Rothrock State Forest is my playground. And it's a big one. 215,000 acres of forested mountains in central Pennsylvania crisscrossed by innumerable trails and gravel roads. It encompasses three state parks, several natural areas of protected marsh and virgin hemlock forest, 7 mountains, and dozens of ridges. And the nearest trailhead is only 15 minutes from our apartment.
Central Pennsylvania is wilder and more forested than I had imagined. Looking at an aerial photo you can see the green parallel ridges of the Appalachians separated by flat agricultural valleys south of US-80 and the stream and gorge riven Pennsylvania Wilds north of 80. It's some of the more remote country in the east. Rothrock is the closest, just south of State College, and has the most developed trail system.
Deforested in the 1800's for charcoal used in the local iron industry, it was purchased by the state at the turn of the century when the forest was depleted and iron production moved closer to coal and the industrial centers. The forest has since regenerated and is managed for recreation and sustainable forestry.
Broad patchwork agricultural valleys accentuate the verdant forests. There are few peaks - instead tall bread loaf ridges rise 1,400 feet above the valleys and run for miles.
There are gaps and hollows, the streams are called runs. Immaculate gravel motorized roads connect the various regions, gated two track tucks beneath the trees, single track spiders between the roads. It's a beautiful, diverse, rocky environment. And extensive. We've been here over 4 weeks, and I'm just beginning to get my head around it. It's not the kind of place you can know in a day, or a month, or even a year.
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