Michaux State Forest

Forest users, please be on the lookout. This dog has been with her family for a short time and is very afraid hence the do not approach, will run.

A few advisories for our forest travelers. 1. Oak Road will be closed on Wednesday, May 12th and Thursday, May 13th from 6am to 6pm for road maintenance. 2. Cooke Township notified us today that they will be closing Old Rail Road Bed Road from May 24th through May 28th, 2021. If you have questions about this closure you may contact the township office.

We found a smart phone yesterday in the area on Birch Run Road south of the intersection of Shippensburg Road where the road project is currently being completed. It is here at the district office. If you can identify it you may pick it up. Please call the District Office at 717-352-2211.

Weather patterns show dry and warm conditions for the next couple of days in Pennsylvania. This is not a good time to start outdoor fires. If you must start a f...ire, use extreme caution. There have been nearly 550 wildfires reported so far this year. Please help prevent wildfires by not starting outdoor fires at this time. #PAWildfire

Today is Earth day. A monumental date on the Rangers calendar, and with it comes powerful imagery as well as thoughts of the way things used to be. This is not what we have, it's what we have left. Passenger pigeons used to black out the midday sun. The hillsides used to be covered in ginseng. Squirrels used to make nests in the cavities of 500 year old trees. Hellbenders were the apex predators of streambeds. Then, society was born. Unchecked "progress" led to lifeless riv...ers so overcome with pollution the very surface of the water would catch on fire. Ancient forests were clear-cut to create charcoal to feed iron furnaces. Mountain tops were peeled back to extract coal to heat homes and power steam engines. The efficiency of transportation, medicine, communication and economy improved astronomically. Along the way, we almost lost the Bald Eagle, Bison and Wood duck. Most of us did not know any better. But, Rachel Carson did. Gifford Pinchot did. Pinchot's friend, John Muir did, and he saw to it that Teddy Roosevelt did. Mira Lloyd Dock did. Aldo Leopold did. Henry David Thoreau did. They all kept journals that we can read today. Now, we have created the clean air and water acts. the wetlands restoration act. The soil and water conservation act. the wilderness act... We have created the seven tenets of the North American wildlife conservation model. The 7 principals of the leave no trace ethic... Funded in part by the land and water conservation fund, the Pittman-Robertson act, and the Dingell-Johnson act to name a few... Organizations like the Wilderness Society, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, the Audubon Society and the Nature Conservancy continue to carry the fire of conservation. Because, this earth does not belong to us. We are borrowing it from our grandchildren. This organic spaceship we have named Earth is the exception to immeasurable probability. To revolve around its sun, occupying the goldilocks zone, a place where water can exist in liquid form with an atmosphere that can sustain life as we know it. It has given birth to humanity. We are its stewards. The job must be taken seriously. We will leave you with this: an amendment made to the Pennsylvania constitution in 1971. Article 1, section 27: The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people. - the Rangers.

A BIG THANKS to all the volunteers that helped clean up the forestry roads this past Saturday. This was a joint effort with the Friends of Michaux group. We were able to clean over 8 miles of roads on Rattlesnake Run Road, High Rock Road, Wirt Road, Staley Road, and Swift Run Road. This yielded over 1,500 pounds of trash collected. Some items consisted of lumber, bricks, drywall, 5 tires, tv, and much more. Also, thanks to Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful for donating vests and gloves for the volunteers to use!

Tomorrow the 31st, Halloween, is the Blue Moon. You may have heard of the saying "once in a blue moon" as a way to describe the rarity of something. The criteria for what makes a blue moon is simply that it must be the 2nd full moon within a month. This October we had the harvest moon on the 1st of the month, making the next full moon on the 31st the blue moon. For a lot of folks, this years Halloween is special because it's the hunters moon and the blue moon combined, making... the holiday extra spooky. Also, most of the Midstate will experience a killing frost tonight. This should motivate homestead gardeners to make a final harvest of frost intolerant plants like peppers, eggplant, okra, and tomatoes. Cold hardy crops like cabbage, broccoli, beets, carrots, turnips, peas etc. usually benefit in sweetness from a frost. Now is also the time of year to plant your garlic and cover it with a layer of straw for insulation. Strawberry patches also benefit from a layer of straw in the winter months, thus the namesake. Regardless of your interest in gardening or the moon phase, everyone can enjoy the buttery tones of Ole' blue eyes himself, Frank Sinatra. Enjoy! -Ranger Greevy

Due the rain we are receiving, campfires will permitted this weekend. Thank you!

