Elk State Forest
Encyclopedia
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 200000 acres (80,937.2 ha), chiefly in Cameron and Elk
counties, with small parts of the forest also in Clinton
, McKean
and Potter
counties.
(wapiti). Although native to Pennsylvania and the area, the last wild elk in Pennsylvania was killed in 1867 near Ridgway
. Elk from the Rocky Mountains
were reintroduced to the area between 1913 and 1926 and the herd today has over 600 animals. This is up from a low of just 35 elk counted in the 1970s. Their range is mostly in southeastern Elk and southwestern Cameron counties. The Pennsylvania Game Commission
is responsible for maintaining the elk herd in Elk State Forest and the surrounding area. In an effort to keep the herds away from agricultural areas the game commission maintains the forest in a way that suits the feeding needs of the elk. Scattered tracts of trees in the forest have been sold to lumber companies. The forest that grows in place of the harvested timber provides a variety of browse that is needed by the elk. The game commission also maintains sections of grassy areas in various locations throughout Elk State Forest providing further variety in feed for the elk.
Visitors to Elk State Forest may chance upon an elk especially during the mating season which occurs in September and October. All visitors are encouraged to keep a safe distance from any elk, but especially the bull elk who can be very dangerous during the rutting season.
for use in the shipbuilding industry. The tall and straight timbers were ideally suited for use as ships masts
and spars. The logs were lashed together with rope and floated down the tributaries of the West Branch Susquehanna River
and into the river on their way to the shipyard
s of Baltimore. Once the white pines were gone the lumbermen turned to the hemlock for use as lumber. Sawmill
s and lumber camps sprang up throughout what is now Elk State Forest. Much of the timber was floated down Driftwood Branch, First Fork and Bennett's Branch to the West Branch Susquehanna River and into the Susquehanna Boom
near Williamsport
. The lumber era in the area of Elk State Forest lasted until 1915 when the last raft was floated down the Driftwood Branch.
The departure of the lumber companies left a forest that was described as a vast wasteland of tree stumps and dried treetops. Sparks cast off by passing steam trains ignited wildfires that slowed the growth of the thriving second growth forest
of hardwood
s that is now Elk State Forest. The formation of the Civilian Conservation Corps
during the Great Depression
by President Franklin D. Roosevelt
was key to the revitalization of the forests of Elk State Forest. The young men of the CCC cleared the forest and streams of the dried underbrush that was the fuel for the devastating wildfires. Nine CCC camps spread throughout the forest worked to build roads, trail and bridges throughout Elk State Forest. They also fought the periodic wildfires. On October 19, 1938 a wildfire near Pepperhill to the north of Sinnamanhoning. Eight young men from the CCC lost their lives fighting this fire when they were trapped on a steep hillside by the raging fire. The Wayside Memorial Spring south of Emporium
on Pennsylvania Route 120
in Bucktail State Park Natural Area
is maintained as an honor to the men to lost their lives battling forest fires for the CCC.
(16433 acre (6,650.2 ha)), and Wykoff Run Natural Area
(1215 acre (491.7 ha)).
Major hiking trails in Elk State Forest include the Bucktail Path (30 mi (48.3 km)) and the Quehanna Trail
(60 mi (96.6 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 (16.1 km)),and the new Elk Trail (19 mi (30.6 km)).
Emporium, Pennsylvania
Emporium is a borough in Cameron County, Pennsylvania, west-northwest of Williamsport. Early in the twentieth century, it had large powder plants and manufactories of radio tubes, incandescent lamps, paving brick, flour, iron, lumber, sole leather, etc. In 1900, 2,463 people lived in Emporium, and...
in Cameron County
Cameron County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,974 people, 2,465 households, and 1,624 families residing in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile . There were 4,592 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The forest is located on 200000 acres (80,937.2 ha), chiefly in Cameron and Elk
Elk County, Pennsylvania
Elk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 31,946.Elk County was created on April 18, 1843, from parts of Jefferson, Clearfield and McKean Counties, and is named for the Eastern elk that historically inhabited the region. Its county...
counties, with small parts of the forest also in Clinton
Clinton County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 37,914 people, 14,773 households, and 9,927 families residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per square mile . There were 18,166 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
, McKean
McKean County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 45,936 people, 18,024 households, and 12,094 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 21,644 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
and Potter
Potter County, Pennsylvania
Potter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is in the Allegheny Plateau region. As of 2010, the population was 17,457. Its county seat is Coudersport. Potter County was named after James Potter, who was a general from Pennsylvania in the Continental Army during the...
counties.
