Loading...

Distance:
3.5 Miles / 5.6 km
Type:
Out-and-Back
Difficulty:
Easy
Time to Hike:
1 hour, ~45 minutes
Features:
PA Wilds
Surface Type:
Dirt
Park:
Tioga State Forest
Town:
Wellsboro, Pennsylvania
Directions:
41.683368, -77.196882
Added:
April 02, 2020
Updated:
April 16, 2021

Sand Run Falls Hike at Tioga State Forest in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania is an easy 3.5-mile out-and-back trail that leads to the base of the popular waterfall, Sand Run Falls. Please note that this is by far the easiest, shortest, and safest route to the base of Sand Run Falls, but the off-street parking area is very small (room for about two cars) which leaves limited options for hikers if planning to hike this trail on a weekend. The official Sand Run Falls Trail should be used instead during months of low rainfall when the creek is drier, as the parking lot for that trail is the official parking lot that can hold a dozen cars or more.

Regardless, this trail is considered easy since it's very flat leading most of the way to Sand Run Falls. Hikers should be aware of the dangers leading down to the waterfall, so please read the warnings before heading out and expect a steep downhill climb next to the waterfall.

Along the trail hikers will find wild ramps during the spring, along with plenty of mud during the first half of the hike. The best time to visit Sand Run Falls is after a heavy rain, which means this trail will likely be wet and muddy unless you visit during the dry Summer.

The trail is easy to follow and about half-way through, there will be a small but wide waterfall along the creek adjacent to this trail (shown in the map) and next to it is a 10-foot tall rock ledge that arches over the creek.

As you approach the top of Sand Run Falls, there will be a campsite to your left. Hike just a bit further to find the top of Sand Run Falls and eventually over to the ropes that lead down to the base of the waterfall. Use the ropes cautiously to head downhill to the base of Sand Run Falls. At the base of the waterfall, hikers will find beautiful views of Sand Run Falls itself along with an amazing campsite.

From here, the hike is finished unless you wish to view extra waterfalls along the Sand Run Falls Trail - only if you can manage to cross Sand Run Creek to make it to the other side. Please note that these other, smaller waterfalls, are not far away from Sand Run Falls at all, but they may be difficult to get to if you cannot cross Sand Run Creek. Please study the Sand Run Falls Trail map before planning to locate the additional waterfalls here.

Must-Read Note
Shortly after hiking down the hill from the parking area, there will be an open field along the trail with a small campsite. Just beyond this campsite, the main service road turns and continues along a wide trail -- this wide service road is not the trail you must follow. The trail you must follow is located near the turn in this service road near the back of the field -- hike down the skinny trail that heads immediately downhill and then continue hiking along the orange blazed trail to find you way to Sand Run Falls.

Danger
Steep terrain: Reaching the base of Sand Run Falls follows a very steep hillside full of rocks and roots that's about 30-feet tall. Along this hillside is a set of ropes that helps hikers climb down to the base of the waterfall and the campsite below. This section of the trail may not be suited for all hikers, but there's still a nice vista of Sand Run Falls from the trail before the descent to the base of the waterfall. Hike at your own risk.

Rattlesnakes: While rare, the Timber Rattlesnake lives in this area and tends to come down to creeks to cool down or hunt between the end of April through the end of September. Watch your step and give any rattlesnake you see some space.

Camping and Backpacking
Backpackers will find plenty of campsites along this trail, including a few campsites right near Sand Run Falls itself. One campsite has a view of the waterfall while the two other sites are within a very short proximity to the waterfall. Also note there is a campsite closer to the parking lot near the open field as well. All backpackers should follow the Tioga State Forest rules for backcountry/primitive/dispersed camping.

Parking
Hikers will find there is only parking available for about two vehicles at the trailhead here. Hikers will also find another tiny parking turnout that's used often for access to this trail, which can be found at these coordinates: 41.685178, -77.197469. If either parking area appears to be full, please move on and try another time or head to the official Sand Run Falls Trail where parking is much more abundant. The property next to the trail here is technically private property with a public access right-of-way (i.e. the trail) so hikers must park at their own risk. Additionally, parking any further down the road may cause traffic issues as the trail sits on a curve in the road.

