Clear Creek State Forest Clarion River Technical Loop

This route follows the old logging railroad grades that once hauled white pine and hemlock out of the Clarion River watershed, now reclaimed by second-growth forest and technical driving challenges. The main track drops down from Beartown Road through a series of creek crossings before hitting the gnarly climb up Mill Creek Hollow, where loose shale and washouts will test your line choice. Forest Road 157 connects you to the river bottoms where you’ll ford Clear Creek twice before the final push to the Piney Dam ruins.

You need real 4WD with decent ground clearance for the creek crossings and some of the steeper logging grades. Late summer and fall offer the best water levels, though spring can be spectacular if you can handle the mud. Cell service disappears once you drop into the hollows, and dispersed camping is excellent along the old railroad grades. This is what Pennsylvania looked like before the clearcuts – wild, remote, and challenging enough to earn your beer.