Customer Reviews

Hiking the Allegheny National Forest: Exploring the Wilderness of Northwestern Pennsylvania

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4 star:		(1)
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a wilderness roadmap
book review by Chris Lareau

For the million hikers who come to our woods every year, choosing a trail might be a burdensome process, even if you grew up here like I did. Instead of wandering around in the forest, readers of Jeff Mitchell's new book can easily pick and choose at their leisure, ahead of time.
Camera buffs can find out which trails have the best views. Biologists can ponder over the four trails with the most wildlife. Like waterfalls? If you have read Hiking the Allegheny National Forest, Exploring the Wilderness of Northwestern Pennsylvania, you'd know there are five different spots that have waterfalls or cascades. (And I thought we only had a single waterfall! I'm such a dope.)
Mitchell, an attorney from Tankhannock, breaks down 201 miles of hiking trails for those of all interests: for people who want to see old-growth forests (we have some of the oldest in the East), for parents with kids, even for hikers interested in caves, rock outcrops, and large boulders or rock cities. Mitchell even gives his opinion on which places have the most to see.
In spite of its title, Hiking the ANF also includes important descriptions of trails in contiguous state parks (including Cook Forest, the Akeley Swamp, and Chapman State Park. For the first time, someone has finally put all this in one book. The state parks are a tremendous asset and so far they have been grossly overlooked. (A longer version of this review appears at [...])

As a native of the Allegheny National Forest region and a lifelong lover of the area's recreational opportunities, I'm stoked that someone has finally created an authoritative and informative guide to hiking throughout this incredible outdoor resource. Pennsylvania hiking expert Jeff Mitchell is just the man to do it. "Industrialized" Pennsylvania offers a multitude of outdoor recreation and natural beauty that is often a surprise to non-residents, and even to the natives. The northwestern portion of the state is fortunate to contain one of the few National Forests east of the Mississippi, and Mitchell proves that the area features fun for all ages and levels of ability. In addition to Mitchell's gift for natural detail, and the book's usable maps, Mitchell has included many hiking opportunities that are perfect for beginners, or those looking for an easy and peaceful ramble in the woods. There are also many hikes that incorporate the unique natural features or important ecosystems present in the Allegheny National Forest, while a few more challenging backpacking trips make the book a resource for the serious hiker as well. So obtain this book, then explore and enjoy this very valuable and enjoyable national forest. [~doomsdayer520~]

I just recently starting exploring the Allegheny National Forest.......this book is perfect for helping me find different trails to discover.

If you like to hike in the Allegheny this is your book. I'm a climber and there is very little climb information, but it clearly spells out some really spectacular spots. There are very few illustrations or images. The map(s) are a little vague so I would recommend printing off another online to reference roads etc just to find the trail. It might be a little difficult for a lay person to understand some of the explanations, and on more than one occasion the landmarks were dated and therefore useless, but I have found some real gems with this book. I can not find a better book or better information from any source. If you hike there a lot, or you are even just planning a weekend vacation, this is worth the money to just choose the right trails.