Staycation: Hikers, hunters, campers can enjoy wild times at Forbes State Forest

Forbes State Forest provides some of the best spots for enjoying the Laurel Highlands’ wild flora, fauna and scenery.

Boasting plenty of highlights for visitors, the forest covers roughly 60,000 acres spread across more than a dozen tracts of land in Westmoreland, Fayette and Somerset counties.

Forbes State Forest annually attracts more than 200,000 visitors who are headed to specific sites and double that number who come for general sightseeing, according to District Forester Ed Callahan. The forest is named for John Forbes, the general who led British colonial forces west across Pennsylvania in a 1758 campaign to oust French foes from the site that would become Pittsburgh.

“Some of the most well-known and used places are up on Laurel Mountain,” in the forest’s northern reaches, at the border of Westmoreland and Somerset counties, Callahan said.

Mountaintop vistas

Accessible by trails from Laurel Summit Road, Wolf Rocks and Beam Rocks offer panoramic views from the western and eastern sides of the mountain, respectively. “It’s a beautiful hike out to Wolf Rocks, and you can see down into the Linn Run Valley,” Callahan said.

Beam Rocks, sandstone outcroppings up to 90 feet in height, provides a lofty vantage point for taking in Somerset County scenery.

Located between the two overlooks, on a short trail from Laurel Summit State Park, is Spruce Flats Bog. This 28-acre wetland habitat is situated in a mountaintop depression lined with peat. Purchased by the state in 1909, it is home to salamanders, wood frogs and hawks.

“A lumber company logged all of the hemlock out of there, and it reverted back into a bog stage,” Callahan explained. “There are a couple of insect-eating plants, including sundew and pitcher plant.

“From an observation platform, you can look out over the bog. It’s littered with cotton-grass,” which has a fluffy, cotton-like seed head.

Hitting the trails

The forest is traversed by more than 360 miles of trails and roads, including an 11-mile section of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, which runs roughly north and south. Visitors can explore trails on their own or take part in guided walks periodically organized by state Bureau of Forestry staff.

Backpacking and nature walks have become popular. After winter precipitation has blanketed the mountain, participants can try their hand at hiking in snowshoes.

The next such event, “Snowshoes and Brews,” is a joint effort with Laurel Ridge State Park. Beginning at 11 a.m. on Feb. 22, participants will don snowshoes and hike along 3 miles of cross-country ski trails, ending with beverages and snacks at the Laurel Mountain Ski Lodge. Pre-registration is required by contacting kipeck@pa.gov or 814-352-8649.

During winter months, blue-blazed trails are maintained in the forest for cross-country skiing. Snowshoeing is permitted on most trails, but participants are asked to keep to the side of the trail and avoid walking in the ski tracks. Snowmobiling is available on 115 miles of separate groomed trails.

During warmer weather, mountain biking and horseback riding are allowed on most roads and trails in the forest.

Harvesting game, fish

Except in marked safety zones surrounding buildings and picnic areas, hunting is allowed throughout the forest — in season and in accordance with state regulations. Game ranges from deer, bear and turkey to grouse, squirrels and rabbits.

Anglers will find plenty of opportunities. Cold-water fishing areas are available on Linn Run, Roaring Run, Jones Mill Run and Indian Creek. A 1.6-mile delayed harvest area is located on Indian Creek, near Jones Mills.

Northernmost of three designated wild and natural areas in Forbes State Forest is the 3,500-acre Roaring Run Natural Area, located on the west slope of Laurel Ridge, in the southeastern corner of Westmoreland County.

From the ridge’s summit, Roaring Run drops more than 1,200 feet in elevation over five miles. Activities include hiking, cross-country skiing, hunting and fishing — accessible only by foot. Roaring Run Trail features 29 stream crossings.

In Somerset County, the forest’s Mt. Davis Natural Area includes the highest point in Pennsylvania — a rocky ridge that rises 3,213 feet above sea level. In Fayette County, on the eastern slope of Chestnut Ridge, the 7,400-acre Quebec Run Wild Area is popular for hunting, fishing and hiking on more than 20 miles of interconnecting roads and trails.

Campers welcome

Primitive camping is permitted throughout the forest, except in a few posted areas. Those who want to stay at a primitive camping site for more than one night or take advantage of one of the forest’s six “motorized” sites that allow vehicles nearby must obtain a permit — by downloading a brochure and application under “Find a Forest” and “Camping” at dcnr.pa.gov/StateForests or by visiting the Forbes Forest district headquarters office, along Route 30 in Laughlintown. The office can be reached at FD04@pa.gov or 724-238-1200.

Its easy to expand a trip by exploring adjacent state lands along Laurel Mountain and Laurel Ridge.

Natural, historic attractions are nearby

From north to south, the mountain and neighboring ridges are home to: Laurel Ridge State Park, which extends along the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail from the Conemaugh Gorge near Johnstown south to an area northeast of Ohiopyle; Laurel Mountain State Park, with its downhill ski area; Laurel Summit State Park; Linn Run State Park; Kooser State Park; and Laurel Hill State Park.

Other attractions near the northern end of the forest include Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Powdermill Nature Reserve, on Route 381 in Cook Township, south of Rector, where a nature center features exhibits on local wildlife and waste water purification.

Compass Inn, a restored 1799 stagecoach stop in Laughlintown, and Fort Ligonier in Ligonier, a reconstruction of an important outpost in Forbes’ 1758 campaign against the French, offer windows on the early settlement of the area.

The Ligonier Valley branch of the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, on Route 711 just south of Route 30, features the Southwestern Pennsylvania Council for the Arts Annual Regional Juried Art Exhibition through Feb. 2.

Homemade menu options

For something more substantial than can be prepared over a campfire, local options include a trip to Ruthie’s Diner, on Route 30 just east of Ligonier. Known for its “home-style cooking,” its menu offerings include more than a half dozen omelette choices for breakfast, roast beef or turkey dinners and apple dumplings for dessert. Payment is by cash only, so make sure your wallet is stocked with bills or your ATM card.

Walat’s bar and grill, on Route 30 just east of Laurel Summit Road, attracts trail hikers and snowmobile and quad riders, as well as motorists from as far away as Pittsburgh, for its big ham sandwiches, bursting with six slices of meat and a choice of toppings. Another favorite is the 1 1/2-pound mountain burger, made with local beef from Hoffer’s Ligonier Valley Packing.

The Original Pie Shoppe on Route 30 in Laughlintown offers sweet homemade treats to take home, including apple or coconut cream pies and flavorful “snails” — created with pie dough, butter and cinnamon. Deli items also are available.