Pine Grove General Store

The Pine Grove General Store sits in the historic district of Pine Grove Furnace State Park, beside the Appalachian Trail and the Appalachian Trail Museum. It is famous for the half-gallon challenge: Appalachian Trail thru-hikers celebrating the trail's halfway point try to eat a half gallon of ice cream in one sitting, and on summer days DCNR says it is common to see them at it here. The building was once the iron works' mule stable.

The Half-Gallon Challenge

Pine Grove Furnace is the symbolic midpoint of the Appalachian Trail, and to mark it, thru-hikers attempt to finish a half gallon of ice cream at once. Thru-hikers pass through the park from late spring through summer, so that is when you are most likely to see the challenge in progress (Appalachian Trail).

The Building

The store occupies the old mule stable of the Pine Grove Iron Works, one of the furnace-era buildings DCNR lists as still standing alongside the furnace stack, the Ironmaster's Mansion and the grist mill that now holds the Appalachian Trail Museum (About).

Practical Notes

• Location: on PA 233 in the Furnace Stack area. The Appalachian Trail Museum is between the store and the Furnace Stack parking lot (Parking).
• Wi-Fi: DCNR says Wi-Fi may be available at the store seasonally, useful because cell service is unavailable in most of the park.
• From the campground: the Campground Trail gives campers an easy walk to the historic sites and the store (Camping).
• Hours: the store's season and hours are not published by DCNR.

Nearby

• The Ironmaster's Mansion hostel up the road.
• Fuller Lake beach, a short walk on the trail.
• Picnic tables and grills in the historic district (Picnicking).