First Ride of Season: PA, Allegheny National Forest

[jhl99]

*EDIT:  I put this in the wrong forum, intended it for be in the general bikepacking forum.... if anyone wants the route, I can post**

So did we jump from a mild winter, to an accelerated spring right into summer here in the mid-Atlantic (and maybe elsewhere)?

The season has started!

First trip was a weekender loop around parts of the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) in NW PA.

Started off with a little fog along the Clarion River:


Bridge at Hallton:


Climb up through the White Pines


ATV trail bridge


Long straight stretch through Owl's Nest


Fill up:


Vintage Oil Tanks



Old Railroad Grade along Tionesta Creek.  Drier would have been better


Logging Road Climb:


Hemlocks:

[batty]

Looks like a great ride.  Planning to go to Michaux State Forest for an overnight tour on the last weekend in April.  Your welcome to join us if interested.

Any rookies out there - This would also be a good beginner opportunity to head out with some experienced folks.  Forest Rd. miles, state park camping...

Heading out of Pittsburgh Friday evening, ride Saturday, ride Sunday and head home.

[mmeiser]

is any of your route a part of the ACA's Allegheny Mountain Loop?

[jhl99]

Negative on sharing parts of the ACA Allegheny Route.  The ACA route is in West Virginia/Virginia.  The route I did was in Pennsylvania.

The term "Allegheny Mountains" is somewhat broad can covers a large area http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cumberlandplateaumap.png .


The route:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http:%2F%2Fhome.windstream.net%2FJHLange%2F2012-03-PA-ANF.kmz&hl=en&sll=41.514747,-78.795319&sspn=0.557338,1.149445&t=m&z=10

Batty:  I might be interested, but need some more specifics.

[fat guy]

Nice!  I was looking to create a loop from Warren to Hectors Falls, so I am going to steal some of your route.

[swampboy62]

Very nice.  I recognize the Hallton bridge in that picture, as well as the Clarion and Tionesta Creek.

Looks like a pretty great loop.  Using input from some Warren PA area riders I've been working on a mtb/bikepacking map of the ANF region.  Part of what I'd like to be able to do with it would be to pick out some nice bikepacking loops that use as little paved road and as much off-road as you legally could.  We have a really good start, especially on the north side of the ANF.  But I'm definitely in search of as much info as I can get, from anyone who's out there riding.

For example, I didn't know about the old RR tracks on the other side of Tionesta Creek.  Any idea how far they run? Route 666 is a nice enough road, but it would be great to ride down there by the creek.

Looking at your route I see a couple of places for interesting alternates.  For example there's a trail alongside Millstone Creek from near the mouth that leads up to Loleta campground and would likely make good riding.  Also, when going up Loleta Road from the campground to Marienville you go right past the dead end road that leads back to Buzzard Swamp.  There's singletrack and doubletrack in there that cuts across and ends up on Lamonaville Road. 

It would be great if I could pick your brain on some of the connections, road types, etc for that area.  I can get you copies of the overall map and the singletrack areas if you'd like.  This goes for anyone else reading this thread that's familiar with the area - if you're interested I can get you copies of the maps, and I'd certainly like to add any useful knowledge you have to the big map.

Steve Z

[jhl99]

Swamp:

Do know anything about the infamous Hallton Hilton? 

The RR grade along the Tionesta...  it goes all the downstream to the Tionesta lake and shows up on topo maps.  Haven't look to see how far upstream it goes...probably to Sheffield.  The section I road wasn't that great, real wet because of lack of drainage.  Interestingly, as I was riding the RR grade I was talking to some kayakers running the Tionesta ... some of the float group cleared that section of RR grade for snowmobiling...it was clear of blowndown but was boggy enough to have to push.  Unlikely I would ride that section again.

Years ago, I camped on the RR grade approximately opposite Balltown I think.

I'm not aware of the trail along the Milestone.  I'll need to look for it on a future trip.

I'm aware of Buzards Swamp stuff.  Only did a XC ski back there.

The National Forest has data available for the official trails.  I've overlaid them on topo maps.  Here a couple of screen clips.... Blue=hiking trail, Red=Snowmobile trail or joint use road.






 

[swampboy62]

Didn't know about that trail by the Loleta campground.  If it could cross the creek and get to that Forest Service road, there's an oil well road that makes a possible link with the Buzzard Swamp trails.  That would provide a mostly singletrack ride from the Clarion River to Marienville - very cool.

Another bit of info I didn't know - your connection across Tionesta Creek to route 666 near Minister Creek.  I thought that road ended up above the creek and there was no connection.  I take it that I was wrong there, and that there is some sort of connection?  The snowmobile route map that uses that road notes "no legal connection" there.

I've made recent progress copies of some of the maps from the project.  I just tried to post a linked image, but it came across about 2" square.  Maybe a direct link will work...

Buzzard Swamp map:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2364459270040870765EeOvTx

Rimrock/Morrison map:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2862870800040870765YDCoLg

Tuna Valley map:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2014553510040870765kGwGzZ

Coal Bed map:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2533375460040870765CnBbVV

And this is a progress copy of the big map:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2532024900040870765RVOZgr


There's a lot of stuff that could be added.  I'm making an "exploratory map" of some of the possibilities in the Bear Creek area.  Hopefully I'll actually be able to get over there soon and get some stuff verified.

Steve Z

[csm]

Looks like a great ride.  Planning to go to Michaux State Forest for an overnight tour on the last weekend in April.  Your welcome to join us if interested.

Any rookies out there - This would also be a good beginner opportunity to head out with some experienced folks.  Forest Rd. miles, state park camping...

Heading out of Pittsburgh Friday evening, ride Saturday, ride Sunday and head home.

I'd be interested. I have experience mountain biking, touring, backpacking, etc but never bikepacking...

[batty]

I'd be interested. I have experience mountain biking, touring, backpacking, etc but never bikepacking...

Here is the info - Let me know what you think:

Friday night car camping at Caledonia SP.  Saturday ride 25-30 (forest roads/some pavement) camp at Pine Grove Furnace SP.  Sunday ride 25-30 (forest roads/some pavement) back to Caledonia SP.


We will head south (crossing 30) Saturday to where swift run and high rock road intersect and then turn north crossing 30 again at church road until we reach Pine Grove SP.  On Sunday, the plan will be to head north on cold spring road to ridge road, then head southwest toward Caledonia SP.

All along the goal is to check the potential for future single track possibilities or whatever else looks interesting.

[Hubcap29erMan]

Batty - how did your trip go?  Sorry I missed out on that.  Use to do alot of backpacking in those areas when I lived in Gettysburg area.  Jeff - thanks for sharing, great pics!

[batty]

The Michaux overnight trip went well.  The forecast was poor, but we had only sprinkles.  It was cold for the end of April.

We road north from Caledonia SP camping at Pine Grove Furnace SP.  Lots of options; dirt roads, pavement, single-track.  There was a race on Sunday.  We road on part of the course on the way back to the car.  Beautiful scenery - great area. We'll be back for more.