There is a lot to explore in Michaux State Forest. Here are some resources to help with that. Have an idea for a resource we should add? Just e-mail us at friendsofmichauxstateforest@gmail.com.
- District 1: The official DCNR website for Michaux State Forest. Here you’ll find information about state forest policies, alerts, public use and trail maps, management, recreational opportunities, etc. The Michaux district office is located at 10099 Lincoln Way E, Fayetteville, PA 17222. They can be reached by phone at 717-352-5211 and by e-mail at fd01@pa.gov.
- Purple Lizard Map: We are happy to offer the newest (2nd) edition of the Purple Lizard map for Michaux State Forest. If you buy directly from us, the proceeds will benefit the Friends group AND you’ll have a great new map! These maps are durable, waterproof, beautifully designed, packable, and they give you all the detail you need to explore Michaux and other pubic lands in PA. Member discounts apply. To place an order request, please complete this form and we’ll follow up with ordering instructions.
- Pets in the State Forest: See section 21.121 in Title 17 of the PA Code for the policies regarding pets in state forests. Pets are allowed in state forests as long as they are attended and under the control of the owner, they do not disturb or intimidate other users, and they don’t cause damage to property or resources. Note that the regulations in the state parks are different so if you are visiting King’s Gap, Pine Grove Furnace, Caledonia, or Mont Alto, refer to these guidelines.
- Camp Michaux: One of Michaux State Forest’s richest historical sites. In the 18th and 19th century it was a working farm, Bunker Hill Farm. In the 20th century it was a Civilian Conservation Corps camp (CCC), a secret POW interrogation camp in World War II, a church camp shared by the United Presbyterian Church and The United Church of Christ, and eventually became incorporated into the state forest. See the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau for more information, directions, and to download a walking tour. Lee Schaeffer has compiled a number of photographs and documents related to Camp Michaux as well. Finally, Dickenson College’s Dr. Maria Bruno’s archeological methods class has developed Exploring Camp Michaux.
- The Civilian Conservation Corps: Including Camp Michaux, there were four CCC camps in and around what is now Michaux State Forest. At the national scale, the CCC Legacy reminds us of the value and the importance of the work of the CCC, and the NRCS highlights the importance of CCC work in soil conservation (there was a soil conservation CCC camp in Waynesboro, PA). For Pennsylvania, the DCNR highlights the CCC years, the Pennsylvania CCC Online Archive provides information about all the camps, a Flickr group compiles historic photos of Pennsylvania CCC camps, and the Pennsylvania Conservation Heritage Project includes CCC stories (along with a lot of other great information about PA’s conservation history).
- Iron industry: All over Michaux State Forest you will find evidence of the iron industry. In this YouTube video from the Cumberland County Historical Society, Andre Weltman, chairman of the Friends of Pine Grove Furnace State Park, discusses the connection between the 19th century charcoal iron industry and today’s South Mountain landscape.
Friends of Michaux State Forest 