledge above Ticklish Rock Ticklish Rock

Looking down on Ticklish Rock Ticklish Rock

After dinner that evening a couple camped next to us from Linglestown, PA invited us over to sit by their campfire. We enjoyed comparing notes on our travel adventures, sharing tips and advice. Before we knew it, it was well after quiet time, so we put out the fire and returned to our campers for the night.

* All Photos and videos are the property of the authors except where otherwise noted. *