Pets
Dogs are allowed if leased.

Blaze Color
This trail follows the orange blazes as of April 3, 2020. Please note that these orange blazes are NOT associated with the Mid State Trail despite the Tioga State Forest trail map pdf.

Prohibited
No horses or biking along this trail.

Explore 264 trails near Wellsboro, PA
  1. Parking

    41.683368, -77.196882
  2. Main Trailhead

    41.683256, -77.196771
  3. Campsite

    41.680844, -77.197129
    Campsite
  4. Short but very wide waterfall along Rattlesnake creek

    41.670997, -77.197297
    Short but very wide waterfall along Rattlesnake creek
  5. Campsite atop Sand Run Falls

    41.662036, -77.193772
    Campsite atop Sand Run Falls
  6. Sand Run Falls

    41.661714, -77.194078
    Sand Run Falls
  7. Campsite next to Sand Run Falls

    41.661606, -77.19435
    Campsite next to Sand Run Falls
  8. Campsite

    41.661842, -77.194381
    Campsite
  9. Right-hand turn here

    41.680489, -77.197144
    Right-hand turn here
Explore other trail routes for this hike, added by the MyHikes Community via Trip Reports.
No community routes found. To add your own route as a Community Route for this Trail guide, please leave a Trip Report with a GPX file on this Trail.

Hazards

Ticks - Lyme Disease More Info (CDC)
Snakes
Poison Ivy/Oak

Seasons

All

Blaze Color

Orange
Loading...
Loading...
339 '

Total Change
385 '

Ascent
385 '

Descent

Photo Albums

2 Trip Reports

No Star-Ratings
Write-up by:
Admin user profile picture
3.5 miles / 5.6 km
Trail added
April 02, 2020
Hiked on
April 02, 2020
Updated on
April 16, 2021
3.5 miles / 5.6 km
January 31, 2023
Waterfall was roaring! The only challenging part of this hike was the final descent down to the waterfall. The bank you have to descend with the aid of a guide rope can be very icy. In the winter, even if there is no snow and ice elsewhere, I recommend bringing yaktrax/spikes along just in case you need them for this sketchy spot. We got a little fire going in the pit and warmed up listening to the sound of the water until the sun was about to set. What's better than a campfire right by a gorgeous waterfall!?
Hiking

Weather Forecast

In Wellsboro, PA

Explore Hiking Trails

New Hikes

Double Run to Canyon Vista Loop
3.7 Miles
6 km
Moderate
Loop
Dutters Trail to Old Bark Loop
4.5 Miles
7.2 km
Moderate
Loop
Bates Ferry Trail and General Greene Tree
2.7 Miles
4.3 km
Easy
Out-and-Back
Cameron Overlook Hike
3.3 Miles
5.3 km
Easy
Out-and-Back

Before you leave...

MyHikes is an indie web platform aimed to make exploring public trails easier for everyone. The site has no investors and is owned and operated by one person, Dave Miller (Founder & Admin). As the Founder, main contributor, and doer-of-all-things for MyHikes, I share my trips with over-detailed write-ups for fun on a volunteer basis and I believe that public trail information should be available to everyone.

It takes a lot of time 🕦, money 💰, and effort (including espresso shots ☕) to run MyHikes, including hiking , mapping , writing , and publishing new trails with high-quality content... along with building new features, moderating, site maintainance, and app development for iOS and Android . I simply ask that if you find MyHikes' trail guides helpful to please consider becoming a Supporter to help keep the site, iOS, and Android apps available to everyone.

Supporters unlock website and in-app perks with a one-time payment of $25 (you renew) 😎👍. Or you can simply make a Donation of your choice without a MyHikes user account. Otherwise, telling your friends about MyHikes is the next-best thing - both quick and free 🎉

Thanks for visiting MyHikes and have a great hike!️

Admin user profile picture

Dave Miller
MyHikes Founder & Admin