Shade Mountain Rd

Trail Overview

Shade Mountain Road is unique for its length and the access it offers for motorcycles. The road itself is a fairly smooth gravel surface that runs along the ridge of the Shade Mountain from west to east. The steeper climb is from the west up to the ridge and the descent to the east is much more gradual. Motorcyclists will appreciate the access it provides to the dual sport and off highway motorcycle trails at the west end. Unlicensed off-highway motorcycles are not permitted on Shade Mountain Road except to cross it to link designated single-track trails. This is the only place in Bald Eagle where you can ride non-street-legal dirt bikes, making it a "grandfathered" trail system that's unique in the state forest network. Note that there is a separate designated dual sport trail network parking area just south of the western terminus of this road off of PA 235. It also features two significant points of interest- the Mount Pisgah Altar, which is on private land, but is open to the public during daylight for prayer and reflection, and a nice scenic vista to the south of the road about 2 miles from the west end. This is also one of the longer state forest roads at more than 14 miles. Given the paved roads at either end, expect a bit more traffic from the surrounding communities in vehicles, on bicycles, and definitely more motorcycle traffic.

Photos of Shade Mountain Rd

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Difficulty

Long, but standard PA Forest Service road. Ascents/descents at either end could be challenging in winter, but otherwise passable to any street-legal vehicle.

Technical Rating

Shade Mountain Rd can be accessed by the following ride types:

• High-Clearance 4x4
• SUV