Old Railroad Bed Rd temporary road closure and traffic control 10/27-10/30: Please note between Tuesday October 27th Friday October 30th park staff will be working with a contractor to install a footbridge at Koppenhaver Trail. This will require steel plating to be placed in multiple areas on Old Railroad Bed Road and heavy equipment accessing the area. Access to and from Pole Steeple parking will be delayed at times during this period while transporting equipment. Vehicula...r traffic will be restricted past Pole Steeple parking area between these dates. While we plan to have Old Railroad Bed Road open to pedestrian traffic, we highly encourage visitors to utilize other areas of the park during these times. ***Please use extreme caution in the area during this period as heavy equipment and slipping/tripping hazards may be present. Absolutely no parking on the side of the road during this time.*** We apologize for any inconvenience while we improve the park. Thank you!

Please note that campfires are NOT permitted in the Michaux State Forest until further notice. This means any opening burning of any kind. If you are camping on the Michaux or hiking on the AT you must use a device with a contained, controllable flame. Thank you.

A big THANK YOU to all of the DCNR Conservation Volunteers and Friends of Michaux State Forest who were able to join us for the Pickup Michaux litter cleanup along Old Forge Rd this past Saturday. The weather was good, the fall foliage vibrant and with your help we were able to collect 139 bags of litter and 11 tires with 36 volunteers in just 3 hours. Impressive! We truly appreciate your efforts during a safe and productive day. We look forward to seeing you this spring for the next litter pickup!

Campfires or any other open burning is not permitted in the Michaux State Forest until further notice. Dry conditions and early leaf drop have created a very fire-prone environment. This campfire ban includes the Appalachian Trail corridor. #PAStateForests #PAWildfire

With fall comes hunting season, an American tradition that many PA residents await with pleasure. Some of us are wound up with Whitetails, sleepless over small game, obsessed with Turkeys, wild for waterfowl or preoccupied with Black Bear. However, 1 common ideology unites us all, the North American model of wildlife conservation. For many of us, the history of hunting in the colonial/manifest destiny/Pacific expansion period of America brings to mind tales of unthinkable ab...Continue reading

UPDATE: Campfires are allowed now until Thursday, October 15th. On Thursday the moisture levels and future weather will be taken into account to make a safe decision for the weekend and possibly thereafter. NOTICE: Campfires or any open burning is not permitted on the Michaux State Forest at this time and until further notice. Dry conditions and early leaf drop have created a very fire prone enviroment. This campfire ban includes the Applachian Trail corridor. Please share to get the word far and wide!

We invite you to join us for the Pick Up Michaux litter clean up this fall. This volunteer event is part of the Pickup Pennsylvania initiative, a Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful program. We hope you can participate in this effort to clean up a heavily traveled area of the forest. We are excited to have the Friends of Michaux State Forest assisting with this opportunity to get out and pick up! DATE: October 10, 2020 TIME: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. MEETING PLACE: Old Forge Picni...c Area 8006 Old Forge Rd Waynesboro, PA 17268 (https://goo.gl/maps/fbFFdaDx46vq4XVZ9) WORK DESCRIPTION: Litter pick up along Old Forge Road, between the town of South Mountain and Wirt Road. DCNR and the Friends of Michaux State Forest will be coordinating the work, so please check in at the Old Forge Picnic Area. OTHER INFORMATION: To ensure social distancing, we are asking participants to bring their own gloves and reflective vests. However, we will provide those materials as needed and available at the check in location at the Old Forge Picnic Area. We will not be providing snacks or water, we ask participants please bring their own. We will be providing trash bags and other clean up supplies and tools (e.g. trash pickers/litter grabbers). Event is rain or shine, may be postponed in the event of severe weather. Participants are encouraged to observe the most recent local, state and federal guidelines and/or restrictions to reduce the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19). If not already registered you must sign up as a DCNR Conservation Volunteer prior to the pickup. Applications can be found here https://www.volunteers.dcnr.state.pa.us. If you are able to participate, please send an email to [email protected] with your name and number of volunteers (including yourself) so we may prepare enough supplies. *Please RSVP by Thursday, October 8, 2020

