# Elk State Forest > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Elk_State_Forest > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Elk_State_Forest.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk_State_Forest > Source revision: 1339880532 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) State forest in Pennsylvania, United States For the [Pennsylvania state park](/source/List_of_Pennsylvania_state_parks), see [Elk State Park](/source/Elk_State_Park). Elk State Forest IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources) Jerry Ridge Vista, Elk State Forest, in Cameron and Clinton Counties Location of Elk State Forest's headquarters in PennsylvaniaLocation Map of Elk State Forest Holdings Location Pennsylvania, United States Coordinates 41°20′00″N 78°17′29″W / 41.33333°N 78.29139°W / 41.33333; -78.29139 Area 200,000 acres (810 km2) Elevation 1,686 ft (514 m) Established 1900 Governing body Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Website Elk State Forest **Elk State Forest** is a [Pennsylvania State Forest](/source/List_of_Pennsylvania_state_forests) in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #13. The main offices are located in [Emporium](/source/Emporium%2C_Pennsylvania) in [Cameron County](/source/Cameron_County%2C_Pennsylvania), [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania). The forest is located on 200,000 acres (80,940 ha), chiefly in Cameron and [Elk](/source/Elk_County%2C_Pennsylvania) counties, with small parts of the forest also in [Clinton](/source/Clinton_County%2C_Pennsylvania), [McKean](/source/McKean_County%2C_Pennsylvania) and [Potter](/source/Potter_County%2C_Pennsylvania) counties. Major hiking trails in Elk State Forest include the [Bucktail Path](/source/Bucktail_Path) and the [Quehanna Trail](/source/Quehanna_Trail). Other trails include the [Fred Woods Trail](/source/Fred_Woods_Trail) and the [Elk Trail](/source/Elk_Trail). ## History The history of Elk State Forest is very similar to that of the other state forests in Pennsylvania. The land was primarily acquired from lumber companies during the early 20th century. Vast stands of [old-growth forest](/source/Old-growth_forest) had been harvested by the lumber companies during the mid-to-late 19th century. The earliest lumbering operations harvested the largest of the [white pines](/source/Eastern_white_pine) for use in the shipbuilding industry. The tall and straight timbers were ideally suited for use as ships [masts](/source/Mast_(sailing)) and spars. The logs were lashed together with rope and floated down the tributaries of the [West Branch Susquehanna River](/source/West_Branch_Susquehanna_River) and into the river on their way to the [shipyards](/source/Shipyard) of [Baltimore](/source/Baltimore%2C_Maryland). Once the white pines were gone the lumbermen turned to the [hemlock](/source/Tsuga_canadensis) for use as lumber. [Sawmills](/source/Sawmill) and [lumber camps](/source/Lumber_camp) sprang up throughout what is now Elk State Forest. Much of the timber was floated down Driftwood Branch, First Fork and Bennett's Branch to the West Branch Susquehanna River and into the [Susquehanna Boom](/source/Susquehanna_Boom) near [Williamsport](/source/Williamsport%2C_Pennsylvania). The lumber era in the area of Elk State Forest lasted until 1915 when the last raft was floated down the Driftwood Branch.[1] The departure of the lumber companies left a forest that was described as a vast wasteland of tree stumps and dried treetops. Sparks cast off by passing [steam trains](/source/Steam_train) ignited wildfires that slowed the growth of the thriving [second growth forest](/source/Secondary_forest) of [hardwoods](/source/Hardwood) that is now Elk State Forest. The formation of the [Civilian Conservation Corps](/source/Civilian_Conservation_Corps) during the [Great Depression](/source/Great_Depression) by President [Franklin D. Roosevelt](/source/Franklin_D._Roosevelt) was key to the revitalization of the forests of Elk State Forest. The young men of the CCC cleared the forest and streams of the dried underbrush that was the fuel for the devastating wildfires. Nine CCC camps spread throughout the forest worked to build roads, trail and bridges throughout Elk State Forest. They also fought the periodic wildfires. On October 19, 1938, during a wildfire near Pepperhill to the north of Sinnamanhoning, eight young men from the CCC lost their lives when they were trapped on a steep hillside while fighting the raging fire. The Wayside Memorial Spring south of [Emporium](/source/Emporium%2C_Pennsylvania) on [Pennsylvania Route 120](/source/Pennsylvania_Route_120) in [Bucktail State Park Natural Area](/source/Bucktail_State_Park_Natural_Area) is maintained as an honor to the men who lost their lives battling forest fires for the CCC.[1] ## Elk herd Elk State Forest is named for the animal [elk](/source/Elk) (wapiti). Although native to Pennsylvania and the area, the last wild elk in Pennsylvania was killed in 1867 near [Ridgway](/source/Ridgway%2C_Pennsylvania).[2] Elk from the [Rocky Mountains](/source/Rocky_Mountains) were reintroduced to the area between 1913 and 1926 and the herd today has over 600 animals. This is up from a low of just 35 elk counted in the 1970s.