Rothrock State Forest is a Pennsylvania state forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #5. The main offices are located in

Huntingdon Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district of Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by John, King of England, King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver C ...

Huntingdon County Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district of Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver Cromwell was born there ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. Rothrock State Forest is located in

Centre Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricity ...

, Huntingdon, and Mifflin Counties.

State College State College is a borough and home rule municipality in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is a college town, home to the University Park campus of The Pennsylvania State University. State College is the largest designated borou ...

, home of

Penn State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsyl ...

is only a few miles from many of the entrances of Rothrock, leading to high utilization of the forest by students and staff of the university. Rothrock shares a common border on its eastern portion with

Bald Eagle State Forest Bald Eagle State Forest is a Pennsylvania state forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #7. The main office is located in Laurelton in Union County, Pennsylvania. The forest is found in Centre, Clinton, Mifflin, Snyder, and Uni ...

and is just north of areas of

Tuscarora State Forest Tuscarora State Forest is a Pennsylvania state forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #3. The main office is located in Blain in Perry County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Tuscarora State Forest contains in several tracts a ...

History

Rothrock State Forest was formed as a direct result of the depletion of the forests of Pennsylvania that took place during the mid-to-late 19th century. Conservationists like Dr.

Joseph Rothrock Joseph Trimble Rothrock (April 9, 1839 – June 2, 1922) was an American environmentalist, recognized as the "Father of Forestry" in Pennsylvania. In 1895, Rothrock was appointed the first forestry commissioner to lead the newly formed Division o ...

, for whom the forest is named, became concerned that the forests would not regrow if they were not managed properly. Lumber and iron companies had harvested the

old-growth forest An old-growth forest or primary forest is a forest that has developed over a long period of time without disturbance. Due to this, old-growth forests exhibit unique ecological features. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Natio ...

s for various reasons. They clear cut the forests and left behind nothing but dried treetops and rotting stumps. The sparks of passing

steam locomotives A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, oil or, rarely, wood) to heat water in the locomot ...

ignited

wildfire A wildfire, forest fire, or a bushfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identified as a ...

s that prevented the formation of

second growth forest A secondary forest (or second-growth forest) is a forest or woodland area which has regenerated through largely natural processes after human-caused disturbances, such as timber harvest or agriculture clearing, or equivalently disruptive natura ...

s. The conservationists feared that the forest would never regrow if there was not a change in the philosophy of forest management. They called for the state to purchase land from the lumber and iron companies. The lumber and iron companies were more than willing to sell their land since they had depleted the natural resources of the forests. The changes began to take place in 1895 when Dr. 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 The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), established in 1995, is the agency in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania responsible for maintaining and preserving the state's 124 state parks and 20 state forests; providin ...

. The

Pennsylvania General Assembly The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times (1682–1776), the legislature was known as the Pennsylvani ...

passed a piece of legislation in 1897 that authorized the purchase of "unseated lands for forest reservations." This was the beginning of the State Forest system. Two of Dr. Rothrock's major accomplishments as commissioner were his land acquisition program and the creation of a forest academy to train foresters for state service. He led the effort in central Pennsylvania to acquire land that had once belonged to the Greenwood Iron Works. The iron company had left behind approximately of land that had been stripped of its old growth forest to provide fuel in the form of

charcoal Charcoal is a lightweight black carbon residue produced by strongly heating wood (or other animal and plant materials) in minimal oxygen to remove all water and volatile constituents. In the traditional version of this pyrolysis process, ca ...

for the iron furnaces in northern

. Additional land was purchased soon after until nearly all of the Seven Mountain area had become state property. The lands acquired in the early 20th century were divided into three separate state forest reserves. Logan State Forest comprised the land in northern Huntingdon County and Ferguson and

Harris Harris may refer to: Places Canada * Harris, Ontario * Northland Pyrite Mine (also known as Harris Mine) * Harris, Saskatchewan * Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316, Saskatchewan Scotland * Harris, Outer Hebrides (sometimes called the Isle ...

, Townships in

Centre County Centre County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,172. Its county seat is Bellefonte. Centre County is composed of the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area ...

. Penn State Forest was located in Potter Township, Centre County and Armagh Township and Brown Township, Townships in

Mifflin County Mifflin County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 46,143. Its county seat is Lewistown. The county was created on September 19, 1789, from parts of Cumberland County and Northumberland ...

. Rothrock State Forest was near Mount Union and Entriken, in Huntingdon County. The three forests were merged in 1953 with parts of Penn and Logan being added to

and the rest combined to make what is now Rothrock State Forest. Some of the first

fire tower A fire lookout tower, fire tower, or lookout tower is a tower that provides housing and protection for a person known as a " fire lookout", whose duty it is to search for wildfires in the wilderness. It is a small building, usually on the summit ...

s built in Pennsylvania were constructed in Rothrock State Forest in the 1920s.

Pennsylvania Governor The governor of Pennsylvania is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as commander-in-chief of the state's national guard. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to approve or veto bills pass ...

Gifford Pinchot Gifford Pinchot (August 11, 1865October 4, 1946) was an American forester and politician. He served as the fourth chief of the U.S. Division of Forestry, as the first head of the United States Forest Service, and as the 28th governor of Pennsyl ...

