Traversing Fred Woods Trail in Elk Country
- by Guest Contributor
- May 2, 2019
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Photos submitted by Samantha Cunningham
Fred Woods Trail is a scenic 3-mile loop on top of the hills in Driftwood, PA, a small community that sits on the edge of the Elk Country and Dark Skies landscapes in the Pennsylvania Wilds. Traveling to the remote borough takes visitors along the Elk Scenic Drive or the Bucktail Scenic Byway.
There are many unique and interesting sights to see along the trail, too. At the start of the trail you can see remains of old rock fences they used back in the day for farms and pastures.
You then come to an intersection where you can go to the left or right, since its a loop you’ll end up back at the same spot so you won’t miss anything. If you take a right you’ll walk about 1 mile or so in and come to a rock trail. At this particular spot you are able to walk in between big boulder rocks, which you’ll see engravings on the rocks dating back to the early 1900s. They don’t want you adding to the engravings now but it’s very neat piece of history.
Further down the trail you’ll come upon two different vistas which give you a scenic view out into the hills.
The trail is a total of 4.77 miles from start to finish and the terrain in some spots is very rocky, so plan accordingly. The best time of year to complete this trail would be in spring or fall for the area is known for rattlesnakes in the summertime. Also nearby is an overlook known as “Top of the World” which you can see out for miles and miles.
About the Photographer: Samantha Cunningham was born and raised in the Elk Country city of St. Marys, PA. She recently discovered her passion for photography and loves taking pictures of the outdoors. She especially enjoys capturing a moment in time because everyone sees things differently. She can often be found hiking around the Elk, Cameron and McKean counties of the Pennsylvania Wilds with her husband and mini Aussie, Sadie. Find more of Samantha’s images on Instagram @cunning.photo.
Is the trail open to horseback riding? Thanks
Hi Stephen,
Unfortunately this trail is not open to horseback; it can be very rocky and narrow in some spots. There are however trails nearby you could ride them.