Members with information/experience/interest in Pennsylvania State Forests for off pavement travel/dispersed camping

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DevilDodge

Rank IV

Advocate I

1,135
Altoona, Pennsylvania, USA
First Name
David
Last Name
Spencer
@LGlx looks like site 34 was perfect for you. Glad to hear you made it out and had a good trip. I didn't realize you were bringing friends...seems like a great group.

Looks like you hit many of the trails you had planned too.

Couldnt have asked for a better weather weekend.

Man, I really want to get back to the forest.
 
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LGlx

Rank III
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

646
NJ
Member #

18132

@LGlx looks like site 34 was perfect for you. Glad to hear you made it out and had a good trip. I didn't realize you were bringing friends...seems like a great group.

Looks like you hit many of the trails you had planned too.

Couldnt have asked for a better weather weekend.

Man, I really want to get back to the forest.
Yes, my group is into Mountain Biking, Camping, and Off-roading (light to moderate). One fellow remained behind during our discovery ride to scope out MTB trails for next time.
 
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DevilDodge

Rank IV

Advocate I

1,135
Altoona, Pennsylvania, USA
First Name
David
Last Name
Spencer
Awesome. Rothrock has a Mountain biking trail course. It is just across 322 from Bald Eagle.



Looks like you had a few 4 legged travelers too.

I keep staring at my lizard maps just waiting to get back out.
 

DevilDodge

Rank IV

Advocate I

1,135
Altoona, Pennsylvania, USA
First Name
David
Last Name
Spencer


Here is an interesting story. Wish I could have met him and learned from him.

Sounds like a great life
 

DevilDodge

Rank IV

Advocate I

1,135
Altoona, Pennsylvania, USA
First Name
David
Last Name
Spencer
His cabin was moved to the PA Lumber Museum.

If you haven't been here you need to check it out.

We need to head back. I got the Pine Creek Purple Lizard map to use now. So may have to go exploring around with it and on the way there stop back in to the Museum.

 

DevilDodge

Rank IV

Advocate I

1,135
Altoona, Pennsylvania, USA
First Name
David
Last Name
Spencer
We did a drive through Rothrock today.

Going into BESF in the morning.

Trying out our Jeep Cherokee. So far very pleased with it.

Also, this is the first travel done with the Purple Lizard Maps. Very pleased with them also, and a pleasant surprise was that the Navigation in the Jeep had the forest roads on it.

Can not wait for morning
 
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riss800

Rank III
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

646
Reinholds, Pennsylvania, United States
First Name
Richard
Last Name
Risser
Member #

21724

Wow looks like a lot of us have been getting out and having some great times! I unfortunately have been super busy and not able to hit the trial but will soon. I have been thinking about setting up a rally point to organize a meet up. Hopefully meet a few people and put names with faces. I was thinking it would be a day ride though BESF but need to layout the track yet. Lots of good information in this thread. Would anyone be interested in in joining/contributing? There just isn’t muck for meet up in the rally point for the NE region and especially PA. Other regions have a lot of options.

Anyway these post and keeping me engaged with the overland mentality for now and I thank you guys for that!

Also, preformed a little upgrade to the 4Runner last weekend. Southern Style Off-road roof rack! love the way it looks not to get the accessories up there.
 

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DevilDodge

Rank IV

Advocate I

1,135
Altoona, Pennsylvania, USA
First Name
David
Last Name
Spencer
We spent the day in BESF. We had breakfast at Reed's Gap Stste park and then hit the forest. Even took the Cherokee on 2 driveable trails. Will do a trip report later in my BALD EAGLE THREAD.

Wonderful Father's day with my son and my wife driving.
20200621_145520_HDR.jpg
 

Shokgoblr

Rank III
Launch Member

Off-Road Ranger I

676
PA, USA
First Name
Shok
Last Name
Goblr
Member #

25276

Ham/GMRS Callsign
Ihave1
Im gonna go back and read this whole thread. Im a Philly guy and I travel out several times a month to Tioga, Tiadaughton and Susquehannock SF. I do almost all of my hunting and rolling around out there.
I have been running those mountains for 20 years. I know most of those roads like the back of my hand.
 
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DevilDodge

Rank IV

Advocate I

1,135
Altoona, Pennsylvania, USA
First Name
David
Last Name
Spencer
So, I have been studying the Pine Creek map from the lizard.

Lots of interesting things to see.

I got a pretty good plan for my trip.

Waiting on the Moshannon/Quehanna map. They say it should be done soon.

The only issue I am having is deciding how to pull off the campsite reservations.

I guess I just have to decide on a time schedule and a pace.

I will have to incorporate pavement though. There isn't a starting point right near me and the ending point isn't quite back to home.

But, I can sustain off pavement travel for atleast 80% of the trip.

Raystown to Rothrock to Bald Eagle to Pine Creek to Quehanna to Moshannon.

Also have to decide what else is to be discovered.

The travel is pretty straight forward. The experience comea from all directions.
 
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Vern629

Rank 0

Contributor I

60
South Central Pa
First Name
Vern
Last Name
Wheeler
Looks like everyone has been out enjoying lately. I am still wanting to hit BE again but all my time has been exploring and hiking Elk, Moshannon, and Susquehannock state forests . Some of those forest roads may as well have been off road trails due to how muddy and rutted they were, especially through the Quehanna area. Any how, we would love to meet up and ride some of these places with other s. She keeps telling me that we need to connect with others who like to off-road/overland.
 
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DesmosDromos

Rank II

Enthusiast II

366
Philadelphia, PA, USA
First Name
Dave
Last Name
Barker
Ham/GMRS Callsign
WRJB996
Dave from Philly here:

Area of interest (ie. State forest, off road park)- Exploring public lands, off road parks on green trails
Type of involvement (ie. Offroading, camping, learning)- offroading and learning, more day trips than camping
Type of vehicle- 2008 Nissan Xterra S that’s mostly stock
Your ability to get out (ie. Spur of the moment, only on vacation, only on planned trips)- weekends or planned
Any areas of interest (ie. Hiking, biking, fishing)- hiking
Areas of outdoor interest (ie. Waterfalls, vistas, caves, natural phenomena)- anything scenic
Interest in meetups or group rides- sure
 

DevilDodge

Rank IV

Advocate I

1,135
Altoona, Pennsylvania, USA
First Name
David
Last Name
Spencer
Used the email service to set up the trip.

Very easy and quick. Just sent an email to the appropriate address for the State Forest

fd05@pa.gov is Rothrock
fd07@pa.gov is Bald Eagle

I included the sites I wanted. They replied with the sites available.

I copied the requested information to my notepad, then filled it in...copied that back to email and within 5 minutes had the confirmation.

Printed the 2 pdfs they sent. One for the post one for your person.

All set. Just got to wait til Saturday
 
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