{{Short description|State forest in Pennsylvania, United States}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox protected area | name = Tiadaghton State Forest | iucn_category = | iucn_ref = <!-- images --> | image = White Deer Hole Creek near 4th Gap.JPG | image_caption = Tiadaghton State Forest: [[White Deer Hole Creek]] near the Fourth Gap of South White Deer Ridge, Washington Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania <!-- map --> | map = USA Pennsylvania | image_map = | map_width = | map_caption = Location of Tiadaghton Resource Management Center (district office) in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania | relief = <!-- location --> | location = Pennsylvania, United States | nearest_city = | nearest_town = | coordinates = {{coord|41|18|53|N|77|23|04|W|display=inline,title}} | coords_ref = <!-- stats --> | length = | length_mi = | length_km = | width = | width_mi = | width_km = | area_acre = 146,926 | area_ref = | elevation = {{convert|1493|ft|m|abbr=on}} | elevation_avg = | elevation_min = | elevation_max = | dimensions = | designation = <!-- dates & info --> | authorized = | created = | designated = | established = | named_for = ''Tiadaghton'', an [[Iroquois]] name for [[Pine Creek (Pennsylvania)|Pine Creek]] | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | visitation_ref = | governing_body = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources | administrator =Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources | operator = | owner = <!-- website, embedded --> | website = [https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateForests/FindAForest/Tiadaghton/Pages/default.aspx] | module = }} '''Tiadaghton State Forest''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|t|aɪ|ə|ˈ|d|ɑː|t|n̩}}; {{Respell|ty|ə|DAH|tən}})<ref name="iroquois" /> is a [[List of Pennsylvania state forests|Pennsylvania State Forest]] (Forest District #12) in the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry. The forest is primarily in western and southern [[Lycoming County, Pennsylvania|Lycoming County]], with small portions in [[Clinton County, Pennsylvania|Clinton]], [[Potter County, Pennsylvania|Potter]], [[Tioga County, Pennsylvania|Tioga]], and [[Union County, Pennsylvania|Union]] Counties. The district's topography consists of narrow, flat to sloping plateaus cut by deep, steep-sloped valleys carved by fast moving mountain streams, including Pine Creek, Slate Run, and their tributaries. The Tiadaghton district extends south across the lowland along the west branch of the Susquehanna River to the narrow crests of Bald Eagle Mountain and North and South White Deer Ridge. The majority of forest cover is dominated by mixed oak forests, with some areas of northern hardwoods. The Tiadaghton State Forest is one of eight forest districts in the Pennsylvania Wilds region.
The forest district office, the Tiadaghton Resource Management Center, is located just north of the town of [[Waterville, Pennsylvania|Waterville]], in [[Lycoming County, Pennsylvania|Lycoming County]], [[Pennsylvania]] in the [[United States]]. ''Tiadaghton'' is the [[Iroquois]] name for Pine Creek, but its meaning is unknown.<ref name="iroquois">{{cite web |url = https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateForests/FindAForest/Tiadaghton/Pages/History.aspx#:~:text=Tiadaghton%20(pronounced%3A%20ty%2Da,Branch%20of%20the%20Susquehanna%20River. |title = History |access-date = April 18, 2022 |publisher = [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]]}}</ref>
==History== As the timber was exhausted and the land burned, many companies simply abandoned their holdings.<ref name="seasons doaf">{{cite book | last = Owlett | first = Steven E. | title = Seasons Along The Tiadaghton: An Environmental History of the Pine Creek Gorge | year = 1993 | chapter = The Death of a Forest | pages = 53–62 | edition = 1st | publisher = Interprint | location = Petaluma, California | isbn = 0-9635905-0-2 }}</ref> Conservationists like Dr. [[Joseph Rothrock]] became concerned that the forests would not regrow if they were not managed properly. They called for the state to purchase land from the lumber companies and for a change in the philosophy of forest management. In 1895 Rothrock was appointed the first commissioner of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters, the forerunner of today's [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources|Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]]. In 1897 the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed legislation which authorized the purchase of "unseated lands for forest reservations" and the first [[List of Pennsylvania state forests|Pennsylvania state forest lands]] were acquired the following year.<ref name="history">{{cite web |url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/valleyforgehistory.aspx |title = History of the William Penn State Forest |access-date = March 4, 2014 |publisher = [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]] |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070823033728/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/valleyforgehistory.aspx |archive-date = 2007-08-23}}</ref>
On July 13, 1898, the state bought a {{convert|409|acre|adj=on}} tract of land in Cummings Township for $72.99 (${{Inflation|US|72.99|1898}} in {{inflation/year|US}} terms).<ref>{{cite web | title = Consumer Price Index (Estimate) 1800-2008 | publisher = Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis | year = 2009 | url =http://www.minneapolisfed.org/community_education/teacher/calc/hist1800.cfm | access-date = February 25, 2009 }}</ref> This was the first purchase for what became Tiadaghton State Forest, which surrounds the park. The state forest grew to {{convert|66000|acre}} by 1908, and over {{convert|160000|acre}} in 1933.<ref name="crown jewel">{{cite book | title = The Crown Jewel of Pennsylvania: The State Forest System | first = R.R. | last = Thorpe | publisher = Pennsylvania Forestry Association, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the U.S. Forest Service | year = 1997 | pages = 68–70 | oclc = 37033507 }}</ref> Most of the major purchases for it were made between 1900 and 1935.<ref name="tiadaghton map"/>
===2005 Realignment=== Prior to the July 1, 2005 realignment of Pennsylvania State Forest Districts, Tiadaghton State Forest included all state forest lands in Lycoming County and encompassed {{convert|215500|acre|-1}}. After realignment, the state forest tracts in eastern Lycoming County became part of the new [[Loyalsock State Forest]]. The District #12 office will also move from [[South Williamsport, Pennsylvania|South Williamsport]] to Waterville, at the [[confluence (geography)|confluence]] of Little Pine Creek and Pine Creek, where the largest part of the forest is now located. The southern tracts are along [[Bald Eagle Mountain]], North White Deer Ridge, South White Deer Ridge, and the [[White Deer Hole Creek]] watershed.
