Suggestions for backpacking spot with access to Brookies near Penns Creek in Central PA

K

king_caddis

New member
Joined
Mar 16, 2013
Messages
10
I am planning a 3 day 2 night trip to central PA for backpacking.

Can someone recommend a good spot where camping is allowed (not in a normal campsite), and I could get some brook trout fishing in along the way. Somewhere near penns creek or at least central PA.

My ideal scenario would be hike 5-10 miles and setup camp, and do some fishing....hike more the next day, and more fishing then hike out on day 3
 
There are enormous tracts of state forest around and near Penns Creek and they typically have wild trout. You can primitive camp - just contact the district forest office and let them know when and approximately where. Ask the forest office about parking or where you can leave your car and fire restrictions.

Many of the streams have forest roads close or parallel to them, but a map check ought to identify the streams that you can hike into.
 
This year, I purchased a Purple Lizard brand map of this area. I am very pleased with the map; good detail. I thought that you may also be interested in this based on your trip plans.
 
Purple Lizard has superb maps.

You'd want the map of Bald Eagle State Forest for the area around Penns Creek.

 
As noted, there is a lot of public land in the central part of the state. If there is not a trail, you can bushwack and piece together a route, but three named trail systems that I can think of are the Mid State Trail, the Allegheny Front Trail, and the Chuck Keiper Trail. Only the Mid State Trail crosses Penns, but all should put you in the direct proximity of fish. There are lots of lesser known trails blazed by DCNR too, but the state of trail maintenance in PA seemed to have deteriorated with state budget cuts over the past five-ten years (meaning there might be a dashed line on a map that was once a named trail, but it may have seen no maintenance and you'll be scrambling over downed trees and walking through briar hell). You don't need a permit to camp in state forest, if you're only doing primitive backpacking camping for one night at a site; some state forest employees will try to convince you otherwise. Here is a link to a summary of primitive camping rules:

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_001910.pdf

I've hiked parts of the three trail systems listed, but never as part of a backpacking/fishing combo. I tend to fish as I hike, instead of hike->camp->fish, but you could put together an itinerary where either methodology would work.
 
Thanks for the great suggestions, I am thinking I will start on the mid state trail, and branch off into the brush as I see promising water. I will also get the purple lizard map to keep me pointed in the right direction. Thanks again for the great info.
 
Back
Top