Buchanan State Forest
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Detailed maps can help you plan your trip. Download the public use map and other trail and recreational activity maps. |
Named in honor of James Buchanan, 15th President of the United States, Buchanan State Forest covers 69,703 acres in Franklin, Fulton and Bedford counties. Buchanan’s woodlands straddle the iconic ridges of south-central Pennsylvania.
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Don't Move Firewood To help protect the forest from invasive insects that can kill trees and devastate the ecosystem, please do not transport firewood over long distances. Firewood can harbor insects such as emerald ash borer. Cut or purchase your firewood where you intend to burn it.
The nineteen tracts of the Buchanan State Forest occupy upper slopes in the southern portion of the ridge and valley region of Pennsylvania. The forests are generally mixed oak communities interrupted here and there by groves of pine with hemlock or red maple dominating cooler ravines. The variety of oaks includes white oak, red oak, chestnut oak, scarlet History Winding through Allens Valley and westward over Sideling Hill in Fulton County are traces of an early military road known as the Forbes or Forbes-Burd Road built by General John Forbes and Colonel James Burd. This road allowed the British to move military forces west to attack the French at Fort Duquesne and later to supply Fort Pitt, now Pittsburgh. Cowans Gap, Fulton County marks the home site of one of the earliest settlers, British Major Samuel Cowan who farmed the area which is now Cowans Gap State Park. Further south near Cove Gap is Buchanan’s Birthplace State Park the birthplace of President James Buchanan. Four Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camps were located in the Buchanan State Forest. During the Great Depression of the 1930's, several hundred young men lived here and constructed forest roads and trails that still serve us today. Camp No. S-52 was built in 1933 near Oregon Creek. Many improvements to the area resulted from the hard work of these young men. It closed but was re-opened to serve as quarters for conscientious objectors. The other camp locations became picnic areas—S-109 in Bear Valley, S-142 at Sweet Root, and S-154 at Blankley which was a camp for black CCC crewmembers. During World War II the site was converted into a prisoner-of-war camp for German prisoners. DCNR Bureau of Forestry manages our state forests for their long-term health and productivity while conserving native wild plants. These forests are “working forests” and provide a whole suite of uses and values to Pennsylvania citizens, all while maintaining the forest’s wild character. Our state forests are managed for pure water, recreation, scenic beauty, plant and animal habitat, sustainable timber and natural gas, and many other uses and values. The management of our state forests is guided by the State Forest Resource M Ecosystem Management The Bureau of Forestry has adopted “ecosystem management” as its principal strategy for managing state forests. This approach seeks to conserve the natural patterns and processes of the forest while advancing long-term sustainability. Ecosystem management promotes the conservation of plant and animal communities and the landscapes and habitats that support them. It also accounts for needs and values of people and communities. This results in a holistic, integrated approach to managing forest resources. A Working Forest As you travel throughout the state forest, you’ll see examples of our forests “at work.” Some of these management practices are more noticeable than others, such as active timber harvests, deer exclosure fences, natural gas drilling sites, prescribed fires and gypsy moth spraying. Others are more subtle, such as the protection of a vernal pool, the buffering of a stream from timber harvesting, or the setting aside of a special area to conserve its wild character or protect a rare plant community. Each of these management practices and activities play a vital role in the management and conservation of our state forest system.  Certified “Well Managed” Pennsylvania’s 2.2-million-acre state forest system is one the largest certified forests in North America. The forest is certified (FSC-C017154) by the Rainforest Alliance under the Forest Stewardship Council™ standards. The FSC® is an independent organization supporting environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests. Buchanan State Forest boasts an extensive 157 mile shared-use trail system. There are also two hiking trails designated for foot travel only—the Mid State Trail and the Tuscarora Trail. Mid State Trail Tuscarora Trail The Buchanan State Forest also contains networks of local trails through many types of forest and ranging from easily hiked paths to steep and rocky trails originally built as fire breaks. Motorized Trails Winter Activities
