If you want to unplug, the Allegheny National Forest is a good choice

KANE, Pa. – If you ever just wanted to get away from it all, escape technology and just enjoy nature, then you might want to consider spending some time in the Allegheny National Forest and on the Allegheny Reservoir.

An easy four-hour drive from Wooster (210 actual miles), the Allegheny National Forest offers everything for the outdoorsman – everything that is but cell service. From fishing in the Allegheny Reservoir, its tributaries and the Allegheny River, to camping, hiking, hunting, off-roading and mountain biking, there’s something for everyone.

Sprinkle in the historic towns and sites and the many picturesque views, and the area makes for an interesting trip.

The downside is it’s a drive to get from one place to another, and probably up and down a winding road, around the reservoir and through the forest. And, you better have a good idea of where you’re going, and better yet, an old-fashioned road map, because using your phone for directions is out of the question.

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We are talking 514K acres, 800 square miles of woods and water

And, when we’re talking about the Allegheny National Forest, we’re talking about over 514,000 acres of land, or just over 800 square miles of woods and waters. It seems like every hike you drive to, every waterfall, historical village, campground, boat launch and scenic overlook is 20 miles away, and then 20 miles back again.

The reservoir itself is 24 miles long, starting in New York and flowing south into Pennsylvania, with just one bridge in the middle to get you from one side of it to the other.

As bad as that all sounds, it’s also what makes the Allegheny National Forest special. It’s remote and wild, where black bears may visit your campsite, bobcats join you on a hike, and deer cross your path while ATVing.

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My wife, Jean, and I recently got back from our second trip to the ANF, having been there two years ago for the first time. We once again camped at the ANF’s Kiasutha Campground and fished the Allegheny Reservoir, as well as hiked, bird watched (best bird a Black-billed Cuckoo) and explored the charming town of Smethport.

When we visited in 2020, it was August, and the Reservoir was showing signs of a dry summer, well below its normal pool. Rocky shorelines we walked along two years ago were now covered in water, leading to much-improved fishing conditions. We fished a couple mornings and evenings out of the tandem kayak and enjoyed catching perch, rock bass and smallmouth bass under the watchful eyes of several Ospreys.

Although the Reservoir has enough wood laydowns and rocky shoreline of its own, the south end especially has lots of man-made fish cribs and strategically placed Christmas trees to attract fish.

We were hoping to catch some crappie off the pine trees, but never did, although Jean did pull a small walleye out of the brush one morning.

Getting a feel for camping, visiting Jake's Rock, Rimrock Overlook

The 96-site Kiasutha Campground is typical of older National Parks campgrounds, with some beautiful sites and some not-so nice sites. It’s a no-frills campground, with just 12 full hookup sites and another dozen with electric. The sites on the Reservoir are some of the hardest to get, but may be available mid-week. We got there on a Tuesday night the day after Memorial Day, and we were one of just five campers in the entire park. By Saturday, maybe another 20 had arrived.

Red Bridge Campground across the lake from Kiasutha, and Dewdrop Campground, six miles down the lake, are other Allegheny National Forest campgrounds to consider when visiting the area.

As for scenic vistas, Jake’s Rock and Rimrock Overlook are two must-see locations in the ANF. Rimrock is one of our favorites, and not only offers a fantastic view of the Reservoir, but has lots of interesting rock formations to climb and a peaceful hiking trail down to the water.

Jake’s Rock is more-well known as the hot spot for mountain biking in the ANF, as you can access 30 miles of riding trails from its parking lot. The trail system was developed in partnership with world renowned trail development company, Trail Solutions, sister company of the International Mountain Biking Association.

Jake’s Rock is far from the only trailhead for mountain bikers in the ANF, though. Another starts just down the hill from Jake’s Rock, across from the Kinzua Dam – the Bent Run Trail. The small parking lot is better known, though, for its access to the Bent Run waterfalls, which in the springtime, ranks right up there with some of my favorite waterfalls all-time.

It’s not a huge waterfall with lots of water flowing from it, but it’s many waterfalls, going on for a half-mile climb up the hill, one after another. In fact, Jean and I didn’t even make it to the top as the footing got steep and muddy the higher we went.

For most of our time, we had the falls to ourselves, even enjoying a snack as we listened to the rushing water while we sat on a rock in the middle of the stream.

Enjoying the mansions in Smethport's Mansion District

Maybe the highlight of our trip to ANF this time, though, was our drive to Smethport and a self-guided walking tour of the old town’s Mansion District. The term Mansion District is more of a marketing scheme than actual fact, but the "mansions” built in the mid-1800s by some of the town’s wealthiest inhabitants certainly are stunning, and for the most part, are still historically accurate to how they looked back then.

The tour starts at the McKean County Courthouse and Bucktail Civil War Monument, and includes three churches, a jail, a tavern and 26 houses. Styles included Greek and Colonial Revival, Victorian Italianate, Georgian Italianate, Romanesque, Victorian Gothic, Victorian Queen Anne, Edwardian, Victorian Stick, English Gothic, Italianate and Eclectic.

To take the tour, you pick up a pamphlet at the kiosk at the McKean County Courthouse. It has a map and a photo and bio of every building on the walking tour.

Of course, any trip to the Allegheny National Forest must include a visit to the Kinzua Bridge Skywalk, what remains from a train bridge that was built in 1882, but destroyed in a 2003 tornado. Half the bridge still stands, and visitors can walk out 624 feet and 225 feet above the valley floor to take in the stunning views. It’s ranked one of the top 10 “most beautiful skywalks” in the world.

The Kinzua Bridge State Park also has an extensive visitors center that gives guests an historic look back at the bridge.

Outdoor correspondent Art Holden can be reached at letsplabal@yahoo.com. 

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Unplug and stay a while at Allegheny National Forest, Reservoir