[2] Their range is mostly in southeastern Elk and southwestern Cameron counties. The [Pennsylvania Game Commission](/source/Pennsylvania_Game_Commission) is responsible for maintaining the elk herd in Elk State Forest and the surrounding area. In an effort to keep the herds away from agricultural areas the game commission maintains the forest in a way that suits the feeding needs of the elk. Scattered tracts of trees in the forest have been sold to lumber companies. The forest that grows in place of the harvested timber provides a variety of browse that is needed by the elk. The game commission also maintains sections of grassy areas in various locations throughout Elk State Forest providing further variety in feed for the elk. Visitors to Elk State Forest may chance upon an elk especially during the mating season which occurs in September and October. All visitors are encouraged to keep a safe distance from any elk, but especially the bull elk who can be very dangerous during the rutting season.[2] ## Neighboring state forest districts - [Susquehannock State Forest](/source/Susquehannock_State_Forest) (north) - [Sproul State Forest](/source/Sproul_State_Forest) (east) - [Moshannon State Forest](/source/Moshannon_State_Forest) (south) - [Clear Creek State Forest](/source/Clear_Creek_State_Forest) (southwest) - [Cornplanter State Forest](/source/Cornplanter_State_Forest) (west) ## Nearby state parks - [Elk State Park](/source/Elk_State_Park) - [Bucktail State Park Natural Area](/source/Bucktail_State_Park_Natural_Area) - [Sizerville State Park](/source/Sizerville_State_Park) - [Sinnemahoning State Park](/source/Sinnemahoning_State_Park) ## Natural and wild areas - [Bucktail State Park Natural Area](/source/Bucktail_State_Park_Natural_Area) - [Johnson Run Natural Area](/source/Johnson_Run_Natural_Area) - [Lower Jerry Run Natural Area](/source/Lower_Jerry_Run_Natural_Area) - [M.K. Goddard/Wykoff Run Natural Area](/source/M.K._Goddard%2FWykoff_Run_Natural_Area) - [Pine Tree Trail Natural Area](/source/Pine_Tree_Trail_Natural_Area) - [Quehanna Wild Area](/source/Quehanna_Wild_Area) - [Square Timber Wild Area](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Square_Timber_Wild_Area&action=edit&redlink=1) ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-history_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-history_1-1) ["History of the Elk State Forest"](https://web.archive.org/web/20040302193146/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/elkhistory.aspx). [Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources](/source/Pennsylvania_Department_of_Conservation_and_Natural_Resources). Archived from [the original](http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/elkhistory.aspx) on March 2, 2004. Retrieved June 13, 2007. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-elk_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-elk_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-elk_2-2) ["The Pennsylvania Elk"](https://web.archive.org/web/20040302193800/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/paelk.aspx). [Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources](/source/Pennsylvania_Department_of_Conservation_and_Natural_Resources). Archived from [the original](http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/paelk.aspx) on March 2, 2004. Retrieved June 13, 2007. ## External links - ["Elk State Forest"](https://web.archive.org/web/20040225193722/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/elk.aspx). [Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources](/source/Pennsylvania_Department_of_Conservation_and_Natural_Resources). Archived from [the original](http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/elk.aspx) on February 25, 2004. Retrieved July 12, 2006. *Note: As of July 2006, this web page has not been updated to reflect the Pennsylvania State Forest Districts realignment.* - ["State Forest Districts"](https://web.archive.org/web/20060515050052/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/images/district_realignment.gif). Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from [the original](http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/images/district_realignment.gif) on May 15, 2006. Retrieved July 12, 2006. *Note: Map showing districts after the July 1, 2005 realignment* v t e Protected areas of Pennsylvania Federal National Battlefields and Military Parks Fort Necessity Gettysburg National Fish Hatcheries Allegheny National Forests Allegheny National Historic Sites and Historical Parks Allegheny Portage Railroad Edgar Allan Poe Eisenhower First State Friendship Hill Grey Towers Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church Hopewell Furnace Independence Steamtown Valley Forge National Memorials Benjamin Franklin Flight 93 Johnstown Flood Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Monuments Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Recreation Areas Allegheny Delaware Water Gap National Trails Appalachian Lewis and Clark North Country Potomac Heritage National Wild and Scenic Rivers Allegheny River Clarion River Lower Delaware Middle Delaware Upper Delaware National Wildlife Refuge Cherry Valley Erie John Heinz Ohio River Islands Other National Historic Landmarks (Philadelphia) National Natural Landmarks National Register