Snowmobiling: There are 90 miles of snowmobile trails available, mostly on joint-use roads. Maps for ATV and Snowmobile trails are available from the Buchanan Maps page, the District Office or on the DCNR's All-Terrain Vehicles and Snowmobiles web pages. Cross-Country Skiing: Buchanan State Forest offers 17 miles of cross-county ski trials. Many additional miles of roads are available for cross-county skiing when snowfall is suitable. Hiking Buchanan State Forest boasts an extensive 157 mile shared-use trail system. There are also two hiking trails designated for foot travel only—the Mid State Trail and the Tuscarora Trail. Mid State Trail Tuscarora Trail The Buchanan State Forest also contains networks of local trails through many types of forest and ranging from easily hiked paths to steep and rocky trails originally built as fire breaks. Picnicking Bear Valley Picnic Area, is secluded between Broad Mountain and Kittatinny Mountain in Franklin County. It may be reached from Fort Loudon by turning north on Bear Valley Road off old PA Route 30 on the east end of Fort Loudon, a lovely wooded drive for 13 miles through the State Game Lands and State Forest Lands, or from Route 533, Upper Strasburg Road, traveling west from Upper Strasburg to Keefer Road at the summit of Blue Mountain, then three miles south to the picnic area. Sideling Hill Picnic Area is on US Route 30 at the summit of Sideling Hill Mountain, located six miles east of Breezewood near the Fulton and Bedford County line. Additional amenities include horseshoe pits and an open mowed area. Sweet Root Picnic Area is hard to find but steeped in history. It is located on Route 326 one mile north of Chaneysville in southern Bedford County. The tall pines provide a cool place to enjoy a basket lunch. The picnic area adjoins the 1,400-acre Sweet Root Natural Area. Blankley Picnic Area is set in the mountains of southern Bedford County. High in the bend of Friends Cove, it can be reached by turning onto Blankley Road from PA Route 326 south of Rainsburg at the summit of Rainsburg Mountain. Camping Hunting Fishing & Boating Sightseeing The Oregon Road area also includes a stone aqueduct built in the 1880’s by masons brought from Sicily for an aborted railroad project. The aqueduct is 15 feet high, 10 feet wide, and 199 feet long and is easily accessible from Oregon Road on Railroad Arch Trail. Built with native stone without mortar, the Sicilian masons created a structure that is as solid today as the day it was built. The South Penn Railroad project also created the nearby tunnels that were used by the PA Turnpike before being abandoned in 1970. The tunnels can be reached by walking the abandoned turnpike, which is open to hiking and biking. A parking lot on Oregon Road is adjacent to the abandoned turnpike. Several excellent vistas are maintained on the forest including two on Blankley Road and others on Martin Hill and Bark Roads, PA Route 915, Fisher Road, at the end of Tower Road on Tuscarora Mountain and Summit Road on Sideling Hill. Horseback Riding Mountain Biking Motorized Trails Winter Activities Snowmobiling: There are 90 miles of snowmobile trails available, mostly on joint-use roads. Maps for ATV and snowmobile trails are available on the Buchanan Maps web page, from the district office or on DCNR's All-Terrain Vehicles and Snowmobiles web pages. Cross-country Skiing: Buchanan State Forest offers 17 miles of cross-county ski trials. Many additional miles of roads are available for cross-county skiing when snowfall is suitable. Pennsylvania’s state forest system includes dozens of special wild and natural areas set aside to protect unique or unusual biologic, geologic, scenic and historical features or to showcase outstanding examples of the state’s major forest communities. Natural areas are “managed” by nature and direct human intervention is limited. They provide places for scenic observation, protect special plant and animal communities and conserve outstanding examples of natural beauty. Wild areas are generally extensive tracts managed to protect the forest’s wild character and to provide backcountry recreational opportunities. Martin Hill Wild Area Sweet Root Natural Area Pine Ridge Natural Area For more information and maps to these and other State Parks visit the "Find a Park" page. Cowans Gap State Park Shawnee State Park Buchanan’s Birthplace State Park For more information about Buchanan State Forest, feel free to contact us at: Buchanan State Forest |
oak and black oak. Other members of the community include sweet birch, blackgum and white pine. Dogwood and striped maple are abundant in the under story as are heaths (mountain laurel, low-bush blueberry, huckleberry and teaberry). Some abandoned farm lands in southern Bedford County, now part of the State Forest, have seeded in naturally to Virginia pine on shallow infertile soils.
anagement Plan. 