, former chief of the

U.S. Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands covering of land. The major divisions of the agency are the Chief's ...

upgraded the Pennsylvania Forestry Division to full department status and gave the new Department of Forest and Waters the funds needed to build steel observation towers in the state forests. The construction of the observation towers combined with changes in forest management lead to a dramatic decrease in the number and size of

forest fire A wildfire, forest fire, or a bushfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identified as a bushfire ( in Australia), dese ...

s throughout the state forests of Pennsylvania. Much of the land that is now Rothrock State Forest was cleared of dried underbrush during the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

by the young men of the

Civilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government unemployment, work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was ...

created by President

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...

. In addition to clearing the forests and streams of brush the CCC also built roads and trails in the state forests and parks and many of the recreational facilities still in use at the

state parks State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...

in the Rothrock State Forest area. By the 1950s the

s of

oak An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' of the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisp ...

and

hickory Hickory is a common name for trees composing the genus ''Carya'', which includes 19 species accepted by ''Plants of the World Online''. Seven species are native to southeast Asia in China, Indochina, and northeastern India (Assam), and twelve ...

had grown to a size that the wood was ready to be harvested for

lumber Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...

. A scientific forestry management plan was put into place in 1955. The timber management plan was expanded to a

natural resource Natural resources are resources that are drawn from nature and used with few modifications. This includes the sources of valued characteristics such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest, and cultural value. ...

management plan in 1985. The new management plan covers the management of water, wildlife, timber, fire protection and recreation. Recreational use of the Rothrock State Forest has grown in the last several decades. All visitors are asked to learn and comply with all state forest regulations while using and respecting the forest and its facilities.

Neighboring state forest districts

Sproul State Forest Sproul State Forest is a List of Pennsylvania state forests, Pennsylvania state forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #10. The main offices are located in Renovo, Pennsylvania, Renovo, Pennsylvania in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, ...

(north) *

(northeast) *

(east) *

Buchanan State Forest Buchanan State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #2. The main office is located in McConnellsburg in Fulton County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The forest also includes tracts in Fra ...

(south) *

Gallitzin State Forest Gallitzin State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #6. The main offices are located in Ebensburg in Cambria County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The forest is located on in two non-con ...

(west) * Moshannon State Forest (northwest)

Nearby state parks

Four PA State Parks are located within Rothrock State Forest: * Greenwood Furnace State Park * Penn-Roosevelt State Park *

Trough Creek State Park Trough Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Cass, Penn and Todd Townships, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The majority of the park is in Todd Township along Pennsylvania Route 994, east of the unincorporat ...

Whipple Dam State Park Whipple Dam State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Jackson Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Whipple Lake is a man-made lake on that was originally built during the height of the lumber era that swept thr ...

Events

Various events are held in Rothrock each year including the Wilderness 101, a mountain bike race, and the Tussey MountainBack 50 Mile Relay, a race and Ultramarathon, and the Stoopid 50 mountain bike race. In 2005 the Single Speed World Championship race was held in Rothrock. The Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic 7-day Stage Race is held annually in the park, with stages in both Rothrock and Bald Eagle State Forests.

2006 Fire

On May 1, 2006, a wildfire from a downed power line burned more than 420 acres (170 hectacres) largely within Rothrock State Forest. The Tussey Mountain Trail transects the burned area, showcasing springtime wildflowers and grasses among the charred trees. This trail has become a regional favorite among mountain cyclists, trail runners, and hikers alike.

Stewardship

Rothrock State forest is managed by the

(DCNR). Numerous advocacy groups exist to promote

sustainable land management Land management is the process of managing the use and development of land resources. Those resources are used for a variety of purposes for example agriculture, forestry, water resource management, human settlements and tourism. One aim of l ...

in and around the Forest, including Nittany Mountain Bike Association, Friends of Rothrock State Forest, Clearwater Conservancy, and the Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation.

Other attractions

Mountain Biking

Opportunities

Numerous mountain biking trails can be found throughout Rothrock State Forest. It is one of the premier mountain bike destinations in the state, as evidenced by the world class race events held here annually. Shingletown Gap and Coopers Gap are two areas that have a high concentration of popular mountain bike trails. Rothrock has two IMBA Epic rides; each uses trails in these two separate Gaps.

Navigation

Many cyclists and hikers use a Rothrock Purple Lizard Map to navigate of the forest. Additional print maps and resources can be found on the Keystone Trails Association website and IMBA’s website. Free print maps are available from the DCNR Rothrock State Forest webpage or Nittany Mountain Bike Association’s site. Many trails have been mapped on

OpenStreetMap OpenStreetMap (abbreviated OSM) is a free, Open Database License, open geographic database, map database updated and maintained by a community of volunteers via open collaboration. Contributors collect data from surveying, surveys, trace from Ae ...

, as well.

Hiking

The Rothrock State Forest contains nearly 300 miles of hiking trails. The

Pennsylvania Mid State Trail The Mid State Trail (MST) is a linear hiking trail located in the Appalachian Mountains and Allegheny Plateau of central Pennsylvania, United States. It is the longest hiking trail in Pennsylvania, and one of just three (with the Appalachian ...