Elk herd
Elk State Forest is named for the animal elkElk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
(wapiti). Although native to Pennsylvania and the area, the last wild elk in Pennsylvania was killed in 1867 near Ridgway
Ridgway, Pennsylvania
Ridgway is a borough in and the county seat of Elk County, Pennsylvania, United States.-History:Ridgway was founded by Philadelphian shipping merchant Jacob Ridgway and James Gillis. Jacob Ridgway earned substantial wealth both in Philadelphia and abroad in London. He constantly sent sums of money...
. Elk from the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
were reintroduced to the area between 1913 and 1926 and the herd today has over 600 animals. This is up from a low of just 35 elk counted in the 1970s. Their range is mostly in southeastern Elk and southwestern Cameron counties. The Pennsylvania Game Commission
Pennsylvania Game Commission
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is the state agency responsible for wildlife conservation and management in Pennsylvania in the United States...
is responsible for maintaining the elk herd in Elk State Forest and the surrounding area. In an effort to keep the herds away from agricultural areas the game commission maintains the forest in a way that suits the feeding needs of the elk. Scattered tracts of trees in the forest have been sold to lumber companies. The forest that grows in place of the harvested timber provides a variety of browse that is needed by the elk. The game commission also maintains sections of grassy areas in various locations throughout Elk State Forest providing further variety in feed for the elk.
Visitors to Elk State Forest may chance upon an elk especially during the mating season which occurs in September and October. All visitors are encouraged to keep a safe distance from any elk, but especially the bull elk who can be very dangerous during the rutting season.
History
The history of Elk State Forest is very similar to that of the other state forests in Pennsylvania. The land was primarily acquired from lumber companies during the early 20th century. Vast stands of old-growth forest had been harvested by the lumber companies during the mid-to-late 19th century. The earliest lumbering operations harvested the largest of the white pinesEastern White Pine
Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
for use in the shipbuilding industry. The tall and straight timbers were ideally suited for use as ships masts
Mast (sailing)
The mast of a sailing vessel is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship...
and spars. The logs were lashed together with rope and floated down the tributaries of the West Branch Susquehanna River
West Branch Susquehanna River
The West Branch Susquehanna River is one of the two principal branches, along with the North Branch, of the Susquehanna River in the northeastern United States. The North Branch, which rises in upstate New York, is generally regarded as the extension of the main branch, with the shorter West Branch...
and into the river on their way to the shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
s of Baltimore. Once the white pines were gone the lumbermen turned to the hemlock for use as lumber. Sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
s and lumber camps sprang up throughout what is now Elk State Forest. Much of the timber was floated down Driftwood Branch, First Fork and Bennett's Branch to the West Branch Susquehanna River and into the Susquehanna Boom
Susquehanna Boom
The Susquehanna Boom was a system of cribs and chained logs in the West Branch Susquehanna River, designed to catch and hold floating timber until it could be processed at one of the nearly 60 sawmills along the river between Lycoming and Loyalsock Creeks in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the...
near Williamsport
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...
. The lumber era in the area of Elk State Forest lasted until 1915 when the last raft was floated down the Driftwood Branch.
The departure of the lumber companies left a forest that was described as a vast wasteland of tree stumps and dried treetops. Sparks cast off by passing steam trains ignited wildfires that slowed the growth of the thriving second growth forest
Secondary forest
A secondary forest is a forest or woodland area which has re-grown after a major disturbance such as fire, insect infestation, timber harvest or windthrow, until a long enough period has passed so that the effects of the disturbance are no longer evident...
of hardwood
Hardwood
Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees . It may also be used for those trees themselves: these are usually broad-leaved; in temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen.Hardwood contrasts with softwood...
