Wilderness Landscape & Natural Heritage
Located in central Pennsylvania across parts of Centre, Clearfield, and Elk counties, Moshannon State Forest encompasses approximately 60,000 acres of primarily second-growth forest on the Allegheny Plateau. The forest's landscape is characterized by rolling hills, mixed hardwood stands, secluded streams, and small wetlands, with elevations ranging between 1,500 and 2,300 feet. Historically, this area was heavily logged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but since state acquisition in the 1920s, reforestation efforts have led to a thriving mixed hardwood forest dominated by species like oak, maple, birch, and hemlock.
The forest is home to a wide variety of wildlife including white-tailed deer, black bears, wild turkey, and numerous songbirds making it popular for hunters and bird watchers alike. Moshannon also protects several cold-water streams that support native brook trout, attracting anglers year-round. The area features several developed and primitive camping sites along with more than 20 miles of maintained hiking trails and extensive snowmobile trails that draw winter visitors.
Moshannon State Forest is valued for its quiet, remote atmosphere and offers a range of recreational opportunities such as hiking, fishing, hunting, mountain biking, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing. One of the forest’s notable destinations is the Red Moshannon Creek Natural Area, renowned for its beautiful gorge and islands of old-growth forest that survived the historic logging era. The forest’s combination of managed timberlands, diverse habitats, and recreational access makes it an important natural and cultural resource in Pennsylvania.
