Loyalsock State Forest

Upper Pleasant Stream Road Closure and Old Loggers Path Detour

A short section of Upper Pleasant Stream Road -- linking Mill Creek Road to Masten Road -- will be closed this summer from Monday, May 27, 2024, through Wednesday, September 11, 2024, for a bridge replacement.

Due to the lack of adequate space, there will be no temporary construction bypass.​​

The bridge replacement also will force a short detour and stream crossing of the Old Loggers Path.

The 2024 Old Loggers Path Detour Map​ (PDF) provides additional information about the​ closure and detour.

Visitors to the Masten Campground and Old Loggers Path Trailhead should plan to travel in from Route 14, or from Ellenton Mountain Road using Masten Road.

The road closure will prevent access from the Route 87 corridor (Proctor, Hillsgrove).

We apologize for any inconvenience as we make these improvements.

Fuelwood Permits

Remote fulfillment fuelwood permits can be accommodated by contacting the Loyalsock State Forest district office.

Relevant forms will be provided and electronically submitted via email.

Avoid Active Construction Zones

State forest visitors are reminded that it is unlawful and dangerous to enter active construction zones. Construction zones are clearly defined and public entry is prohibited. Construction work areas include:

• Beginning Monday, May 27, 2024​, Upper ​Pleasant Stream Road

General Road Closures

Unplanned road closures for maintenance activities and weather emergencies can occur throughout the year, so calling or emailing in advance of your visit to the Loyalsock State Forest is always a good idea. Contact the Resource Management Center for updates at 570-946-4049.

Other road maintenance projects which don't require a road closure also occur throughout the year. For your safety and the safety of our workers, please observe and obey traffic signage.

Don’t Move Firewood

To help protect the forest from invasive insects that can kill trees and devastate the ecosystem, please do not transport firewood over long distances.

Firewood can harbor insects such as emerald ash borer and spotted lanternfly. Cut or purchase your firewood where you intend to burn it.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry manages our state forests for their long-term health and productivity while conserving native wild plants. These forests are managed as “working forests” and provide a suite of uses and values to Pennsylvania citizens, while maintaining the forest’s wild character.

Our state forests are managed for:

• Pure water
• Recreation
• Scenic beauty
• Plant and animal habitat
• Sustainable timber and natural gas
• Many other uses and values

The management of our state forests is guided by the State Forest Resource Management Plan.

A district-level state forest management plan is written for each of the bureau’s 20 forest districts across the state.

Loyalsock State Forest staff hosted a public meeting and online survey about its draft management. Public comments and responses (PDF) to the plan are available to review.

Using public input and building on the statewide 2016 management plan, the Bureau of Forestry ​revised and completed a new Loyalsock State Forest Resource Management Plan (PDF), setting district-level management priorities.

View Loyalsock Sta​te Forest’s 2024 management activities (PDF) for upcoming projects and events to implement the State Forest Resource Management Plan.

The Bureau of Forestry uses surveys to gain insight into recreational use of state forests, which helps guide management of recreational resources.

Please read the Loyalsock State Forest Visitor Use Monitoring Report (PDF) to learn more.

Local state forest harvest schedules promote and maintain desired forest landscape conditions while providing a sustainable flow of forest products.

The Bureau of Forestry has adopted “ecosystem management” as its principal strategy for managing state forests. This approach seeks to conserve the natural patterns and processes of the forest while advancing long-term sustainability.

Ecosystem management promotes the conservation of plant and animal communities and the landscapes and habitats that support them. It also accounts for needs and values of people and communities.

This results in a holistic, integrated approach to managing forest resources.

As you travel throughout the state forest, you’ll see examples of our forests “at work.” Some of these management practices are more noticeable than others, such as:

• Active timber harvests
• Deer exclosure fences
• Natural gas drilling sites
• Prescribed fires
• Spongy moth (formerly known as Gypsy moth) spraying

Others are more subtle, such as:

• Protection of a vernal pool
• Buffering a stream from timber harvesting
• Setting aside a special area to conserve its wild character or protect a rare plant community

Each of these management practices and activities play a vital role in the management and conservation of our state forest system.

Pennsylvania’s 2.2-million-acre state forest system is one of the largest dual certified forests in North America. The forest is certified under Forest Stewardship Council™ and Sustainable Forestry Initiative© standards.

The Forest Stewardship Council™ is an independent organization supporting environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests.

Sustainable Forestry Initiative©​ certification focuses on protection of water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, species at risk, and forests with exceptional conservation value.

​Dual certification ensures that Pennsylvania’s state forests are managed to the highest third-party standards.