Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

By SANDRA RHODES Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau A local tourist attraction is getting attention nationwide by way of an article in USA Today. The Longhouse National Scenic Drive was recently listed in the nationwide newspaper as one of the “51 Great Scenic Drives.” The list includes one drive in each state plus the District of Columbia to promote summer road tripping in the U.S. Local experts in each state were asked to nominate their favorite scenic drive. The byway is a 36-mile loop that circles the Kinzua Creek Arm of the Allegheny Reservoir and takes people some of the most beautiful scenery in the Allegheny National Forest. The drive “offers breathtaking views of the hardwood forests and water from the high plateau. Don't miss Rimrock, a rock outcrop and overlook above the Kinzua Creek Arm of the Allegheny Reservoir,” wrote Cara O’Donnell, a consultant with the Pennsylvania Tourism Office, who recommended the drive. People throughout the United States have taken not...

By Sandra Rhodes Visitor & Member Services The Allegheny National Forest Region really rocks! Two overlooks in the Allegheny National Forest offer fantastic views of the Allegheny Reservoir and are also a part of a great trail system right in the midst of Trail Central. What makes the Allegheny National Forest rock even more is that it’s free and open to travelers from all over, welcoming them to northcentral Pennsylvania. Rimrock Overlook, located off Route 59, is a magnificent rock outcrop that offers a breathtaking view 200 feet above the Kinzua Creek arm of the Allegheny Reservoir. But Rimrock offers much more than views. A short trail system takes you down a rock staircase through a narrow crevasse and past spectacular cliffs boulders and deep fractures that emit cold air. This area is also a hotspot for viewing the mountain laurel, the state flower of Pennsylvania, in full bloom the end of June. Once you get back on the road, you have the opportunity to travel one of the best...

By Sandra Rhodes Visitor & Member Services Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau Mother Nature’s premier show of the year has just begun and promises to have at least a two-week run in the Allegheny National Forest region. Fall is Bigger in Pennsylvania and a prime example of that is in the Allegheny National Forest region, 513,000 acres nestled in the hills of northwestern Pennsylvania, located 90 minutes south of Buffalo, N.Y. This beautiful forest of hardwoods and hemlocks offers the perfect place to see the grandeur of autumn color at its best. The “show” in this area is always a feast for the eyes with vibrant hues of scarlet, orange and butterscotch yellow. Local forestry officials anticipate Oct. 2-10 as the peak for the best color this season, and are predicting vivid color due to the early warm temperatures and cool nights in the higher elevations of the Allegheny Plateau. One great way to see this canopy of color is to “Do 6” – meaning Route 6, the major west-east cor...

The Allegheny National Forest has announced that maintenance work will be conducted below the Rimrock Overlook and that portions of the area will be closed until at least October 15, 2010. To address deferred maintenance and safety concerns, the Allegheny NF will be replacing portions of stone work at the bottom of the stone staircase that allows visitors to travel from the Overlook to the trails and area below the Overlook. In addition, a stone staircase will be added that allows visitors to travel more easily and safely to the newly constructed Rimrock Trail. “We apologize for the temporary inconvenience that this may cause, but it is critical that this work be done to ensure the future integrity of this popular recreation site, provide safe conditions for visitors, and to improve the recreation experience on the Forest.” Beginning September 13, 2010, the area below Rimrock Overlook will be closed. This means that visitors will not be able to take the staircase or the trails from the...

Warren, Pa. – The Allegheny National Forest (NF) announced last week the construction of a new low-impact, non-motorized interpretive hiking trail between the Kinzua Beach and Rimrock Overlook as part of the recently approved Rimrock Trail Project. The new trail is still currently under construction and the Forest is therefore asking for the cooperation of the public by avoiding the area so that the trail construction can proceed safely and on schedule. An official announcement will be made as soon as construction is complete and the trail can be opened for public use. The decision, map, and other information pertaining to this project can be found on the Allegheny NF website at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/allegheny/projects/recreation_projects/rimrock_trail . The documents are also available upon request from the U.S. Forest Service, 29 Forest Service Drive, Bradford, PA 16701. Questions related to this project may be directed to Julie Moyer at (814) 363-6089 or via email at jmoy...

The Allegheny National Forest (NF) has approved the Rimrock Trail Project, which will create a low-impact, non-motorized interpretive hiking trail between Kinzua Beach and Rimrock Overlook. In addition, the trail will include an information kiosk at Kinzua Beach, a handicap accessible observation deck near Kinzua Beach, and an interpretive tree house that will be flush with the earth’s surface below the Rimrock Overlook. District Ranger Anthony Scardina stated, “I am pleased to be moving forward with this project, which was presented as a citizens’ proposal to the Forest Service through the efforts of the Pennsylvania Kinzua Pathways and designed by students and teachers through the Warren County Career Center. This project is a great example of community involvement, and its benefit to the area was made apparent by the positive comments received from the public.” Implementation of the project will begin immediately, and it is expected that the trail will be open May 28, 2010, for Memo...