Loyalsock Trail FS Road Network
Where rigs go to die in Sullivan County rocks.
The old Forest Service road network around the Loyalsock Trail cuts through Sullivan County’s most unforgiving landscape, following routes bulldozed by loggers chasing the last of Pennsylvania’s virgin white pine in the 1920s. These roads climb from Haystacks Creek up through boulder fields and rock slides that regularly close sections for months. The highlight is the technical ascent to Alpine Lake, where the road becomes a boulder garden that separates pretenders from legitimate 4x4s.
This is expert-level territory requiring lockers, skid plates, and serious ground clearance. Rock damage is guaranteed. Spring snowmelt makes everything worse, while fall hunting season brings traffic. No permits, but you’re on your own for recovery. Cell service exists only on ridgetops. It’s brutal, technical, and exactly what Pennsylvania overlanding used to be before everything got sanitized. Bring tools, spare parts, and lower your expectations about making good time.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Expert |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Technical 4x4 |
| Surface | Rock |
| Features | Historic, Remote, Technical |
| Length (miles) | 18 mi / 29 km |
| Duration | 1-2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 2460 ft |
| Best season | June-September |
| Minimum vehicle | Modified 4WD with lockers |
| Nearest town | Forksville, PA |
| Land manager | Pennsylvania DCNR |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | Yes |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Jeep Wrangler or 4Runner handle this trail?
Not without modifications. Stock rigs will get eaten alive by Sullivan County's jagged shelf rock and tight off-camber sections. You need lockers — front and rear — plus a minimum of 2-3 inches of lift and skid plates. A stock Wrangler Rubicon is about the bare minimum, and even then expect scrapes.
When does the trail typically open and close each season?
June through September is the reliable window. Spring snowmelt turns the forest roads into axle-deep mud pits well into May, and early fall storms can drop trees across the route fast. DCNR doesn't actively clear this network, so downed timber after any storm is your problem.
Do I need a permit to run this trail or camp along it?
No permit required to drive the forest road network. Dispersed camping on Loyalsock State Forest land is free and legal, just follow Pennsylvania DCNR's 14-night stay limit and camp 200 feet from water, roads, and trails. No fire rings or fees — pack out everything.
What's the hardest section and what actually makes it dangerous?
The exposed shelf rock sections mid-route are where rigs get hurt — jagged Pennsylvania sandstone that eats sidewalls, combined with steep off-camber pitches that want to roll you into the trees. There's no bailout in the middle, no cell service, and very few people back here to help. If you break an axle, you're winching or waiting.
How far is the nearest gas station and should I carry extra fuel?
Forksville is the closest town and it's tiny — do not count on fuel there. Dushore or Muncy Valley have more reliable options, both roughly 20-30 minutes from the trailhead. Carry a minimum 5-gallon auxiliary can; the trail is 18 miles of low-range crawling and fuel burn will surprise you.
Trail track
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