Quehanna Trail

Moshannon and Elk State Forests, Quehanna Wild Area (Parker Dam State Park trailhead)

The Quehanna Trail, or QT, is a 73.7-mile loop through Moshannon and Elk State Forests that begins at Parker Dam State Park in northern Clearfield County. The Keystone Trails Association (KTA) says it spends 34 miles in the Quehanna Wild Area and that hikers here are “most likely to see elk in their native habitat.”

Three cross-connectors, the Cutoff Trail, the West Cross Connector, and the East Cross Connector, let hikers make shorter loops. Wikipedia says the trail was built in 1976 and 1977 by workers from a federal jobs program and the Youth and Adult Conservation Corps.

The hike

From Parker Dam, the trail is usually described counterclockwise. Wikipedia lists the Cutoff Trail at mile 3.5 and the West Cross Connector at 5.0, then a crossing of the historic Caledonia Pike at 14.3 and Gifford Run, at an old splash dam site, at 15.3. The trail enters the wild area at 18.1 and passes the East Cross Connector at 20.2 and the Wild Cat Rock monument at 21.9.

The Mosquito Creek canyon follows. Wikipedia describes unstable ground in an old splash-dam lake bed, the site of failed footbridges at mile 24.4, and a strenuous climb out past the former Corporation Dam. Pittsburgh Quarterly’s Christina Schmidlapp, writing in January 2026, says a fallen sycamore that once served as a bridge was damaged by flooding by June 2025, and the current pushed her over when she crossed alone.

The trail crosses Quehanna Highway near the Piper industrial complex at mile 30.2. Wikipedia’s Quehanna Wild Area article explains that Curtiss-Wright built a nuclear reactor here in the 1950s for jet engine research; the site was decontaminated and released from its license in 2009. Beyond Piper, the trail passes the Old Sinnemahoning Trail junction at 39.9 (a link toward the Donut Hole Trail), crosses Wykoff Run Road at 41.5, and passes near the Marion Brooks Natural Area at 52.7, which protects a large stand of white birch.

The western side crosses Quehanna Highway again at 62.6, follows a 2016 reroute around failed bridges at Medix Run, and turns onto Saunders Road at 68.3 before returning to Parker Dam. Jeff Mitchell’s 19-mile West Loop, using the West Cross Connector, calls this “an ideal weekend backpacking loop” with mild terrain.

Schmidlapp describes steep slopes, rocks, blowdowns, open meadows, and a “primitive camping” experience where a few stone fire rings are the only built amenities. Gossamer Gear’s 2014 writer found water plentiful but streams raging after a wet week.

For another long PA Wilds loop, see the Chuck Keiper Trail.

Tips

Plan around Mosquito Creek. Go after dry weather, or use a cross-connector to make a shorter loop.
Carry a guidebook and map. KTA points to Ben Cramer’s guide and DCNR’s PDF maps.
Watch for elk and give them room.
Check fire rules. DCNR bans campfires March 1 to May 25 without permission and in high fire danger.
Hunting: the 2026 regular firearms deer season runs Nov. 28 to Dec. 13, Sundays included (Pennsylvania Game Commission). Wear orange.

Camping

Moshannon State Forest lets backpackers camp without a permit for one night per location. A free permit (814-765-0821, FD09@pa.gov) is needed for more than one night at a site, an emergency point of contact, or a spring campfire, and groups of more than 10 need a Letter of Authorization. Don’t camp in designated Natural Areas, within 200 feet of a forest road, within 25 feet of a trail, or within 100 feet of a stream or open water. Wikipedia says backpackers may camp primitively in the Quehanna Wild Area.

Inside Intel: On the West Loop, Mitchell points to a large campsite on Saunders Run, “ideal for larger groups,” and creekside sites along the West Cross Connector. He warns that a view campsite near a small spring “might be tough to collect water.”

Trail facts

Distance: 73.7 miles (75 per DCNR); West Loop about 19 miles
Route type: Loop with three cross-connectors
Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous
Campsites: Dispersed; no designated sites
Water: Frequent streams; a piped spring along Little Medix Road (Mitchell); treat it
Permits: None for one night at a site
Fires: Restricted March 1 to May 25 and in high fire danger
Trailhead: Parker Dam State Park, Clearfield County
Last verified: October 12, 2026

The Lowdown

Raging streams on the Quehanna:

A Gossamer Gear writer found streams raging after a wet week. Before your next trip, see what testers and owners say about three rain shells, including the Beta SL.

Read the comparison →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.