Bucktail State Park Natural Area

Bucktail State Park Natural Area provides a beautiful 75-mile scenic drive along PA 120 from Emporium, through Renovo, to Lock Haven. It stretches through a narrow valley which has for years been called the Bucktail Trail, named after the famous American Civil War regiment of Woodsmen, the Bucktails or Bucktail Rangers. This is the old Sinnemahoning Trail used by American Indians on their way to and from the eastern continental divide between the Susquehanna and Allegheny rivers. Aside from the three towns named above, the valley is mostly forested land with an occasional small village or isolated farm. This beautiful area has also been called the Bucktail Canyon because of the steep mountains that form beautiful forested walls along the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and Sinnemahoning Creek.

Visitors should note that most of the land within the “legislative” park boundary is privately owned. Please obtain permission from landowners before entering private property.

All along the road are unspoiled forest lands, beautiful hills and deep valleys. In the fall, the colors are breath-taking and people drive many miles to attend the Flaming Foliage Festival at Renovo in October. In the spring, mountain laurel and the fresh green foliage are worth the trip.

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Park Advisories

Directions

Bucktail State Park Natural Area is in northcental Pennsylvania and follows PA 120 from near Lock Haven north to Emporium.

Access for People with Disabilities

If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a disability, please contact the park you plan to visit.

The Bucktail Regiment

By Rich Adams, Captain, 1st PA Rifles, Company B Bucktails Reenactment Unit

Additional information is available at: www.pabucktail.com.

Responding to President Lincoln’s call for volunteer troops to rise to the defense of the Union, following the Confederate bombing of Fort Sumpter, in April, 1861, Thomas Leiper Kane began recruiting young men from the northern tier counties of Pennsylvania. Mr. Kane, an influential businessman in McKean County, and his lieutenants, were successful in recruiting enough young men to fill 7 companies (approximately 700 men). Many of these men were lumberjacks, raftsmen, and farmers accustomed to living in the rugged mountainous areas of the “Wildcat” district (Elk, McKean, Tioga, and Cameron counties).

Prior to leaving for Harrisburg, the men adopted the tail of a buck as their “regimental badge of honor.” The deer tails were placed on each recruits cap and they became known as the Bucktails. En route to Camp Curtin, a bucktail also adorned the top of the mast on one of the rafts the men built to travel to Lock Haven where they could pick up the railroad. Once at Camp Curtin, another company from northern Pennsylvania, a company from Chester County and a company from Perry County joined Kane’s group to complete the required 10 company regiment, and became the 13th regiment-the Rifle (sharpshooter) regiment-of the newly formed Pennsylvania Reserve Corps. As part of the federal army, they became the 42nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment, also known as the Bucktail Regiment.

The regiment trained at Camp Curtin in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania until June 1861, when it was detached, along with the 5th Regiment, to the assistance of General Lew Wallace in the Cumberland, Maryland area. Upon their return from Maryland, they joined the balance of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps which had been mustered into service by the federal government and was now attached to the Army of the Potomac in and near Washington D.C.

The Bucktails served with distinction in most of the major engagements of the Army of the Potomac until May 1864, when those who did not reenlist in the 190th Pennsylvania, were mustered out of service. The Bucktails were engaged at Dranesville; the Seven Days Battles of Mechanicsville, Gaines Mill, New Market Crossroads and Malvern Hill; Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, the Wilderness and Spottsylvania (1864) and finally, Bethesda Church. The unit completed its service on May 31, 1864.

In May, 1862, four companies of Bucktails—companies C, G, H, and I were detached from the regiment, under the command of Lt. Col. Thomas L. Kane, and sent to participate in the Valley Campaign against the renowned Stonewall Jackson. This detachment was engaged in the battles of Harrisonburg, Cross Keys, Catlett’s Station, 2nd Bull Run, and Chantilly. At Harrisonburg, the Bucktails were credited with killing confederate general Turner Ashby. The detached companies joined the regiment after the Battle of 2nd Bull Run.

History of Bucktail State Park Natural Area

Public support and the Pennsylvania legislature created Bucktail State Park.

Act No. 301 of June 2, 1933, P.L. 1415, created “Bucktail State Park.” The Act says: “That the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby dedicates to the public, for use as a park and pleasure ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people, all that area of land extending in length from the western city line of Lock Haven, in Clinton County, to the eastern borough line of Emporium, in the County of Cameron, and along the course of the western branch of the Susquehanna River, and its tributary, Sinnemahoning Creek, in Clinton and Cameron counties, an estimated distance of 75 miles, and in width from mountain rim to mountain rim across the valley.

