I've been on a lot of canoe day trips but me and some friends of mine were thinking of doing a two day trip and camping overnight along the way. But we don't know where we can do that legally. I know some state parks will only let you camp in a designated campground. we'd like to just pull over along the water somewhere and make camp. any help would be appreciated. thanks

Pine Creek is an option. When water is high it is popular with those looking for Class III rapids in the upper end. The rest is just nice when the conditions are good. Passes through a lot of public land running parallel to 414/44 down to Jersey Shore. At Blackwell there is good access, the most remote sections are above Blackwell. It's a stunning area, Grand Canyon of Pa.

Just found this with a search, I think it describes it well.

http://www.fish.state.pa.us/watertrails/pine/pine_trail_guide.pdf

I think any state forest lake, pond or stream.
I called the DCNR a few years ago about this and the answer I got was its considered just like primitive camping. If you want to camp in the same spot more than 1 night you need to get a permit.

Here is some info from the DCNR website.

"Primitive camping is available in all state forests except Cornplanter and Valley Forge. A permit from the district office is not required, but is strongly suggested for safety reasons. Some state forests have designated camping areas available for a fee. Call the district forest office for more information."

Some more....

"Primitive Camping is defined as overnight camping where all equipment is transported in limited trips by non-motorized vehicle methods and where a motorized vehicle is not located near or part of the camping experience."

There is more info here..
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/recreation/camping/index.htm

Google DCNR Primitive camping or backcountry camping and you'll find more info.

Don't know how far your looking to travel......

About 5 years ago me and a few friends from here went on a 4 day canoe trip on the Susquehanna river, started up by the NY line and went down to Towanda (if I remember correctly).
It was a lot of fun and great smallmouth fishing. Camped on islands all but one night.









Did a 5 day kayak trip in the Adirondaks this past fall. Got tons of pics.....still need to post a trip report thread on that one.

All try to post that one soon.

Here is a PDF on guidelines and ethics for primitive camping on state forest land.

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/camping/primitive_camping_ethics_guidelines.pdf

Here is a guide to the Fish and Boat commissions water trails:

http://fishandboat.com/watertrails/trailindex.htm

It might be a ways from you but taking the Allegheny from Franklin to Emlenton is a pretty nice 2 day trip. You can stop over night at the Kennerdell rest area and camp for free along the river or stop at any of the islands along the way.

thanks for all the info!

New River Gorge in WV. We did it for my buddies bachelor party it was awesome.

Try the West Branch Susquehanna from Karthaus to Keating with a one night camp out at Little Bougher Run. This is the most isolated river stretch in PA. You will need someone to pick you up in Keating to take you back to Karthaus. Check it out on the Sproul State Forest Map.

you could try a canoe trip down the clarion river. start at Belltown and come down to Clear Creek state park. there is even a place to rent canoes up there.

Have you thought about the Alegheny River?
You can launch in Warren, or Buckaloons, near Brokenstrw Creek and make a nice 1,2 or 3 day trip. There are islands that are part of the ANF where primitive camping is permitted.
I can't speak to the hunting but the fishing can be good. And you can stop in Tidiute for a beer and some good food at one of the local taverns.
I haven't made the trip in a few years so maybe someone else can provide more recent updates.

One of those Local Taverns is the Tidioute Hotel owned by good freind. Great place.

Bell Town to Clear Creek would only be a 1/2 hour float. You'd need to float from Ridgway to Clear Creek or something along those lines. It's a nice trip though.

I will put another vote in for the Allegheny River. You could put in at the Kinzua Dam and end in Tidioute for a fairly easy 2 day trip. Or go farther and pull out in tionesta or franklin. Lots of islands to camp on. If you need more info let me know. I live right on the water as does Rooster who owns and runs this site. I have never been on the water below Tidioute so i don't know much about that area. Check this website out for island maps. http://www.fish.state.pa.us/watertrails/alleg/trailmap.htm

Tionesta Creek. Put in at Sheffield....float to Bluejay, Mayburg, Kelletville, or all the way to Tionesta. You can get ice/refreshments at Bluejay and Keletville. Camp almost anywhere along the way. You'll need to go before June though.

A buddy of mine has been making two and three days trips down the Potomac in west VA / western Maryland for years

been on the ghenney from the day i was born. pa's only true river, starts and ends in pa. franklin or oilcity to emlenton would be a normal trip we see going through. we don't trip though we stay.

