Hike the Beaver Meadows Trail System-Allegheny National Forest

Beaver Meadows is one of the best kept secrets in the Allegheny National Forest.  The terrain is easy with great diversity, and plenty of opportunities to see birds and wildlife.  It has a beautiful lake, boardwalk, meadows, moss, wetlands, and gorgeous spruce and pine forests.  The trails are marked with signs and white/grey diamond placards.  While the terrain is easy, be prepared for wet and boggy conditions along parts of the trail.  This loop is about five miles long.  

We began at the parking area and walked down to the dam, crossing it with great views over the water.  Next was the Salmon Creek Loop with views over meadows, beaver dams, and extensive red pine forests with a grove of spruce trees.  The route rejoined the Beaver Meadows Loop which featured stunning spruce and moss forests.  Lakeside Trail offered views of the lake and we returned to the Beaver Meadows Loop before turning right onto Penoke Path with its spruce, moss, and hemlock forests with small meadows.  The trail followed an old railroad grade along a large meadow.  

Next was the boardwalk, and at about 500 feet long, one of the longest in PA.  First, it was wet and boggy just to reach it.  While exhilarating, it was also tricky as it was listing a little so we got on our knees to cross. The layer of snow didn’t help matters.  However, the views across the wetlands and open water were beautiful.  The trail continued through spruce forests and small meadows.  We lost the trail at one meadow with a large pine tree, but soon found it again, crossing a bridge over a creek.  The trail turned left onto an old railroad grade and then turned right off the grade, heading west and crossing several small streams over footbridges in evergreen forests.  The trail returned us to the parking area.

Beaver Meadows is a beautiful place and often doesn’t have the crowds as other trails in the Allegheny National Forest.   Parking is at 41.522513, -79.111095.

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