(MST), a 326-mile cross-country trail running from the Green Ridge State Forest in Maryland to a spur of the

Finger Lakes trail The Finger Lakes Trail consists of a network of trails in New York (state), New York. The trail system is administered by the Finger Lakes Trail Conference (FLTC), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization composed primarily of volunteers. Description ...

in New York, crosses the Rothrock State Forest for about 42 miles. In addition to the MST and miles of local hiking trails, Rothrock State Forest includes roughly 16 miles of the 70+ miles long

Standing Stone Trail The Standing Stone Trail is an linear hiking trail in south-central Pennsylvania, leading from Cowans Gap State Park in Fulton County, north to Detweiler Run Natural Area in Huntingdon County. Most of the trail follows rocky ridgetops in the ...

(SST).

Horseback Riding

Horses may be ridden on most of Rothrock's hundreds of miles of trails and state forest roads. Horses are not permitted on the

(MST),

(SST), or in Natural Areas.

Dual Sport Motorcycle Trails

There are no dual-sport motorcycle trails in Rothrock State Forest. Neighboring Bald Eagle State Forest has one of the largest motorcycle trail systems in the state. Street legal motorcycles are allowed to ride the public roads in Rothrock, and this is a popular destination for motorcyclists.

Natural and wild areas

* Alan Seeger Natural Area: Huntingdon County, north of Greenwood Furnace State Park. Includes about of

old-growth An old-growth forest or primary forest is a forest that has developed over a long period of time without Disturbance (ecology), disturbance. Due to this, old-growth forests exhibit unique ecological features. The Food and Agriculture Organizati ...

Eastern white pine ''Pinus strobus'', commonly called the eastern white pine, northern white pine, white pine, Weymouth pine (British), and soft pine is a large pine native to eastern North America. It occurs from Newfoundland, Canada, west through the Great Lake ...

and

Eastern hemlock ''Tsuga canadensis'', also known as eastern hemlock, eastern hemlock-spruce, or Canadian hemlock, and in the French-speaking regions of Canada as ''pruche du Canada'', is a coniferous tree native to eastern North America. It is the state tree of ...

, with some trees in diameter and nearly 1,000 years old. * Bear Meadows Natural Area: Centre County, four miles south of Boalsburg. Protects a boreal

bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and musk ...

with old-growth

black spruce ''Picea mariana'', the black spruce, is a North American species of spruce tree in the pine family. It is widespread across Canada, found in all 10 provinces and all 3 territories. It is the official tree of Newfoundland and Labrador and is tha ...

and

balsam fir ''Abies balsamea'' or balsam fir is a North American fir, native to most of eastern and central Canada (Newfoundland west to central Alberta) and the northeastern United States (Minnesota east to Maine, and south in the Appalachian Mountains to ...

forests. * Big Flat Laurel Natural Area: Huntingdon and Centre Counties, four miles south of Boalsburg. Includes extensive stands of mountain laurel. * Detweiler Run Natural Area: Huntingdon County, southeast of Boalsburg. Includes of old-growth Eastern white pine and Eastern hemlock forests above a

Rhododendron ''Rhododendron'' (; : ''rhododendra'') is a very large genus of about 1,024 species of woody plants in the Ericaceae, heath family (Ericaceae). They can be either evergreen or deciduous. Most species are native to eastern Asia and the Himalayan ...

understory. * Little Juniata Natural Area: Huntingdon County, west of Barree. Includes a slope of

Tuscarora sandstone The Silurian Tuscarora Formation — also known as Tuscarora Sandstone or Tuscarora Quartzite — is a mapped bedrock unit in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia, US. Description The Tuscarora is a thin- to thick-bedded fine-gra ...

scree Scree is a collection of broken rock fragments at the base of a cliff or other steep rocky mass that has accumulated through periodic rockfall. Landforms associated with these materials are often called talus deposits. The term ''scree'' is ap ...

and a horizontal

thrust fault A thrust fault is a break in the Earth's crust, across which older rocks are pushed above younger rocks. Thrust geometry and nomenclature Reverse faults A thrust fault is a type of reverse fault that has a dip of 45 degrees or less. I ...

. * Rocky Ridge Natural Area: Huntingdon County, south of Martin Gap. Includes exposed sandstone and

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

beneath an oak woodland. * Thickhead Mountain Wild Area: Centre and Huntingdon counties, . Forested ridges and mountains with over of old-growth ridgetop

Chestnut Oak ''Quercus montana'', the chestnut oak, is a species of oak in the white oak group, ''Quercus'' sect. ''Quercus''. It is native to the eastern United States, where it is one of the most important ridgetop trees from southern Maine southwest to ...

forests including trees up to 350 years old. * Trough Creek Wild Area: Huntingdon County, .

References

External links

* * ''Note: Map showing districts after the July 1, 2005 realignment'' * {{Authority control Protected areas of Centre County, Pennsylvania Protected areas of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania Protected areas of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania state forests Old-growth forests Protected areas established in 1900