How are you then getting back to get your vehicles on these long trips

Keep in mind that some islands are privately owned

Peeper -

A guy from Irvine could also, proudly, give a bit more local information:

Thompson's Island is a 60-acre alluvial island in the upper Allegheny River. It is part of the Allegheny Islands Wilderness in Allegheny National Forest.

The island's forests contain old growth Silver Maple, Sugar Maple, American Sycamore, and Slippery Elm.

Thompson's Island is the site of the only American Revolutionary War battle in Northwest Pennsylvania where Colonel Daniel Brodhead defeated the Senecas in 1779.
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+1 Did this many times Great stretch of river.

http://pawatersheds.org/on-the-water/sojourns/

I am going to try one of these sojourns this year with the kayak.

http://pawatersheds.org/news/
Has a list on this page.

Did this for early ML season a few years ago. Always wanted to canoe out with a deer in it. Didn't see another soul for 5 days! Unsuccessful on the deer, but the scenery was second to none (well as good as PA Grand Canyon which I have done too!. If you want good fishing, then I would recommend the Susquehanna trip mentioned earlier up above Towanda. Never did the Allegheny so can't speak to that.

You could do a delaware river trip alondg the NY PA border from near Binghampton down to Stroudsburg

Great pics of the river camping guys . I'll be camping on the Clarion at Cleer Creek June . Hope to do the Tionesta soon before it gets too low . Then over to the Allegheny from Warren down to Foxburg .

My son and a friend of his was on the Susquehanna river Monday in the rain (college graduation trip). They were planning on going to Middletown, about a 4 day trip. They pulled out at Watsontown Monday night. I told them I would rather pick them up that night instead of Tuseday (didn't want to take a day off of work). They didn't want to stay out for a night and a day in the rain, plus muddy water. I'm sure they will do it again in the summer. All being said they did have fun.

just did Penns creek last weekend. Great trip! water was high and unfishable Sunday but still a great float.

Did the Swatara last Monday. Water was high and muddy. Not much for fishing.

Heading to the Adirondacks late summer early fall for a week of canoeing and fishing.... cant wait.... Tracker that was a great trip, fishing was good and so were the people. By the way if anyone has a 12 or 14 foot Sportspal for sale let me know......

CB,
You'll love it up there. I had a 14' Radisson but sold it a little while ago. I still have a 12'.....don't really wanna sell it but you can use it if you want.

Tracker,
Ya I am really looking forward to the trip. I appreciate the offer on the canoe loan but that will add some hours to a long trip. I think I have a line on 14' Sportspal, either that or I will rent one. Still have the kayaks, but I would like to have something the dog can ride in..

I' ve done that trip and it is really nice. Closer to home we did the Little Toby from the trestle by the glass plant and took out near the Halton Hilton. More fish in the water, saw bald eagles only disadvantage was more people.

We did the Allegheny from Tidioute to just below Kennerdale in 4 nights. Could have done it in 3 but the last stop in Kennerdale was a nice break.

Next weekend we are heading for near the Kennerdale tunnel, to below Emlenton. Camp first night, and camp when we pull out.

Are there plenty of sites to camp along the river? Any good maps that you suggest?

Im kinda new at this but we stayed on a island ist night, near Tidiout, island on second about 20 mi south, 3rd at a rails to trais near Franklin and last at Kennerdale at the state forest camp ground.
On the trip we took in Oct, we started in Kennerdale (not the campground, private) and ended below Emlenton bridge on private.
There are enough public places to camp, we needed campsites with boat and car access.

As to how we get canoes to and from, well, a trip with the scouts is a excursion. June trip was 10 boats, and Oct was 7. June we brought extra drivers and they dropped us off at the start and came to get us at the end. Oct, we left a vehicle at the end, pulled in Fri night, camped, floated Sat, pulled out and went and got the vehicles.

I rednecked my 16ft car hauler into a canoe trailer, needs to be modded some and enlarged because since the 60 stopped where the 20 began, someone said jokingly "Hey, we did 80 of this river, we ought to go for 100" Little did he know at the time that the middle Al river trail is 107 miles long, and the goofy people he (I) was with though it was a GOOD IDEA!!!



2x4's and 1/2 black iron pipe, big washers and lynch pins. Worked ok, I have 4 8' peices of heavy channel aluminum that can extend the capacity to 8 boats with 40 bucks more of pipe.

you tripped past my families camps then on the oct float. i love it up there. we used to tube down from kennerdale with lots of beverages.