Fall is the favorite season of outdoor enthusiasts for one reason, the changing of the leaves. Here in the Mid-Atlantic region of the US, we’ve got some of the best fall foliage in the entire United States. We all love to watch the forest transition from a sea of green to gorgeous, vivid hues of canary yellow, glimmering gold, pumpkin orange and scarlet red almost as if it were ablaze. But only for a fleeting moment, as with all things beautiful in this world. Soon thereaft...er it fades to brown, falling to the forest floor to regenerate the soil that sustains the very tree it fell from. Here in Michaux we are at the time of year where the forest abandons its subtle tendencies and dons its carnival costume as if to boast its true artistry, leaving humanity speechless. But in order to appreciate the deciduous display, we are compelled to understand the why and the how of it. In the spring and summer the leaves gather energy from the sun, allowing the tree to turn C02 and water into carbohydrates, sustaining the tree and facilitating its growth. Chlorophyll is the workhorse of this process, keeping the leaves green. In the fall, the temperature begins to drop and the amount of sunlight in the day decreases, turning the leaves into a liability for the trees. Once the leaves stop making food for the tree the chlorophyll fades away from the leaves, revealing the true pigments of their colors. That’s right, the fall coloration of the leaves are their TRUE colors, hidden for most of the year beneath the green chlorophyll. After the tree reveals its true colors, other changes begin to take place. The tree begins to split the union of branch and leaf, leaving the wind to do the rest. Much like the bear, the tree will have stored enough energy to outlast the harsh winter, resuming the feeding and growth process in the spring. With knowledge and understanding comes a superior level of appreciation for this natural elegance . We hope this inspires you to plan a trip to one of the 20 forest districts (2.2 million acres) or 121 state parks (300,000 acres) in PA. The foliage is just beginning to turn, call or email your local park or forest district today to plan your trip! Between driving tours, bicycle, horseback and hiking trails, lakes, streams and rivers to paddle and even hang-gliding in some parts of the state, your experience is only limited by your imagination. Share your favorite photos or locations with us and remember: leave only footprints, take only pictures and kill nothing but time. Ranger Greevy

The Iron Master Challange, a 15k footrace will be held in the Michaux State Forest on Saturday, September 26th, 2020. The race will be headquartered out of Pine Grove Furnace State Park. The race will be utilizing the northern end of the forest roads and trails. Please keep an eye out for race participants if you're in the area!

The 2020/2021 Roads to be opened for hunting are listed below. All roads listed will be opened Weather Permitting. Roads Open for Deer Season 2020-21 Weather Permitting Open from 10/17 to 10/24 and 11/28 to 12/12 Weather Permitting... 1. Sand Road 2. Monn’s Gap (including Pine Mtn. Haul Road System) 3. Strohms Hollow Road (north end) 4. Irishtown Gap 5. Pine Tree Trail 6. Mt. Creek Haul Road Open from 10/17 to 10/24, 11/28 to 12/12, and 12/26 to 1/18 Weather Permitting 7. Piney Mtn. Ridge Road Extended 8. Cold Springs Road North Haul Road 9. Tobacco Patch Trail Open from 9/14 to 12/12 Weather Permitting 10. Teaberry Road 11. Piney Mtn. Ridge Road (Rt. 30 to Bendersville Road) Handicap Vehicle Access - New Baltimore Road (Golf Course end only) and Dead Womans Hollow. 1. Sand Road - DMAP unit 2830 2. Monn’s Gap Off Oak Road on south side, about 0.7 miles east of the intersection with Wirt Road, yellow metal gate. DMAP unit 2830 3. Strohm’s Hollow Road Off Walnut Dale Road 4. Irishtown Gap Off of Ridge Road, .5 miles northeast of intersection of Ridge Road and Rt. 233, yellow metal gate on north side of Ridge Road. 5. Pine Tree Trail - DMAP unit 543 6. Mt. Creek Haul Road Off Cold Springs Road (Pine Grove area), 0.1 miles north of Pine Grove Road, take right turn to the east, yellow metal gate is 0.1 miles back road. DMAP unit 94 7. Piney Mtn. Ridge Road Extended DMAP unit 94 8. Cold Springs North Haul Road Off Cold Springs Road, north of the intersection with Ridge Road about 0.7 miles to wooden gate on the right. DMAP unit 94 9. Tobacco Patch Trail Off Big Pond Road, about 0.8 miles north of the intersection with Ridge Road on west side, yellow metal gate 10. Teaberry Road - Has been gated all year. 11. Piney Mtn Ridge Road from Route 30 to Bendersville Road Has been gated all year.

District Road will be closed from September 9th to September 11th, 2020 for road maintenance. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Forest users please be aware that the Delaware Valley Trail Riders will be holding the 2020 Michaux Dual Sport this weekend on Sunday, August 16th, 2020. The race will be leaving from the Shippensburg Fairgrounds around 7:30 am and will be complete around 6pm. The race will encompass State Forest Roads and trails north and south of Route 30. We ask that you be cautious while on the State Forest on Sunday.