s that is now Elk State Forest. The formation of the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
by President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
was key to the revitalization of the forests of Elk State Forest. The young men of the CCC cleared the forest and streams of the dried underbrush that was the fuel for the devastating wildfires. Nine CCC camps spread throughout the forest worked to build roads, trail and bridges throughout Elk State Forest. They also fought the periodic wildfires. On October 19, 1938 a wildfire near Pepperhill to the north of Sinnamanhoning. Eight young men from the CCC lost their lives fighting this fire when they were trapped on a steep hillside by the raging fire. The Wayside Memorial Spring south of Emporium
Emporium, Pennsylvania
Emporium is a borough in Cameron County, Pennsylvania, west-northwest of Williamsport. Early in the twentieth century, it had large powder plants and manufactories of radio tubes, incandescent lamps, paving brick, flour, iron, lumber, sole leather, etc. In 1900, 2,463 people lived in Emporium, and...
on Pennsylvania Route 120
Pennsylvania Route 120
Pennsylvania Route 120 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, running from U.S. Route 219 in Ridgway east to U.S. Route 220 in Lock Haven.-Bucktail State Park Natural Area:...
in Bucktail State Park Natural Area
Bucktail State Park Natural Area
Bucktail State Park Natural Area is a Pennsylvania state park in Cameron and Clinton Counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. The park follows Pennsylvania Route 120 for between Emporium and Lock Haven...
is maintained as an honor to the men to lost their lives battling forest fires for the CCC.
Neighboring state forest districts
- Susquehannock State ForestSusquehannock State ForestSusquehannock State Forest is a Pennsylvania state forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #15. The main office is located in Coudersport in Potter County, Pennsylvania in the United States....
(north) - Sproul State ForestSproul State ForestSproul State Forest is a Pennsylvania state forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #10. The main offices are located in Renovo, Pennsylvania in Clinton County in the United States....
(east) - Moshannon State ForestMoshannon State ForestMoshannon State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #9. The main offices are located in the unincorporated village of Penfield in Huston Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania in the United States....
(south) - Clear Creek State Forest (southwest)
- Cornplanter State ForestCornplanter State ForestCornplanter State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #14. The main office is located in North Warren in Warren County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is named for Chief Cornplanter of the Seneca Nation, one of the tribes of the Iroquois...
(west)
Nearby state parks
- Elk State ParkElk State ParkElk State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Jones Township, Elk County and Sergeant Township, McKean County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. East Branch Clarion River Lake is a man-made lake covering within the park. The lake and streams in the park are stocked with cold and warm water fish...
- Bucktail State Park Natural AreaBucktail State Park Natural AreaBucktail State Park Natural Area is a Pennsylvania state park in Cameron and Clinton Counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. The park follows Pennsylvania Route 120 for between Emporium and Lock Haven...
- Sizerville State ParkSizerville State ParkSizerville State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Portage Township, Cameron County and Portage Township, Potter County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is nearly surrounded by Elk State Forest making it part of one of the largest blocks of state-owned land in Pennsylvania...
- Sinnemahoning State ParkSinnemahoning State ParkSinnemahoning State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Grove Township, Cameron County and Wharton Township, Potter County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is surrounded by Elk State Forest and is mountainous with deep valleys. The park is home to the rarely seen Elk and Bald Eagle...
Natural Areas and Trails
Elk State Forest is home to the Quehanna Wild Area (48186 acre (19,500.2 ha)), as well as Johnson Run Natural Area (216 acre (87.4 ha)), Lower Jerry Run Natural Area (892 acre (361 ha)), Pine Tree Trail Natural Area (276 acre (111.7 ha)), Bucktail State Park Natural AreaBucktail State Park Natural Area
Bucktail State Park Natural Area is a Pennsylvania state park in Cameron and Clinton Counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. The park follows Pennsylvania Route 120 for between Emporium and Lock Haven...
(16433 acre (6,650.2 ha)), and Wykoff Run Natural Area
Wykoff Run Natural Area
Wykoff Run Natural Area is a state forest natural area in the Elk State Forest in Gibson Township, Cameron County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The natural area is in the center of Quehanna Wild Area. It was once home to two jet engine testing cells, when the area was a research facility for...
(1215 acre (491.7 ha)).
Major hiking trails in Elk State Forest include the Bucktail Path (30 mi (48.3 km)) and the Quehanna Trail
Quehanna Trail System
The Quehanna Trail is a hiking trail in Pennsylvania.It forms a loop through the Moshannon State Forest and Elk State Forest.The trail is marked with orange blazings...
(60 mi (96.6 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 (16.1 km)),and the new Elk Trail (19 mi (30.6 km)).