Stairway tunnel in the Allegheny National Forest at Rimrock
a wilderness roadmap
book review by Chris Lareau

   For the million hikers who come to our woods
every year, choosing a trail might be a
burdensome process, even if you grew up here
like I did. Instead of wandering around in the forest,
readers of Jeff Mitchell's new book can easily pick
and choose at their leisure, ahead of time.
   Camera buffs can find out which trails have the
best views. Biologists can ponder over the four
trails with the most wildlife. Like waterfalls? If you
have read Hiking the Allegheny National Forest,
Exploring the Wilderness of Northwestern
Pennsylvania, you'd know there are five different
spots that have waterfalls or cascades. (And I
thought we only had three! I'm such a dope.)
   Mitchell, an attorney from Tankhannock, breaks
down 201 miles of hiking trails for those of all
interests: for people who want to see old-growth
forests (we have some of the oldest in the East),
for parents with kids, even for hikers interested in
caves, rock outcrops, and large boulders or rock
cities. Mitchell even gives his opinion on which
places have the most to see.
   In spite of its title, Hiking the ANF also includes
important descriptions of trails in contigous state
parks (including Cook Forest, the Akeley Swamp,
and Chapman State Park. For the first time,
someone has finally put all this in one book. The
state parks are a tremendous asset and so far
they have been grossly overlooked. Cook Forest is
highly developed for outdoor enthusiasts and
Chapman State Park, a long-time favorite of locals,
continued on next page
Mountain stairway tunnel. These steps pass beneath the Rimrock
Overlook in the Allegheny National Forest.
About the book:
Hiking the Allegheny National Forest: Exploring the Wilderness
of Northwestern Pennsylvania
by Jeff Mitchell, Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA

64 detailed hikes in Warren, Forest, McKean, and Elk counties. In
addition to the Allegheny National Forest, it includes contiguous
state forests: Chapman State Park, The Akeley Swamp, Cook
State Forest and others.
order through this website at Amazon.com
Photo and Contents Copyright 2005-2008 by Allegheny
Almanac, unless otherwise noted
From Warren, PA
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