Gate-to-eight is a regional mega-classic. It's the first, most scenic, and hilliest 8 miles of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, which is home to the Laurel Highlands Ultra. You can knock it out before your rafting buddies are up and about after the night before and no one will be the wiser!
The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail is described in great detail here by the PA DCNR.
The route is an out-and-back. It starts and ends with one hand on the metal gate at the end of Garrett St. in Ohiopyle. This gate is next to the sign for the start of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail and the mailbox for trail use sign-in cards. From there, you follow the fire road to mile marker 0 for the trail, then follow yellow blazes to mile marker 8 before turning around and heading back how you came. The trail is very well blazed and easy to follow, with concrete obelisk markers engraved with the number of each mile. The mile markers are not extremely accurately placed -- for example, note that this route goes from a little before marker 0 to marker 8 and is well less than 16 miles.
It is very important to ceremonially loop around the back of mile marker 8 for good luck on your return trip to Ohiopyle.
