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Hiking · Just outside the county (serves the area)

The Pinnacle

Type
Appalachian Trail ridge overlook
Where
Albany & Windsor Townships, Berks County, PA (just over the Schuylkill line)
Managed by
Appalachian Trail Conservancy / Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club; parking via the Borough of Hamburg (Hamburg Reservoir)
Coordinates
40.58316, -75.94202 (approximate) · Open in Maps
Hamburg Reservoir parking lot (two agreeing secondary sources); the outcrop itself is ~4 mi up-trail.
Last verified
2026-06-18

The Pinnacle is a quartzite boulder outcrop on the Kittatinny Ridge, often described as one of the finest viewpoints on Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Trail. It sits just over the county line in Berks County but is reached from the same ridge corridor associated with Schuylkill County’s AT section, so we include it as a nearby destination.

Hiking

From the Hamburg Reservoir gravel lot, a blue-blazed gravel road and the Valley Rim Trail climb to the AT; the Pinnacle is about 4 miles one way, commonly combined with Pulpit Rock into a ~9-mile loop. It is a difficult hike, and there is no camping at the outcrop. The lot is free and fills early on weekends.

Access & parking

Getting there
From the Hamburg Reservoir gravel lot, follow the blue-blazed gravel road/Valley Rim Trail up to the AT; the Pinnacle is about 4 miles one way and is commonly hiked as a ~9-mile loop with Pulpit Rock.
Parking
Hamburg Reservoir lot (free); fills early on weekends.
Accessibility
No.

Sources

← Outdoor Life