Cook Forest State Park
Forest Cathedral

 

Directions:  This is the first designated area in the Cook Forest loop. Starting at the park office on the north shore of the Clarion River at Cooksburg, go north on PA 36. At 0.2 mile take the right hand fork, SR 1015, toward Vowinckel. Proceed one mile to the Log Cabin Inn Nature Center just past the stone bridge over Tom's Run. Turn right into the parking lot for the Longfellow Trail.

 

Description:  Forest Cathedral, the virgin pine and hemlock forest remnant which is a Registered National Landmark, is served by a network of trails one of which is the Longfellow Trail that starts beside the Log Cabin Inn Nature Center. The trail rises from Tom's Run valley to the big trees which are about halfway to the top of the ridge. Here deep forest species find a home: Scarlet Tanager, Red-eyed and Blue-headed vireos, Winter Wren, Brown Creeper, Magnolia Warbler, Hermit and Wood thrushes, and Veery. Beyond the virgin forest, G Trail connects the Longfellow with the Rhododendron Trail. The way winds through a mature beech/hemlock/ black birch forest with practically no understory. The Rhododendron Trail ends at the intersection on Forest Drive mentioned later. Return the same way, about 2 miles round trip, or you end up on one of the other trails in the maze and come out some distance from your car. The trails in the Forest Cathedral are steep but graded. Good walking shoes are advised.