“The said park shall be called and known as the ‘Bucktail State Park,’ in commemoration of the Bucktail Regiment which embarked from Driftwood, in Cameron County, in April, 1861, upon rafts of their own construction to hasten their arrival at the imperiled State Capitol.”

Most of the land within the “legislative” park boundary is privately owned. The Bureau of State Parks and the Bureau of Forestry own some of the land in the valley.

Wildlife Watching

River valleys, like the Bucktail State Park Natural Area, are important habitats in Pennsylvania. Warmer, wet river valleys usually support more wildlife that the colder, drier surrounding mountains. River valleys are natural passageways for animals and plants. Seeds that fall into rivers are carried downstream to create new populations. Trees like river birch and sycamore naturally dwell in Bucktail State Park.

Many animals live in river valleys or follow them during migrations. Osprey, bald eagle, kingfisher, many duck species, merganser and other birds, otter, deer, mink and other animals are noteworthy river valley inhabitants and can be seen in Bucktail State Park.

Elk Watching

An elk viewing platform is at Winslow Hill, near the town of Benezette, and in Sinnemahoning State Park. Elk are often seen along the northern portion of Bucktail State Park Natural Area. The best time to view elk is at dawn and dusk in September and October during the mating season. Please remember that elk are large, wild animals and can be dangerous. Observe elk from a safe distance.

Nearby State Parks

Hyner Run State Park is east of Renovo on PA 120 and north of the village of Hyner on Hyner Run Road. It has camping, hiking and a cabin.

Hyner View State Park is east of Renovo on PA 120 and north of the village of Hyner. It has a panoramic view of the Bucktail State Park and the West Branch of the Susquehanna River.

Kettle Creek State Park is seven miles north of the village of Westport and PA 120. It has camping, hiking, swimming, fishing and boating.

Ole Bull State Park is along the Kettle Creek Valley on PA 144, 26 miles north of Renovo and PA 120. It has camping, swimming, hiking and a cabin.

Sinnemahoning State Park is along PA 872 north of the village of Sinnemahoning and PA 120. It has camping, hiking, boating, fishing and elk watching.

Sizerville is off of PA 155 north of Emporium and PA 120. It has camping, fishing, hiking and swimming.

Nearby State Forests

Bucktail State Park Natural Area is bounded by two state forests, which join the park boundary in many sites. Elk and Sproul state forests comprise a block of almost 500,000 acres, generally known as the “Big Woods Country.” The state forests are well known for wilderness experiences, natural areas and outdoor recreation.

Elk State Forest

Located principally in Elk and Cameron counties, the 200,000-acre Elk State Forest has primitive camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, ATV use, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Of special interest is the Wayside Memorial Spring, three miles south of Emporium along PA 120. In 1938, eight Civilian Conservation Corps firefighters lost their lives when they were trapped on the steep hillsides by a fast moving forest fire.

In addition to many short hiking trails, the Bucktail Path begins near Sizerville State Park and extends southward 30 miles to the village of Sinnemahoning. The 30-mile Quehanna Trail loops though the Quehanna Wild Area and surrounding state forest land. The trail continues into the Moshannon State Forest for another 30 miles.

For more information, contact: Elk State Forest, 258 Sizerville Road, Emporium, PA 15834 814-486-3353.

Sproul State Forest

The 280,000-acre state forest is in western Clinton and northern Centre counties. There is primitive camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, ATV use, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Of special interest is a canoe access parking area on PA 879, south of Karthaus. Most canoeing occurs in the Spring when there is adequate water on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River.

In addition to many short hiking trails, the Chuck Keiper Trail is a 50-mile double looped trail with yellow paint blazes. The 52-mile, red-blazed, Donut Hole Trail connects with the Susquehan-nock Trail System. The trail traverses Kettle Creek State Park and terminates at Hyner Run State Park.

For more information, contact: Sproul State Forest.

Nearby Attractions

For information on nearby attractions, contact: Clinton County Economic Partnership, www.clintoncountyinfo.com, or,
Great Outdoors Visitors Bureau, www.visitpago.com.

For information on nearby attractions, please contact the Great Outdoors Visitors Bureau, 800-348-9393, www.visitpago.com.

In an Emergency Dial 911

Nearest Hospitals:
To the north:
Charles Cole Memorial Hospital
Route 6, Box 205
Coudersport, PA 16915
814-274-9300

To the south:
Lock Haven Hospital
24 Cree Drive
Lock Haven, PA 17745
570-893-5000

For More Information Contact

Bucktail State Park Natural Area
c/o Region 1 Office
Emporium, PA 15834
814-486-3365
Manager: Joshua Bruce

E-mail: parkregion1sp@state.pa.us
An equal opportunity employer

Make online reservations or call toll-free 888-PA-PARKS, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday, for state park information and reservations.