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Campgrounds have a varied levels of services provided ranging from fire rings only to electric and water hookups and dump stations.
The following campgrounds recommend or require a reservation through recreation.gov for some or all available sites. View the recreation sites page for more detailed information.
Buckaloons Recreation Area
Dewdrop Campground
Farnsworth Cabin
Kiasutha Recreation Area
Loleta Recreation Area
Red Bridge Recreation Area
Tracy Ridge Campground
Twin Lakes Recreation Area
Willow Bay Recreation Area
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Campgrounds have a varied levels of services provided ranging from fire rings only to electric and water hookups and dump stations.
The following campgrounds recommend or require a reservation through recreation.gov for some or all available sites. View the recreation sites page for more detailed information.
Buckaloons Recreation Area
Dewdrop Campground
Farnsworth Cabin
Kiasutha Recreation Area
Loleta Recreation Area
Red Bridge Recreation Area
Tracy Ridge Campground
Twin Lakes Recreation Area
Willow Bay Recreation Area
The following day use sites require a reservation through recreation.gov for some sites. View the recreation site page for more detailed information.
The Bradford Ranger District covers the northern half of the Allegheny National Forest. Highlights of this area include the Allegheny Reservoir, Wild and Scenic Allegheny River and Hearts Content.
Hidden gems found on the district are the Old Powerhouse, Timberdoodle Flats Interpretive Trail and Hall Barn Wildlife Viewing Area.
A major outdoor recreational attraction on the Forest is the 7,647 acre Allegheny Reservoir. At normal summer pool level the reservoir is 27 miles long (14 miles in Pennsylvania and 13 miles in New York) with 91 miles of shoreline.
The undeveloped Allegheny Reservoir shoreline and National Forest System land surrounding the Reservoir provide the largest outdoor recreation opportunities in northwestern Pennsylvania. Highly developed infrastructure (e.g. paved roads, pressurized water systems, sewage treatment plants and electrical service) are in place to serve campgrounds with utilities, flush toilets and hot water showers. Other facilities include picnic areas, swimming beaches, and shoreline fishing opportunities and fishing piers.
The Reservoir was created in the 1960s when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed the Kinzua Dam on the upper Allegheny River. The reservoir water level and water surface is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The adjacent shoreline is primarily owned and managed in Pennsylvania by the U.S. Forest Service and in New York by the Seneca Nation of Indians, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, and Cattaraugus County, NY.
Only a few private landowners exist on the New York shoreline. The Allegheny Reservoir is unique because very little private commercial development exists along its shoreline. The majority of the existing developed recreation sites on the PA portion of the Reservoir are operated and maintained by the Allegheny National Forest.
Wander beneath the oak trees on the 33.69 mile long Tracy Ridge Hiking Trail. Explore small groves of hemlock along the streams. Slopes along the reservoir and the eight small streams in the area are steep. Rock ledges and large boulders can be found on the steeper hillsides.
The trail begins at 2,245 feet on the flat ridgetop at Tracy Ridge Recreation Area, takes visitors through the Allegheny Naitonal Recreation Area before passing by the Allegheny Reservoir at multiple locations.
In 1992 (Public Law 102-271) added 87 miles of the Allegheny River to the National Wild & Scenic River System classified as Recreational. The goal is to protect the existing outstanding and remarkable values and preserve a free-flowing condition for present and future generations. This designation applies to the following three sections:
7 miles from below Kinzua Dam to Route 6 bridge in Warren
48 miles from Buckaloons Campground to Alcorn Island (by Oil City), and
32 miles from south of Franklin to Emlenton.
The corridor boundary runs along the plateau ridge on both sides and has extensive areas of privately owned lands with many homes and seasonal recreational residences along the shoreline. Public access is good generally from both sides and few hazards make this an ideal river for novice and family canoeing. Oak forests predominate along steep side slopes and there is wooded-riverine habitat in some of the floodplains. It contains the seven Allegheny Wilderness Islands often used by boaters for dispersed camping and fishing.
The Allegheny Islands Wilderness contains seven islands stretched between Buckaloons and Tionesta along the Allegheny Wild and Scenic River. The islands are popular for dispersed camping, exploration, and viewing scenery and wildlife. They are mostly vegetated with fine riverine forests of sycamore, silver maple, shagbark hickory, and green ash. Dense grasses and other thick vegetation make access limited. There are no developed trails or other facilities on the islands.
The Allegheny River is one of the primary tributaries to the Ohio River. It joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" in Pittsburgh, PA. The Allegheny starts in Pennsylvania, near Cobb Hill, meanders into New York into Cattaraugus County, near Salamanca, before heading back into Pennsylvania northeast of Warren.
The course of the river forms much of the northwestern boundary of the Allegheny National Forest before reaching Franklin where the river turns southeast. Within the borders of the Allegheny National Forest the river is fed by Kinzua Creek, Conewango Creek, Brokenstraw Creek, Tionesta Creek, Oil Creek and French Creek. The Clarion River joins the Allegheny near Kittanning.
Sleep amongst the 300 - 400 year old white pine that tower 140 feet above in the small campground within the 122-acre Hearts Content Recreation Area.
In an area that was mostly clearcut in the 1800's, 20 acres of what is now Hearts Content was owned by Wheeler and Dusenbury Lumber Company from 1897 to 1922. Wheeler and Dusenbury deeded the land to the U.S. Forest Service in 1923.
Hearts Content is designated as a National Natural Landmark.
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) workers constructed the campground, picnic area, and pavilion in 1936. An exhibit of a hand-hewed log is adjacent to the picnic area.
The Hickory Creek Trailhead and the beginning of the hiking trail is just north of the campground. Nearby loop trails for hiking and cross-country ski trails, as well as the interpretive trail through the Old-Growth forest are centered within the Hearts Content Day Use Area located across the road (east) of the campground.
The Marienville Ranger District covers the southern half of the Allegheny National Forest. Highlights of this area include the Penoke, Marienville and Timberline OHV trails, Wild and Scenic Clarion River and Buzzard Swamp.
Hidden gems on this district include the Little Drummer Trail, Laurel Mill Trail and Beaver Meadows.
The Clarion River is a designated Wild and Scenic River for 51.7 miles, from the border of the ANF/State Game Lands Number 44 boundary to an unnamed tributary at the backwaters of Piney Dam.
The steeply forested hillsides of almost continuous mature deciduous and coniferous vegetation contribute to a feeling of remoteness in many places along the river.
Paddlers on the river will find that the water changes from smooth to riffling as the river flows over and around large boulders. In the section of river between Arroyo Bridge and Irwin Run paddlers will find several of the riffles.
The Clarion is a tributary to the Allegheny Wild and Scenic River, joining it in Clarion County, just south of the town of Emlenton. In the early 1800's the Clarion was used to transport timber to the Allegheny River.
The Spring Creek Horse Trail is a 40-mile equestrian trail near Marienville, off of Route 66. The trail begins at Kelly Pines and has loops of varying lengths to provide long or short horseback rides for visitors.
Portions of the trail will take riders near Wolf Run, Spring Creek, Little Hunter Creek and Bank Run on National Forest System lands and Hill Run in PA State Gamelands #28.
