Allegheny National Forest

Copyright: USDA Forest Service Allegheny National Forest

Attractions - The Allegheny National Forest encompasses 513,161 acres. It is within easy driving distance of several metropolitan areas in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Ontario, Canada.

Special Areas within the Allegheny include: Hearts Content and Tionesta National Scenic Areas; Hickory Creek and Allegheny River Islands Wilderness Areas; the Allegheny and Clarion Wild and Scenic Rivers; Allegheny National Recreation Area; Longhouse National Scenic Byway; North Country National Scenic Trail; Tracy Ridge National Recreation Trail; and Black Cherry National Recreation Interpretive Trail.

Allegheny Reservoir is located at the north end of the Forest. The reservoir is 24 miles long and has 91 miles of shoreline. Tionesta Reservoir sits at the southwest end of the Forest. These reservoirs offers boating, waterskiing, fishing and camping opportunities.

Tionesta Scenic Area is located seven miles south of Ludlow and eight miles west of Kane. The Scenic Area is part of a 4000-acre tract of old growth forest purchased by the federal government in 1936. This secluded area is nearly roadless and offers great opportunities for solitude and nature study. The area is a typical plateau cut by streams, with flat uplands and steep-sided valleys. Several trails pass through the area. Overnight camping, mountain bikes and vehicles off designated roads are not permitted.

The Hickory Creek Wilderness is located on the Bradford Ranger District and covers 8,663 acres. The gentle to moderate terrain is drained by East Hickory Creek and Middle Hickory Creek. Much of the area is heavily forested. Seven islands in the Allegheny River, totaling 368 acres, are part of the Allegheny River Islands Wilderness. They are characterized by river bottom forest trees such as willow, sycamore and silver maple. The islands are located between Buckaloons Recreation Area and Tionesta, PA.

Recreation - The Allegheny offers a full range of year round outdoor recreation opportunities. Some of these include boating, fishing, water skiing, canoeing, camping, hiking and sightseeing.

The Allegheny has 17 developed campgrounds, some with electric hookups. There are no water or sewage hookups at individual sites. Five primitive campgrounds located on the shores of Allegheny Reservoir can be reached only by boat or hiking trails. Dispersed camping is allowed in most areas of the Allegheny.

Boating is a popular activity on the Allegheny National Forest. Boating and fishing opportunities exist on the Tionesta, Brokenstraw and Conewango Creeks; the Allegheny and Clarion Rivers, the Allegheny and Tionesta Reservoirs, Beaver Meadows Recreation Area, and Chapman State Park near Clarendon.

Hiking trails exist throughout the Forest. There are not any marked equestrian trails, but does allow horse use anywhere except in campgrounds, and on hiking and ski trails. The Forest has many closed and abandoned roads that can be connected for your own personalized trail ride. Most equestrian use on the Forest occurs in the Kellettville, Duhring and Scandia areas. Most trails including snowmobile trails, general open roads and gated roads are available for use by mountain bikers.

Climate - This area experiences four distinct seasons. Winters can bring cold temperatures and often bring snow for winter recreation activities. Spring and autumn are transitional periods, with normally mild temperatures but occasional seasonal fluctuations. Summers bring warm and sometimes hot temperatures, making the waters of the Allegheny National Forest attractive.

Location - The Allegheny National Forest is located in northwest Pennsylvania. It lies on the east side of the Allegheny River. The Forest Headquarters is located in Warren, with Forest offices also located in Bradford, Marienville and Ridgway.