Alleghenys?

“Every once in a while I get a little thunderbolt.

I was looking at a map and came to the realization that the Allegheny NF in PA is probably less than 5 hours from my house.

Anyway, I can't let this potential new source of great hiking last beyond the summer.

Anyone ever hike here? I'm not proposing a trip....yet. But I'd be curious to know about people's experiences here.

Thanks in advance!
rl”

“I planned on taking a trip there two weeks ago but ended up not. If you go drop me a email!”

“Here's a link I have regarding hiking trails. Give the trails a good lookin'over.”

“I'm probably about 4 hours away from the Allegheny. If you do a TT trip, I'd like to go. I've been posting here a while and haven't met any of you good folk face to face yet. I'd welcome the chance.”

“Artex - Why don't you join us on April 26 for the BFT hike. It's about an hour closer to you than the ANF. Nice trail with lots of places to pull out if you can't do the whole four days.”

“Cool, thanks Steiny! I may take you up on that. I have to make it very tentative, as I'm looking for a new place to live now that I have a new job (still in northern NJ). I really am dying to meet some of you guys! If I don't end up making this trip, I would love to do another one sometime this spring with you fine folks! :-)”

“I did a bicycle tour out there in 1997 starting from Chapman Dam state park and although I didn't hike any trails, the woods looked nice for hiking. I always wanted to go back and hike, but never did so if a trip gets organized I'd be interested in it.”

“The place is filled with hiking trails. 100 miles of the north country trail crosses diagonally through the forest; hearts content and tionesta features old growth forest and smaller backpacking loops; morrison trail is a small backpacking loop with lakeside camping; rimrock is nearby with impressive bluffs and cliffs; minister creek is the gem of the forest, massive cliffs and boulders, wild trout stream, vista, camping, and the north country trail runs through there as well, also close to the scenic tionesta creek. cook forest state park is nearby with extensive old growth forest, also check out oil creek state park, it has a 36 mile backpacking loop with shelters, vistas, waterfalls as it winds its way around the gentle oil creek gorge. you can email for more info.”

“minister creek is the gem of the forest is true. I've heard people rip on it because the trail is a 6mi loop. Har De Har Har...what fools they are. That's a good place to set up a "basecamp" and dayhike the outcropping cliffs and rocky nooks and crannys. The NCT touches the northern part of the loop...hike the NCT west to the next road, go south to the next stream (”

“What the heck??? Here's the rest of my story...

(w/in 20 yards) and hike that stream back Est to the Minister Valley. Been there a half dozen times and could still go back and tool around. Mr.jmitch knows his stuff...hit Minister first. Of course, if you wanna hike all day with your pack on I suggest setting up a circuit hike on the NCT.”

“using minister as a basecamp is a great idea, but the place can get crowded on summer weekends, some places are too nice for their own good. buddur is right, minister offers some great off-trail exploring. another loop is in hickory run wilderness, maybe 15 miles in length, near hearts content. i also hear there is a waterfall near ludlow, haven't seen it. RL, if your willing to travel a little further east, there are more trails than you can believe, the quehanna, allegheny front, chuck keiper and donut hole trails, along with the bucktail path, are some of the most isolated trails in the eastern US, with views, beautiful mountain streams and plenty of mountainous terrain, more rugged then the ANF.”

“Quehanna Trail (Parker Dam trailhead) is w/in 10 min off I-80...you CAN'T beat that for it's practically a straight shot to the trail.”

“Good stuff! Gonna be some summer fun.”