Explore Lycoming County’s Old Loggers Path for a hiking adventure that combines mystery, history, and the great outdoors.
The Masten Ghost Town, a location that displays the ruins of a once-thriving logging hamlet abandoned in the 1930s, is traversed by this 27-mile round trail. The hike’s most fascinating section is the Masten Cemetery, a remote cemetery tucked away deep in the forest.
The Masten Ghost Town
The Sones Brothers Lumber Company founded the Masten Ghost Town in 1905, which consisted of a railroad, a sawmill, and a town for its employees and their families. Masten had a hotel, general shop, post office, school, and about 300 residents during its height.
The community prospered until the Great Depression arrived in the 1920s and the lumber sector began to deteriorate. The sawmill ceased by 1930, and most of the villagers moved away. Masten became a ghost town in 1941 when the final family left.
Along the Old Loggers Path, you can still see traces of the town today, like the water tower, the railroad grade, and building foundations. There are picnic grounds and basic camping sites available at the neighboring Masten Campground.
The Masten Cemetery
Located on a slope overlooking Pleasant Stream, the Masten Cemetery is about a mile south of the Masten Ghost Town. There’s no signage or designated trail at the cemetery, and it’s not shown on most maps.
It can be reached by following a narrow trail that winds through the forest, over a tiny brook, and up a steep hill. A stone wall and wire fence enclose the roughly forty graves in the cemetery, some of which are unmarked or difficult to read. The oldest interment is from 1938, while the oldest dates to 1907.
You can pay your respects to Masten’s past residents at this serene, eerie cemetery. Take in the breathtaking views of the mountains and stream while losing yourself in the sounds of nature. Unknown to most hikers, the cemetery is a hidden jewel that gives the Old Loggers Path a sense of mystery and history.
How to Get There
The Old Loggers Path is a clockwise loop that starts and ends at the Masten Trailhead on Pleasant Stream Road in Lycoming County. It is designated with orange blazes. The distance between the trailhead and the Masten Ghost Town is roughly 3.5 miles and 4.5 miles, respectively.
The track, which is rated as moderate to challenging, has steep ascents and descents, rocky areas, and stream crossings. Suggested as a two- or three-day hike, there are approved campsites along the route. You can pick up a camping permit at the Tiadaghton State Forest District Office in Waterville to camp at the Masten Campground.
Both lovers of the outdoors and the past will find the Old Loggers Path to be a rewarding journey. Enjoy breath-taking scenery, come across wildlife, and explore waterfalls next to abandoned town ruins and a remote cemetery. This hike guarantees an encounter that cultivates a respect for the past as well as the present.
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