of Historic Places Wilderness Areas State Natural Areas Alan Seeger Algerine Swamp Anders Run Bark Cabin Bear Meadows Bear Run Beartown Woods Big Flat Laurel Black Ash Swamp Bruce Lake Buckhorn Carbaugh Run Charles F. Lewis Cranberry Swamp David R. Johnson Detweiler Run Devil's Elbow East Branch Swamp Forrest H. Dutlinger Frank E. Masland Jr. Halfway Run Hemlocks The Hook Hoverter and Sholl Box Huckleberry Jakey Hollow Johnson Run Joyce Kilmer Kettle Creek Gorge Lebo Red Pine Little Juniata Little Mud Pond Swamp Little Tinicum Island Lower Jerry Run Marion Brooks M.K. Goddard/Wykoff Run Meeting of the Pines Miller Run Mt. Cydonia Ponds Mt. Davis Mt. Logan Pennel Run Pine Creek Gorge Pine Lake Pine Ridge Pine Tree Trail Reynolds Spring Roaring Run Rocky Ridge Rosecrans Bog Ruth Zimmerman Sheets Island Archipelago Snyder-Middleswarth Spruce Swamp Stillwater Sweet Root Tall Timbers Tamarack Run Tamarack Swamp Torbert Island State Parks Allegheny Islands Archbald Pothole Bald Eagle Beltzville Bendigo Benjamin Rush Big Elk Creek Big Pocono Big Spring Black Moshannon Blue Knob Boyd Big Tree Buchanan's Birthplace Bucktail Caledonia Canoe Creek Chapman Cherry Springs Clear Creek Codorus Colonel Denning Colton Point Cook Forest Cowans Gap Delaware Canal Denton Hill Elk Erie Bluffs Evansburg Fort Washington Fowlers Hollow Frances Slocum French Creek Gifford Pinchot Gouldsboro Greenwood Furnace Hickory Run Hillman Hills Creek Hyner Run Hyner View Jacobsburg Jennings Joseph E. Ibberson Kettle Creek Keystone Kings Gap Kinzua Bridge Kooser Lackawanna Laurel Hill Laurel Mountain Laurel Ridge Laurel Summit Lehigh Gorge Leonard Harrison Linn Run Little Buffalo Little Pine Locust Lake Lyman Run Marsh Creek Maurice K. Goddard McCalls Dam McConnells Mill Memorial Lake Milton Mont Alto Moraine Mt. Pisgah Nescopeck Neshaminy Nockamixon Nolde Forest Norristown Farm Ohiopyle Oil Creek Ole Bull Parker Dam Patterson Penn-Roosevelt Pine Grove Furnace Poe Paddy Poe Valley Point Presque Isle Prince Gallitzin Promised Land Prompton Prouty Place Pymatuning R. B. Winter Raccoon Creek Ralph Stover Ravensburg Reeds Gap Ricketts Glen Ridley Creek Ryerson Station Salt Springs Samuel S. Lewis Sand Bridge Shawnee Shikellamy Simon B. Elliott Sinnemahoning Sizerville Susquehanna Susquehanna Riverlands Susquehannock Swatara Tobyhanna Trough Creek Tuscarora Tyler Upper Pine Bottom Varden Vosburg Neck Warriors Path Washington Crossing Whipple Dam White Clay Creek Worlds End Yellow Creek State Forests Bald Eagle Buchanan Clear Creek Cornplanter Delaware Elk Forbes Gallitzin Loyalsock Michaux Moshannon Pinchot Rothrock Sproul Susquehannock Tiadaghton Tioga Tuscarora Weiser William Penn Scenic Rivers Bear Run French Creek Lehigh River LeTort Spring Run Lick Run Lower Brandywine Octoraro Creek Pine Creek Schuylkill River Stony Creek Tucquan Creek Tulpehocken Creek Yellow Breeches Creek State Game Lands 12 13 14 24 25 26 28 29 30 31 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 179 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 335 Wild areas Algerine Asaph Burns Run Clear Shade Hammersley James C. Nelson Kettle Creek Russell P. Letterman Martin Hill McIntyre Penns Creek Quebec Run Quehanna Russell P. Letterman Square Timber Stairway Thickhead Mountain Trough Creek Wolf Run Other Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail Mohn Mill Ponds Wild Plant Sanctuary Stone Valley Recreation Area Local and private Abernathy Field Station Asbury Woods Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve Benjamin Olewine III Nature Center Boyce Park Nature Center Briar Bush Nature Center Carbon County Environmental Education Center Churchville Nature Center Endless Mountains Nature Center Fern Hollow Nature Center Frick Environmental Center Great Valley Nature Center Harrison Hills Park Environmental Education Center Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Honey Hollow Environmental Education Center Jarrett Nature Center John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove Lacawac Lancaster Environmental Center Latodami Nature Center at North Park McKaig Nature Education Center McKeever Environmental Learning Center Millbrook Marsh Nature Center Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center Myrick Conservation Center Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art Nurture Nature Center Peace Valley Nature Center Pocono Environmental Education Center Pool Wildlife Sanctuary Powdermill Nature Reserve Richard Nixon Park Nature Center Riverbend Environmental Education Center Shaver's Creek Environmental Center Silver Lake Nature Center South Park Nature Center Strawberry Hill Nature Center Tom Ridge Environmental Center Trexler Environmental Center Trexler Nature Preserve Tyler Arboretum Welkinweir Whites' Woods Nature Center Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve at Saint Vincent College Woodbourne Forest and Wildlife Preserve Woodcock Creek Nature Center Category Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Philadelphia Pittsburgh Commons --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Elk State Forest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk_State_Forest) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk_State_Forest?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.