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Detweiler Run Natural Area
Detweiler Run Natural Area
Detweiler Run Natural Area is one of the lesser-known areas within Rothrock State Forest. This wonderfully remote place is easily accessible but not well marked. Personally, I like it that way. If you've ever driven the length of Bear Meadows Road you unknowingly passed the trailhead (If you took the Sunday Drive you unknowingly passed the trailhead). The name Detweiler Run is used three times on the adjacent map. Detweiler Run Natural Area, so named after the stream that flows through the center of the area, encompasses 463 acres of dense wilderness. Detweiler Run Road is the main access route; it is closed to cars, but makes a great hiking, biking and equestrian trail. Detweiler hides a virgin stand of white pine and hemlock with a dense understory of rhododendron. The stream runs alongside the trail and winds through small rock fields and deep pools. The fresh tracks of deer and raccoon show the true popularity of this natural area. Detweiler is among the densest wilderness areas in Rothrock State Forest. If the Mid-State Trail didn't wind through it, you would have severe difficulty trying to bushwhack your way in. The Mid-State Trail is the only footpath through the natural area. This trail is easy to follow, blazed with orange paint and well maintained. It is a rocky trail, so you'll want to wear sturdy hiking boots. The rhododendrons are absolutely enormous here. The forest service brochure calls them "rhododendrons of unusual size." There are remaining stands of virgin hemlock and white pine. A virgin stand is another term for old-growth forest. The reason a rare stand of virgin wood remains is a boundary dispute between two logging companies a century ago. Lucky for us they never did figure it out. That explains the rhododendrons' age and "unusual size." There are several ways in and out of the Natural Area. The Mid-State Trail is the main corridor along the valley floor. You can explore this in either direction, but I recommend that first-timers use Detweiler Run Road to go uphill and the trail to return. The trail is used for foot traffic only: no bikes or horses allowed. Pay attention along Detweiler Run Road because cyclists and equestrians enjoy descending this closed road at full speed. The trailhead is a yellow gate where Bear Meadows Road meets Detweiler Run Road. You can park here. The shortest option is to walk up Detweiler Run Road for about a mile. A path called Axeman Trail, blazed in blue, is marked on the right. It connects Detweiler Run Road to the Mid-State Trail. Follow the trail downstream and back to your car. Another way is to follow the natural gas pipeline. Hike up Detweiler Run Road for about two miles and you'll discover a wide gas line cut. Hike down to the stream, cross it, and you'll find the Mid-State Trail. If you enjoy a challenging day hike, follow Detweiler Run Road to Thickhead Mountain Road. Bear right on the Mid-State Trail and follow it into the valley, through the Natural Area, and back to the car. This is a long hike, but you'll be rewarded with great views. You'll also follow sections of an old railroad bed, a remnant of the logging days. You will need to use the accompanying map because very few of these intersections are marked. Only the Mid-State Trail is well marked. Pay attention to where you are because it is easy to become disoriented. A compass is always a good idea, and don't forget food and water. A quick warning about rattlesnakes: I find them fairly often in this area so keep your eyes and ears open for their familiar rattle. This is most important if you hike with dogs. If you hear an unusual yelp from your dog be advised to look for a snakebite. Every dog reacts differently, but if you suspect a bite take the fastest way back to the car and contact your vet immediately. I hike with a Siberian Husky named Cruiser who knows to avoid snakes, but he has proved to be a slow learner with the porcupines that also like Detweiler Run. When you do encounter snakes or other critters, please simply watch them from a distance. There is no reason to be aggressive towards them. You are the trespasser in their backyard, and I urge you to respect that. Detweiler Run Natural Area is one of the most pristine and peaceful wilderness areas in the forest. Although hard to find and hard to traverse, it is a place you will return to every season. Directions Take U.S. Route 322 East to Tussey Mountain Ski Area. Continue on Bear Meadows Road to the Detweiler Run Road trailhead. This is hard to find: look for the closed yellow gate and the Mid-State Trail sign next to it. It is on a sharp switchback corner, the first corner after the Wampler Road intersection. |
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