Kildoo Trail

The Kildoo Trail offers the most immersive gorge experience in McConnells Mill State Park in a compact loop format, descending steeply to Slippery Rock Creek and following it upstream through the most dramatic section of rapids and old-growth hemlock before climbing back to the rim. The trail begins near the McConnells Mill covered bridge, a historic 1874 structure that spans the creek and serves as one of the most photographed landmarks in western Pennsylvania. From the bridge the trail winds upstream through boulder gardens where Slippery Rock Creek churns over house-sized conglomerate blocks dropped by the glacial outburst flood. Old-growth eastern hemlocks, some with trunk diameters exceeding four feet, arch over the creek in a continuous canopy that creates a dim, moss-carpeted world of exceptional beauty. Kildoo Run, a side tributary, contributes a small waterfall near its confluence with Slippery Rock Creek, providing a secondary attraction along the route. The upstream section passes through increasingly wild and boulder-strewn terrain before the trail climbs the gorge wall via a series of switchbacks through mixed hardwood forest. Spring wildflowers are outstanding in the transition zone between gorge bottom and rim, with large colonies of trout lily, wild ginger, and hepatica. The loop can be combined with the Slippery Rock Gorge Trail for a longer 5-mile outing through the full gorge corridor.