Posted 2009-10-15 8:13 PM (#111908) Subject: Camping in PA Ideas and thoughts?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 420 Location: Florida
So My favorite half (perferably my better 1/2) Is trying to get us out of the go north mode. And she is looking in PA. The internet brings up the link below. PA ultimately makes a ten hour drive from SE Mass for us. I think it would be a great adventure next season. Any other ideas or thoughts for us would be appreciated? http://www.theflyingwranch.com/index.html
Posted 2009-11-07 5:10 PM (#112891 - in reply to #111908) Subject: RE: Camping in PA Ideas and thoughts?
Member
Posts: 33 Location: PA
I'm from western PA and do a lot of horse camping in the area. Flying W is not one of my favorite places. I like a more quiet, big sites in the trees, relaxing kind of place. Check out Hickory Creek Wilderness Ranch www.hickorycreekwildernessranch.com . It's a few hours from us and we go 3 or 4 times every summer. That's our old trailer and campsite, horses, and my butt digging for something in the back of the trailer on the campsite pictures on their website. Jenn took those pictures last Labor Day weekend, I think. Hickory Creek is only a few miles from Flying W, the trails are marked well and are well maintained, the campground is nice, new restroom/shower facility, and the owners are a super nice couple that go out of their way to accommodate your. For 2 years in a row, Tom updated the TV cable or dish in the rec hall so that my husband and a couple other guys could watch the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs. They have a barn with 10 or 12 stalls if you want that for your horses.
Another place we like to go in PA is Benezette. We stay at Big Elk Lick campground. The draw here is elk. PA had native elk, but they were hunted to extinction back in the late 1800s. A new herd was introduced in 1920 or 1940 (can't remember exactly) from out west. It has grown into the hundreds and they even permit limited hunting now. Anyhow, the country, mountainous, is absolutely beautiful and so exciting when you see a bull elk and his herd of cows. We were riding down a trail and saw a bull and about a dozen cows coming down the mountainside toward us. I had picked up my Spotted Mountain 2 year old the day before from being at the trainer's who put 30 days on him, so this was probably his 20th ride and our first. He was so good, he just stood there and looked at them although my friends said his eyes were huge. We heard something on our left and here comes another bull and his cows. We thought we were going to be in the middle of a fight, but those bulls just stopped, gave each other the eye, and then crossed the trail right in front of us. We were all so excited that no one thought to take a picture. Anyhow, the trails are nice, but I don't think there are any maps, you sort of just go places by word of mouth. it's not hard to find your way though. I think you might be able to get a guide to take you out. We go there the first weekend of October every year. Benezette is off I80 and would be on your way to Hickory Creek or Flying W.
Posted 2009-11-08 7:03 PM (#112923 - in reply to #112920) Subject: RE: Camping in PA Ideas and thoughts?
Member
Posts: 33 Location: PA
Trails are nice. There are a few places that are a little rocky, but not bad at all. If it has rained for days on end, there will be some muddy spots, but nothing more than you would expect anywhere else. My husband has had his Rocky Mtn Horse there with no shoes and he was ok. I've also rode my 20 yr old QH there and didn't have trouble except on some long hills and that was only because of a hock issue that we have dealt with for 10 years.
Posted 2009-11-16 7:26 PM (#113252 - in reply to #111908) Subject: RE: Camping in PA Ideas and thoughts?
Member
Posts: 33 Location: PA
We stay at a campground called The Big Elk Lick Campground. Campsites are nice, nothing fancy, never used the shower facilities but they look so so. There are some really nice cabins in the area. We were there, a bunch of us, first weekend in October, our regular time, and one couple stayed in a beautiful cabin right in Benezette. Benezette has about 30 houses to it. There is at least 1 cabin at Big Elk Lick Campground that is very nice and I think they might rent out some trailers, but not positive on that. Friends rented that cabin last year and it was very nice. There is also a new barn near that cabin, built this summer. Big Elk Lick Campground doesn't have a website, but if you google it or Benezette you will find information.
Posted 2009-11-16 7:37 PM (#113253 - in reply to #113252) Subject: RE: Camping in PA Ideas and thoughts?
Member
Posts: 7
Location: New Hampshire
Can you tell me anything about the trails in Benezette? We are used to riding in the mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont and prefer more challenging trails. We usually ride from 3 to 6 hours when we go out, are there enough trails to keep us happy for a 3 to 5 day trip?
Camping in PA Ideas and thoughts?
