Nestled In The Pennsylvania Wilds Is A State Forest With Sprawling Trails And Scenic Camping

Although the Pennsylvania Wilds in north-central Pennsylvania cover a total land area that is over 2 million acres in size — or more than 25% of the state's total land acreage — not many people know about the numerous state parks, never-ending trails, along with the rich oil and lumber heritage of the region. The area — tucked between Pittsburgh to its southwest and Philadelphia to its southeast — is also home to Moshannon State Forest. Those of you that are interested in hiking and maximizing the time you spend outdoors will be delighted to hear that Moshannon State Forest has trails and campsites in abundance. So, once you've tried some of Pittsburgh's best coffee shops and are ready to hit the road, embark on a trip from the Steel City to Moshannonn State Forest, which will take you about two and a half hours by car to complete.

Moshannon State Park gets its name from the Native American "Moss-hanne," which translates to "moose stream" — a nod to the waterways of the area — and covers a total area of 190,031 acres on the Allegheny Plateau. The forest is sandwiched between hardwood forests to its north and oak forests to its south, with two wildlife viewing sites: the Hoover Farm and Beaver Run wildlife viewing sites, both of which are located in the eastern half of the forest. Throughout the forest, visitors can spot white-tailed deer, coyotes, turkey, foxes, and if they're lucky, elk. A network of over 200 miles of gravel roads made of limestone and native materials makes it easy to drive between these points of interest within the forest.

North-central Pennsylvania is also home to the underrated Elk State Park, and although Moshannon State Park is not as big as its adjacently located sister forest, the two do share in common an extensive network of hiking trails. Moshannon State Forest boasts a trail system that goes on for 244 miles and offers hiking experiences that can be enjoyed regardless of your preference for day hiking, section hiking, or thru-hiking. A good option if you're looking to spend a few hours exploring the forest is the Rockton Mountain loop trail. The trails are well maintained, and the entire route would take you about an hour and a half to complete. It's not an easy hike by any means, but not a difficult one either. The 3.1-mile hike can be a little muddy depending on preceding weather conditions and frequency of usage, so be sure you have your sturdiest footwear on.

Section hiking involves breaking up a longer end-to-end thru-hike into several manageable bits (or sections) that can be completed in a few days, as opposed to hiking the entire route over a much longer period of time. In Moshannon State Forest, a good example of a section hike would be the Quehanna Western Section Loop from Parker Lake. This is a difficult 22.2-mile hike that takes about 10 hours to complete, so you'll probably want to break it up across two or three days, depending on your comfort level. Ideal for those wanting to get a taste of the backpacking life, the loop spills over to touch and cover sections of the much longer Quehanna Trail, offering views and visits to Parker Dam State Park Beach, the dam itself, and Parker Lake. Although there are plenty of water sources along the way, these can sometimes dry up based on the time of year. Echoing this fact, one hiker on AllTrails wrote, "[The] trail was really dry, so bring plenty of water or fill up when you spot some."

If you really want to have a full-blown thru-hiking experience, consider the Quehanna Trail. Although shorter than many other thru-hikes in America, the Quehanna Trail is still 73 miles long and would require several days to complete, with reports of black bears and elk present in the area. The trail passes through both the Moshannon State Forest and Elk State Forest areas, with meadows, streams, and hills accompanying hikers on their journey.

Camping in the state forest is possible for both backpackers and those with vehicles. Backpackers can camp in most parts of the forest without a permit, provided they're not spending more than one night at a particular campsite or setting up camp too close to a stream, trail, or forest road. If, however, you're backpacking and need to spend more than one night at a given campsite, require a campfire during the months of March, April, or May, or need an emergency point of contact, a free of cost permit is needed. 

For those with vehicles, there are 19 designated zones where motorized, roadside camping is possible with a permit, allowing ample space for small recreation vehicles, trailers, and tents. Designated campsites are pepped across the Yellow Snake Camping Area, Shaggers Inn Camping Area, and the Medix Grade Road. Beyond the hiking experiences and opportunities to reconnect with nature at Moshannon State Forest, the wider region is also home to Clearfield, a riverside borough in Pennsylvania's Wilds with gorgeous wineries and lively festivals. which is about 30 minutes away by car.