The Allegheny National Forest currently has a higher density of logging and oil roads than hiking trails. State forests in Pennsylvania have nearly eight times as many hiking trails per acre than does the Allegheny. The U.S. Forest Service wants to make the Allegheny a premier attraction for motorized off-road trails even as the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry is refusing to build more trails for these more destructive forest uses. Allegheny Wild! proposes to establish more than 200 miles of new foot, bicycle, and horse trails. The North Country Trail The Allegheny National Forest contains a 94-mile stretch of the North Country Trail. This national scenic trail remains unprotected, though opportunities exist to designate the trail corridor as a management area. This would allow the Forest Service to establish goals, objectives, standards, and guidelines for the trail and ultimately provide for stronger protection of this nationally significant resource. There is a need for improvements along the trail including new shelters, back-country campgrounds, and side-trail opportunities. Hiking Trails Opportunities for new hiking trails abound throughout the Allegheny National Forest. These include new one-day loop trails as well as connector trails. Opportunities to increase trail activities for the disabled and family hikers is an important priority and includes proposed trails near Wetmore, Lamentation Run, and Buzzard Swamp. So long as the forest in accessible areas is mismanaged for timber and oil & gas development, high quality nature trail opportunities for families and disabled persons will be limited. This is why forest protection is an essential part of any forest trail improvements. Backpacking Trails Overnight backpacking trails are highly deficient in the Allegheny. Only a couple of overnight loop trails remain with the closure of the impressive Mill Creek loop trail. Allegheny Wild! would establish several new overnight hiking trails including the Millstone Creek Trail (featuring several roadless areas), the Tionesta Wilderness Trail (featuring old growth habitat, roadless habitat, amazing rock formations, etc..), and the Sugar Run Wilderness trail (providing a top-tier experience for visitors of the Tracy Ridge National Recreation Area). Interpretive Trails There are several interpretive trails in the Allegheny today but they remain entirely mis-managed. Even when these trails are maintained, which is rare, their interpretation is primarily limited to the promotion of the Forest Service's logging programs. In order for an interpretive trail program to have legitimacy it has to be properly maintained, be educational and objective, and opportunities for interpretation must be maximized. An example of such a trail would be one honoring Howard Zahniser, author of the Wilderness Act and Allegheny native.
Since the Allegheny National Forest has no trails designated specifically for bicycle use there is obvious room for improvement. The ADP proposes numerous new bicycle trails which will help attract a national biking audience and provide high-quality family recreation. Allegheny Wild! includes trails connecting Bradford to Willow Bay via Allegany State Park and the Lamentation Run Bike Trail with access to Stony Point overlooking the scenic Tionesta Creek. Trail opportunities for more rigorous mountain bike riding are also being explored including two currently used, but undesignated trail routes. Cross Country Ski Trails The Allegheny hosts several cross-country ski trails including Laurel Mills, Brush Hollow, and Westline. The full potential of ski trails in the Allegheny remains underserved with opportunities for more difficulty and expanded loops. A fundamental problem is the lack of protection for ski trails that have been damaged by logging, oil and gas drilling, and illegal ATV use. Expansions at Laurel Mills and Westline, new trails in the proposed Allegany Recreation Area, and connecters with Cornplanter State Forest provide key opportunities. Horse-back Trails Much like bicycles, there are currently no designated trails committed to horse travel. The result is a poorly managed resource that creates undesirable user conflicts and limits opportunities for forest visitors. Horse trails should be developed with specific criteria to protect forest resources and enhance the user experience without compromising current horse-back use. Canoe Trails Folks looking for a wild water adventure in the Allegheny National Forest will find plenty of opportunity but little quality information. With two Wild & Scenic Rivers and numerous wild creeks, the Forest Service should be expected to provide high-quality information about where paddlers can go and when. Incorporation of canoe trails and launches into the Forest Plan are an important step in developing this resource.
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