Allegheny National Forest

Allegheny National Forest celebrated its 100th birthday in 2023, and most of the trees are the same age. Decades of European settlers cleared away the old-growth hemlock and beech trees for lumber and paper, wiping out local deer populations and their predators. Once the National Forest Service took over in 1923, a different forest emerged, with black cherry, red maple and sugar maple dominating. Today, Allegheny is Pennsylvania's only national forest, a wonderland of over 500,000 acres for camping, hiking and water activities. There are also over 100 miles of ATV and OHV trails with a permit.