The USDA Forest Service is inviting the public to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Allegheny National Forest’s establishment on Sunday, September 24, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Twin Lakes Recreation Area in Wilcox, Elk County.
Admission is free for this family-friendly event. Planned festivities include live music, guest speakers, kids’ activities, commemorative giveaways, interpretive hikes, an expo of organizations, history displays, food trucks, and beverage vendors.
Constructed on July 17, 1937, by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Twin Lakes Recreation Area provides a beautiful setting to immerse yourself in nature and history. Come and commemorate the recovery of the land, one hundred years of sustainable growth, and the collaborative conservation work that promises a resilient forest for generations to come.
The celebration at Twin Lakes Recreation Area is the signature event for a weekend of exciting opportunities that include the ANF100 Juried Art Exhibition at the Crary Art Gallery, ANF on Film: A Hunter’s/Angler’s Guide to ANF at the Struthers Library Theatre, and the Jakes Rocks Trail Fest at Kinzua Beach.
Other ANF partners and local businesses have sponsored additional activities to encourage your enjoyment of the forest including a 100-mile Hiking Challenge, a 100-mile Paddle Challenge, a Centennial Trail of History, a Centennial Geocache Trail, and more. Information on these activities is available on our website and in the attached flier.
With the simple stroke of a pen 100 years ago, President Calvin Coolidge signed a proclamation establishing the Allegheny National Forest (ANF). Thanks to President Coolidge and several other U.S. Presidents, you, me and many others get to enjoy the wonder of it all.
Read Ed Byers’ blog, “The Allegheny National Forest celebrates 100 years,” about how the ANF went from a piece of nearly deforested land known as “the Allegheny brush heap” to the spectacular expanse of wilderness we know today.
Covering more than 500,000 acres, the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) is Pennsylvania’s only national forest. It dominates the western end of the Pennsylvania Wilds and contains within it and around it some of the region’s most treasured places and experiences.
Visit the Allegheny National Forest and Surrounds landscape page to learn more.
About the USDA Forest Service – Allegheny National Forest:
Established in 1923, the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) is Pennsylvania’s only National Forest. Situated on the Allegheny Plateau, the forest is comprised of 514,029 acres in the northwestern corner of the state. The slogan “Land of Many Uses” captures a vision of a healthy, vigorous, working forest that provides timber and wood products, watershed protection, access to underground minerals, ties to cultural history, a diversity of wildlife habitats, and outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities — not only today but in a sustainable way so future generations can enjoy these benefits.
