List of Pennsylvania state forest wild areas

Wykoff Run in Quehanna Wild Area, the largest such protected area in Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the United States includes 18 wild areas in its State Forest system.[1] They are managed by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, a division of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

The Commonwealth describes a wild area as "land where development or disturbance of permanent nature will be prohibited, thereby preserving the wild character of the area" and "an extensive area which the general public will be permitted to see, use and enjoy for such activities as hiking, hunting, fishing, and the pursuit of peace and solitude."[2]

Wild area name   State forest County   Area  Date
founded   		Remarks  
Algerine Wild Area Tiadaghton Lycoming 4,177 acres (1,690 ha) Traversed by the Black Forest Trail.[3][4]
Asaph Wild Area Tioga Tioga 2,070 acres (838 ha) [5]
Burns Run Wild Area Sproul Clinton 2,408 acres (974 ha)[6] Traversed by the Chuck Keiper Trail.[7][8][9][10]
Clear Shade Wild Area Gallitzin Somerset 2,791 acres (1,129 ha) Traversed by the John P. Saylor Trail.[11][12]
Hammersley Wild Area Susquehannock Clinton, Potter 30,253 acres (12,243 ha) 2004 Largest area without a road in Pennsylvania.[13][14]
James C. Nelson Wild Area Tuscarora Juniata, Perry 5,345 acres (2,163 ha) Forest last cut between 1902 and 1917.[15]
Kettle Creek Wild Area Loyalsock Sullivan 2,600 acres (1,100 ha)[16] [17][18][19]
Martin Hill Wild Area Buchanan Bedford 11,676 acres (4,725 ha) [20]
McIntyre Wild Area Loyalsock Lycoming 7,500 acres (3,035 ha) Includes remnants of a ghost town.[19][21]
Penns Creek Wild Area Bald Eagle Mifflin, Union 6,200 acres (2,509 ha) 2016 [22]
Quebec Run Wild Area Forbes Fayette 7,441 acres (3,011 ha) 2004 [23]
Quehanna Wild Area Elk and Moshannon Cameron, Clearfield, Elk 50,000 acres (20,234 ha) 1966 Largest Wild Area in Pennsylvania.[24][25][26]
Russell P. Letterman Wild Area Sproul Clinton 4,715 acres (1,908 ha)[6] Traversed by the Chuck Keiper Trail.[8][9][10]
Square Timber Wild Area Elk Cameron 8,461 acres (3,424 ha) [26]
Stairway Wild Area Delaware Pike 2,882 acres (1,166 ha) [27][28]
Thickhead Mountain Wild Area Rothrock Centre, Huntingdon 4,886 acres (1,977 ha) [29][30]
Trough Creek Wild Area Rothrock Huntingdon 1,703 acres (689 ha) [30]
Wolf Run Wild Area Tiadaghton Lycoming 6,900 acres (2,792 ha) Traversed by the Golden Eagle Trail.[3][4]
  1. ^ Klyza, Christopher McGrory (2001). Wilderness comes home: rewilding the Northeast. Hanover, New Hampshire: Middlebury College Press / University Press of New England. p. 86. ISBN 1-58465-101-6.
  2. ^ "Guidelines and Definitions for Natural Areas & Wild Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. June 2016. p. 6.
  3. ^ a b "Natural & Wild Areas near the Tiadaghton State Forest". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on March 2, 2004. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
  4. ^ a b "Tiadaghton State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  5. ^ "Tioga State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  6. ^ a b "Site #30-Southern Sproul State Forest". Pennsylvania Audubon Society. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
  7. ^ Sproul State Forest (PDF) (Map). 1 inch = 2 miles. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 18, 2007. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
  8. ^ a b "Proposed Natural/Old-growth Area, Sproul State Forest". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on March 2, 2004. Retrieved 2010-03-01. Note: This refers to Russell P. Letterman Wild Area by its former name, Fish Dam Wild Area
  9. ^ a b "Pennsylvania Wilds: Chuck Keiper Trail". Pennsylvania. Retrieved 2010-03-01. Note: This mistakenly calls Burns Run Wild Area "Burns Wild Area" and refers to Russell P. Letterman Wild Area by its former name, Fish Dam Wild Area.
  10. ^ a b "Sproul State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  11. ^ John P. Saylor Trail, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
  12. ^ "Gallitzin State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  13. ^ "The Resource: Hammersley Wild Area becomes official". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. January 2004. Archived from the original on March 9, 2004. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
  14. ^ "Susquehannock State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  15. ^ "Tuscarora State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  16. ^ "Site #42-Wyoming State Forest & World's End State Park". Pennsylvania Audubon Society. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
  17. ^ Loyalsock State Forest (PDF) (Map). 1 inch = 2 miles. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 16, 2006. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
  18. ^ Thornbloom, Gary. "Kettle Creek Natural and Wild Areas via the Loyalsock Trail" (PDF). Pennsylvania Sierra Club.
  19. ^ a b "Loyalsock State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  20. ^ "Buchanan State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  21. ^ "Natural & Wild Areas near Loyalsock State Forest". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on November 16, 2006. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
  22. ^ "Bald Eagle State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  23. ^ "Forbes State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  24. ^ "Quehanna Wild Area, Wykoff Run Natural Area". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on March 2, 2004. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
  25. ^ "Natural & Wild Areas near the Elk State Forest". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on March 2, 2004. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
  26. ^ a b "Elk State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  27. ^ "Delaware State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  28. ^ "Delaware State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  29. ^ "Natural & Wild Areas near the Rothrock State Forest". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on February 26, 2004. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
  30. ^ a b "Rothrock State Forest Wild and Natural Areas". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. Retrieved 2023-12-16.