Shelters

The Appalachian Trail shelters provide through-hikers refuge from the elements. The BMECC maintains 8 shelters listed below from South to North on the AT in Pennsylvania.

Some shelters require serious maintenance at times. The Rausch Gap Shelter was built in 1973 and was scheduled for a roof replacement in 2011. Upon starting the work, it was discovered that too many of the logs had rotted and needed to be replaced. As a result, a major rebuild project was undertaken. The work was done entirely by volunteers at the BMECC Rentschler Arboretum for ease of accessibility and, when completed, the shelter was disassembled, transported to its current location on state game lands, and reassembled and finished.

Rausch Gap Shelter

  • Built: 2012

  • On-site spring

  • Very nice privy, built 2005

  • Location: Within State Game lands tract #211

  • Information about the 2011-2012 Rebuild Project

William Penn Shelter

  • Built: 1993

  • Moldering privy

  • Spring (usually fair)

  • Large loft

  • Blue Mt camp site nearby

  • Location: 2 1/4 miles south of Rt. 645

Route 501 Shelter

  • Built: 1975 - retained by special arrangement with NPS and ATC

  • Enclosed shelter with sky lights, sleeps 12,

  • well water, solar shower, porta potty (in season), camp site

  • caretaker present

  • Location: 0.1 mile north of PA State Route 501

Eagles Nest Shelter

  • Built: 1988

  • Sleeps 8, campsites available

  • Yeich Spring is nearby

  • moldering privy

  • Location: 9.1 miles south of Port Clinton and 6.2 miles north of State Route 183.

Port Clinton Pavilion

This structure is not maintained by the hiking club but is available on the AT. It is sponsored by St. John's Church of Port Clinton, PA.

Location: Follow blue blaze along the "main street" to the north end of town; pavilion is on east side of street

Windsor Furnace Shelter

  • Built: 1972 - This is the only legal camping in the Hamburg Watershed area.

  • Sleeps 6, campsites nearby

  • Moldering privy

  • Spring

  • Location: 21.2 miles south of State Route 309 and 5.6 miles north of State Route 61

Eckville Shelter

  • Built: Early 20th century as a farmhouse outbuilding. Retained by special arrangement with NPS and ATC.

  • Sleeps 6, campsites nearby

  • Well water, toilet, shower, caretaker present

  • Location: Located in Eckville just south of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

Bake Oven Knob Shelter

  • Built: 1937

  • Sleeps 6, campsite for 2 or 3 tents,

  • No privy

  • 3 springs are located downhill. The first two are at 100 and 200 yards on the right (not very reliable), the last one is over .3 miles downhill (usually reliable except during periods of extreme drought).

  • Location: 1 mile north of Bake Oven Knob road and large PA Game Commission Parking Lot. 7.5 miles south of Lehigh Gap