Year in Review: Top 10 PA Wilds Blogs of 2021

“You might find it hard to believe,” said my grandfather as we drove through southern Potter County, “but I remember a day when there was barely a stick of lumber on these mountains.” This was in sharp contrast to what our forefathers, the Nelsons and the Plotts, found as they arrived in Potter County back when 90 percent of Pennsylvania was covered in white pine, hemlock and mixed hardwoods.

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At first, you can’t believe your eyes, but as they say, seeing is believing. Nevertheless, it is so surreal to see a bridge underwater. Situated on the far southwestern fringes of the Allegheny National Forest and Surrounds, this is something you don’t come across every day in these Pennsylvania Wilds — or anywhere else for that matter.

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If you’re into cryptozoology, the study of unknown mystery creatures, the Pennsylvania Wilds is a good place to visit. The forests are packed with Bigfoot sightings, and there are water monsters, too, such as the Susquehanna Seal said to inhabit the West Branch Susquehanna. And if you happen to be looking for this sort of thing, make sure you also look up.

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We’ve all seen it in the movies. It’s an iconic scene. The explorer, played by Harrison Ford or maybe Nicholas Cage, finally discovers the lost city. He approaches through the vegetation, finally, dramatically, looking at an area nobody has inhabited for hundreds of years.

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Nestled in the rural northern section of the state of Pennsylvania rests the lovely Pennsylvania Wilds. And within the Pennsylvania Wilds is the vast and stunning Allegheny National Forest. It is the only National Forest in the state and covers 513,175 acres of land. Known for its natural beauty, outdoor recreation, and welcoming communities, the Allegheny National Forest is bursting with opportunity, as are the communities that surround it!

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Hiking a state forest trail this time of year brings a higher probability of a snake encounter, and the timber rattlesnake is the species that people generally fear the most.  One of three venomous snakes that occur in PA, the timber rattler embodies the wild appeal of Penn’s Woods.

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Cruising along Route 6 just west of Port Allegany through the Pennsylvania Wilds’ Dark Skies landscape, you probably have seen it. It’s hard to miss this sprawling stone structure up there in the Seneca Highlands sitting right along the highway, built into the mountainside.

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Where are the Totally Ninja Raccoons? Those funny raccoons will be hiding in 25 area businesses in Wellsboro, PA during July. Every July for seven straight years, From My Shelf Books & Gifts at 7 East Avenue has hosted the Candlewick Press search for Where’s Waldo, the publisher’s iconic cartoon character. Due to Covid-19, Candlewick canceled both the 2020 and the 2021 hunt.

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It’s one of the most prominent paranormal legends in America. He’s Bigfoot. And he’s a bipedal, humanoid land mammal, with shaggy hair and huge feet, known for leaving tracks wherever he goes. He’s popular because he’s so often sighted, and probably because he’s a distinctly American legend; Bigfoot is spotted all over the country.

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One Sunday recently, with nothing else to do, I took my son out to Centre County to look for Bigfoot. As one does. Bald Eagle State Park is in Centre County, along the I-80 Frontier. It’s a wonderful state park with camping, hiking, and swimming. And, oh yeah, recently Bigfoot has been sighted there, too.

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Understanding terrain features to hunt mountain bucks

By Beau Martonik

The PA Wilds region of northern Pennsylvania is home to a ton of public hunting land and is mostly made up of endless timber and topography. Pennsylvania public lands tend to get a bad reputation for being overcrowded with other hunters, but I’ve come to realize that this isn’t always the case.

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Big Woods Turkey Hunting in the PA Wilds

By Beau Martonik

There isn’t much else on my mind this time of year other than cool, crisp, spring mornings with the sun rising over the opposing mountainside with the sounds of gobbles echoing down the valley. Turkeys live in some amazing places throughout the country, but it’s tough to beat the experience of hunting them in the big woods and steep mountainous terrain that the Pennsylvania Wilds has to offer.

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A new tool is now available to people looking for unique places to visit in the rural Pennsylvania Wilds, a designated 13-county region in north central and northwest Pennsylvania! The PA Wilds Outdoor Discovery Atlas features over 45 pages of travel inspiration and useful details for navigating to some of the region’s most popular destinations as well as other points of interest.

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