Ohiopyle State Park
Cross Country Ski Fields

 

Directions:  At the four way intersection continue straight towards the campground for 1.7 miles. Listen while driving for Purple Finch, Kentucky Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Ovenbird, etc. Pass the campground and continue straight where the paved road becomes gravel. Follow the gravel road passing a road that goes off to the right and the beginning of the Kentuck Trail and park in the last parking lot. Walk from the far end of the parking lot on a trail that passes through a small forested area. Northern Parula can usually be found here along with American Redstart, Ovenbird, and Blue-headed Vireo. Continue walking into a open brushy meadow. This is the Cross Country Ski Area and the Sproul Trail. You can take an immediate right into a large mowed area where there are Eastern Bluebird nesting in the bluebird box. Indigo Bunting, Common Yellowthroat, and Blue-winged Warbler should be easily found. Return to the main trail taking the right fork (the trail makes a large loop returning to this starting point). Follow the trail which enters the trees and descends slightly. The trial will eventually reach more open habitat and a small wet area where Swamp Sparrow may be found. Solitary Sandpiper stop here on migration. Wood Frogs and Red-spotted Newts breed in the shallow pond. Listen for Golden-winged and Blue-winged Warblers, Yellow-breasted Chat, House Wren, and both species of cuckoos. Continue on the trail to a few large spruce trees left from a former farm. Purple Finch may be singing from the spruce trees, but can be found anywhere in the meadow. You may wish to take any of the side trails along the way to continue searching for birds. Ruffed Grouse and American Woodcock nest here and are sometimes flushed from their hiding places. The trail will turn sharply left and continue up a small hill. At the top of the hill is a good location for Golden-winged Warbler and Yellow-breasted Chat. White-eyed Vireo are also here, and Chestnut-sided Warbler can be heard and seen in the forest edge. Yellow Warbler are also common. Continue on the trail to a sharp left turn and continue back to the starting point. The forest edge along this section of the trail is particularly good for Ovenbird, Chestnut-sided Warbler, and Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Black-billed tends to be found in the more open areas. Field Sparrow and Eastern Towhee nest in the brush. Prairie Warbler were formerly common, but have not been seen in recent years perhaps due to a maturing habitat. In fall and winter, American Tree Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, and White-throated Sparrow can be found in the brush. Eastern Bluebird remain in the fields. Common Raven can be seen flying over at any time of the year and watch for a possible Bald Eagle flying over. The trail eventually returns to the starting point. Drive back to the four-way intersection mentioned above and turn left. This road takes you past Cucumber Falls, past Middle Ridge Road and back to PA 381 in Ohiopyle.

 

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