As of 2009, the Tiadaghton State Forest covered {{convert|146500|acre}}, chiefly in Lycoming County with small tracts in [[Clinton County, Pennsylvania|Clinton]], [[Potter County, Pennsylvania|Potter]], [[Tioga County, Pennsylvania|Tioga]], and [[Union County, Pennsylvania|Union]] Counties. The largest section of the state forest consists of {{convert|105000|acre}} in the Pine Creek valley.<ref name="tiadaghton map">{{cite map| title = A Public Use Map for Tiadaghton State Forest| publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry|date = June 2009}} ''Note'': This is a map on one side, with a guide to the state forest and its resources on the other side</ref>
==Other attractions==
===Hiking=== *[[Black Forest Trail]]; loop trail, {{convert|42.1|mi|km}} long, west of Pine Creek in northwest Lycoming County *[[Golden Eagle Trail]]; loop trail, {{convert|9.2|mi|km}} long, east of Pine Creek in northwest Lycoming County *[[Mid State Trail (Pennsylvania)|Mid State Trail]]; {{convert|327|mi|km}} south-north across Pennsylvania from the [[Maryland]] border to the New York border *[[Pine Creek Rail Trail|Pine Creek Trail]]; {{convert|62|mi|km}} [[rail trail]] from [[Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania]] north along Pine Creek to [[Wellsboro Junction, Pennsylvania|Wellsboro Junction]] in Tioga county and Tioga State Forest
===Natural areas=== [[Image:White Deer Hole Valley crop.JPG|thumb|The southern tract of Tiadaghton State Forest runs along White South Deer Ridge]] *[[Algerine Swamp Natural Area]]; {{convert|84|acre}} *[[Bark Cabin Natural Area]]; a {{convert|73|acre|adj=on}} stand of [[Old-growth forest|old growth]] [[Eastern Hemlock]], [[Northern Red Oak]], [[Fraxinus americana|White Ash]], [[Bigtooth Aspen]], and [[Hickory|Hickories]],<ref name="OldGrowthEastPA">{{Cite web |url = http://www.primalnature.org/ogeast/pa.pdf |title = Old Growth in the East: A Survey. Pennsylvania |author = Mary Byrd Davis |date = 23 January 2008 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120217114942/http://www.primalnature.org/ogeast/pa.pdf |archive-date = 17 February 2012 }}</ref> and the Mid State Trail *[[Miller Run Natural Area]]; {{convert|4000|acre|sigfig=4}} [[oak]] and hardwood forest, three [[stream]]s *[[Red Pine Natural Area]]; {{convert|10|acre}} with a stand of old growth [[red pine]]. *[[Torbert Island Natural Area]]; {{convert|54|acre}}, an [[island]] in Pine Creek.
===Wild areas=== *[[Algerine Wild Area]]; {{convert|3700|acre|sigfig=4}} with the Black Forest Trail *[[Wolf Run Wild Area]]; {{convert|6900|acre|sigfig=4}} with the Golden Eagle Trail
==Nearby state parks== *[[Little Pine State Park]] (Lycoming County) *[[Ravensburg State Park]] (Clinton County) *[[Susquehanna State Park (Pennsylvania)|Susquehanna State Park]] (Lycoming County) *[[Upper Pine Bottom State Park]] (Lycoming County)
==Neighboring state forest districts== *[[Tioga State Forest]] (north) *[[Loyalsock State Forest]] (east) *[[Weiser State Forest]] (southwest) *[[Bald Eagle State Forest]] (south) *[[Sproul State Forest]] (west) *[[Susquehannock State Forest]] (northwest)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{cite web | url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/tiadaghton/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150326103724/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/tiadaghton/ | url-status = dead | archive-date = March 26, 2015 | title = Tiadaghton State Forest | access-date = 2006-07-14 | publisher = [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]] }} ''Note: As of July 2006, this web page has not been updated to reflect the Pennsylvania State Forest Districts realignment.'' *{{cite web | url = http://www.state.pa.us/papower/cwp/view.asp?Q=443999&A=11 | title = DCNR REALIGNING FOREST DISTRICTS | access-date = 2006-07-14 |date=June 2005 | publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060404000113/http://www.state.pa.us/papower/cwp/view.asp?A=11&Q=443999 |archive-date = April 4, 2006 }} [http://www.thefreelibrary.com/PA+DCNR+Realigning+Forest+Districts.-a0133686456 Alt URL] *{{cite web | url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/images/district_realignment.gif | title = State Forest Districts | access-date = 2006-07-14 | publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources | url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060515050052/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/images/district_realignment.gif <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2006-05-15}} ''Note: Map showing districts after the July 1, 2005 realignment'' *{{cite web | url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/hiking/index.aspx | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040219030844/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/hiking/index.aspx | url-status = dead | archive-date = February 19, 2004 | title = National & State Forest Hiking Trails | access-date = 2006-07-14 | publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources }} {{Commons category|Tiadaghton State Forest}} {{Protected Areas of Pennsylvania}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Pennsylvania state forests]] [[Category:Protected areas of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Clinton County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Potter County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Tioga County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Union County, Pennsylvania]]