Backpacking/camping/fishing

[jwalms90]

I’ve been doing some research trying to come up with some creek edge trails to do a weekend backpacking/camping/trout fishing trip.

Basically coming up with nothing on decent creek edge trails that allow camping.

Anyone have any suggestions or recommendations?

 

[salvelinus]

Susquehannock Trail System along Hammersley Fork. Permit required from state forest office if camping more than one night.

 

[maxima12]

Check out Big Pine Creek, Tioga County Pa. I believe camping is permitted without a permit, around West Rim. Most other areas will require a permit. One night!

Contact dept of forestry,
here in Pa. for camping requirements.

Good boys, always ready to help.

 

[salmonoid]

Hundreds of miles of streams flow through state forest land, many of them bordered by trails. Loyalsock Trail, Black Forest, Chuck Keiper, Quehanna, Donut Hole, Susquehannock, Mid State trail, to name a few.

Not sure what trails you are looking at that doesn't allow for camping. You can start or end an outing at a paid state park campground as well.

 

[jifigz]

I've done A LOT of backpacking. I will easily go out and cover 100 miles by myself in 3 days or so. In central PA there are so many trout streams that border recognized "backpacking" trails. I'll give you one hint to find lots of trout water along one trail system that offers everything that you're looking for. THE AFT.

 

[pcray1231]

In the national forest not even sure you need a permit.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Pick a state forest with wild trout streams, look for a stream away from the road if you wish for a wild experience. You have two options, either pick a hub to set up base camp where you can hike and fish several different streams or find a long section to fish a few miles, set up camp and fish your way to a second vehicle or pickup location. Options are endless all over the state if your willing to backpack.

 

[Swattie87]

Plenty of opportunities for this in the state and national forests in PA. A couple thoughts/clarifications:

PA State Forests...You don't need a permit so long as you don't camp in the same location for more than one night at a time. Make sure you don't confuse PA State Forests, with PA State Game Lands, which you cannot camp overnight on, period - Unless you're a thru-hiker on an established thru trail running through that portion of SGL. Some trails on the SF maps are well established, blazed well, and easy to follow. Others are spotty at best, non-existent at worst. Be prepared with good topo maps and know how to use them.

Salmonoid's list above is a good start. Pretty much any trail system in the north central part of the state that crosses streams will have what you're looking for. Understand too that although these trails parallel streams in part, they often pull away from streams and climb and run along ridgetops for sections too. A good topo map of the trail you're looking at should lay that out for you pretty well.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

For good maps, I definitely recommend purple lizard. They have some of the best pocket recreational maps that I am aware of. Printed on waterproof paper, they show hiking trails, seasonal forestry roads, water trails, state parks etc.

 

[afishinado]

pcray1231 wrote:
In the national forest not even sure you need a permit.

True ^

My understanding is you can camp overnight without any permit. A permit is required only if you plan to camp in the same campsite for multiple nights.

Here is what I found:

PA STATE FOREST
Primitive Camping
Guidelines and Ethics
~Primitive campers spending no more than one (1) night at a
campsite do not need a Camping Permit. However, a Camping
Permit is required if:
(A) you desire an emergency point-of-contact;
(B) you stay at a campsite more than one night;
(C) a campfire is desired during spring fire season;
(D) you camp using a vehicle for storage or transportation;
(E) you are “group camping”;
(F) you camp within the Pine Creek Gorge/Canyon in
Tiadaghton or Tioga State Forests; or;
(G) you desire to camp at a designated dispersed campsite.
~All camping must be at least 100 feet from any stream or
other open water source.
~All campsites must be at least 25 feet from the nearest
edge of a trail, and the camp should be out of sight of the
trail where possible.

Link to source: http://www.docs.dcnr.pa.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_20031808.pdf

 

[pcray1231]

Afish

State and national forests are different. What you posted is accurate for state forest. For national forest:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd503142.pdf

Summary: No permit needed. Max 14 days in 30 day period. No excavating beyond what is needed for toilet or campfire purposes. No damaging live trees for firewood. Don't block gated stuff with vehicles or camping equipment. There are a handful of areas with no camping or more restrictive rules.

 

[Ryno17]

If you're willing to make the trip and invest in an OOS license Savage River State Forest and several other State and US parks in Western Maryland is worth checking out.
http://dnr.maryland.gov/forests/Pages/savageguide.aspx

 

[salmonoid]

jifigz wrote:
I've done A LOT of backpacking. I will easily go out and cover 100 miles by myself in 3 days or so. In central PA there are so many trout streams that border recognized "backpacking" trails. I'll give you one hint to find lots of trout water along one trail system that offers everything that you're looking for. THE AFT.

Forgot that one - for those not in the loop on trail acronyms, Allegheny Front Trail = AFT.

Quick summary of camping regulations:
State Forest:
Primitive, overnight backpacking, one night, no permit required

Roadside base camp style at established state forest campsites - free permit required.

National Forest:
What pcray said - 14 nights, no permit required.

State Park:
Camping in approved pay campgrounds only with a few exceptions (like the shelters on the Laurel Highlands trail)

State Game Land:
No camping permitted, except within 200 feet of the Appalachian Trail

There are ample trails, streams, and campsites across PA to make for years of hiking, angling and camping.

 

[evw659]

The Chuck Keiper Trail in Sproul State Forest is another option thats worth a look. Its a loop that runs around 50 miles in the vicinity of where SR 144 traverses a ridge through the state forest in Clinton county. Bunch of high quality brookie/brown streams flow along/through the trails path on both sides of the ridge, theres even two PA Wild Areas that the trail goes through. Access to the wild areas is not easy though, and theres a lot of rattle snakes! Lots of access roads to get to different entry points along the trails length as well. A determined backpacker could fish a new stream almost every day with a relatively short distance between streams, though the elevation changes are significant, mostly on the north side of the ridge. Love that area.

 

[franklin]

I've made great use of primitive camp sites in PA state forests. You can often setup in a location convenient to multiple streams.

Some sites in Bald Eagle are close to Penns and Poe. Or Penns and Cherry Run. Or sites along White Deer. A couple along White Deer are within a 50 yards or so of the creek.

Up in the Black Forest you can put some trails together into loops to hit Slate Run and some other small trout streams. The lower end is close enough to pop down to Pine.

 

[mattwolf]

I 2nd the Chuck Keiper area. I have a camp close to that area and we fish those streams a lot. Access is easy, and often you feel miles from somewhere, but there are usually camps within a couple miles from where you are at all times. Watch the rattlesnakes though.

salmonoid wrote:

jifigz wrote:
I've done A LOT of backpacking. I will easily go out and cover 100 miles by myself in 3 days or so. In central PA there are so many trout streams that border recognized "backpacking" trails. I'll give you one hint to find lots of trout water along one trail system that offers everything that you're looking for. THE AFT.

Forgot that one - for those not in the loop on trail acronyms, Allegheny Front Trail = AFT.

Quick summary of camping regulations:
State Forest:
Primitive, overnight backpacking, one night, no permit required

Roadside base camp style at established state forest campsites - free permit required.

National Forest:
What pcray said - 14 nights, no permit required.

State Park:
Camping in approved pay campgrounds only with a few exceptions (like the shelters on the Laurel Highlands trail)

State Game Land:
No camping permitted, except within 200 feet of the Appalachian Trail

There are ample trails, streams, and campsites across PA to make for years of hiking, angling and camping.

 

[jacob]

Bald eagle state forest - you will not want to go home!