Elk State Forest
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| Elk State Forest, Pennsylvania | |
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| IUCN Category VI (Managed Resource Protected Area) | |
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| Location: | Cameron, Clinton, Elk, McKean, and Potter Counties, PA, USA |
| Nearest city: | Clearfield, Pennsylvania |
| Coordinates: | |
| Area: | 200,000 acres (809 km²) |
| Established: | 1900 |
| Governing body: | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
Elk State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #13. The main offices are located in Emporium in Cameron County , Pennsylvania in the United States.
The forest is located on 200,000 acres (809 km²), chiefly in Cameron and Elk counties, with small parts of the forest also in Clinton, McKean and Potter counties.
Elk State Forest is named for the animal elk (wapiti). Although native to Pennsylvania and the area, the last wild elk in Pennsylvania was killed in 1867. Elk from the Rocky Mountains were reintroduced to the area between 1913 and 1926 and the herd today has over 600 animals. Their range is mostly in southeastern Elk and southwestern Cameron counties.
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[edit] Neighboring State Forest Districts
- Susquehannock State Forest (north)
- Sproul State Forest (east)
- Moshannon State Forest (south)
- Kittanning State Forest (southwest)
- Cornplanter State Forest (west)
[edit] Nearby State Parks
- Elk State Park
- Bucktail State Park
- Sizerville State Park
- Sinnamahoning State Park
[edit] Natural Areas and Trails
Elk State Forest is home to the Quehanna Wild Area (48,186 acres, 195 km²), as well as Johnson Run Natural Area (216 acres, 0.87 km²), Lower Jerry Run Natural Area (892 acres, 3.6 km²), Pine Tree Trail Natural Area (276 acres, 1.1 km²), Bucktail State Park Natural Area (16,433 acres, 66.5 km²), and Wykoff Run Natural Area (1,215 acres, 4.9 km²).
Major hiking trails in Elk State Forest include the Bucktail Path (30 mi, 50 km) and the Quehanna Trail (60 mi, 100 km). Other trails include the Fred Woods Trail (5 mi, 8 km), the Pine Tree Trail, the Dividing Ridge/Eddy's Run Trail (10 mi, 16 km),and the new Elk Trail (19 mi, 30.6 km).
[edit] References
- Elk State Forest. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved on 2006-07-12. Note: As of July 2006, this web page has not been updated to reflect the Pennsylvania State Forest Districts realignment.
- State Forest Districts. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved on 2006-07-12. Note: Map showing districts after the July 1, 2005 realignment
