Hickory Creek Wilderness
Hickory Creek is one of only two designated wilderness areas in Pennsylvania. It rises from 1,273 feet to a plateau at 1,900 feet. Densely forested, this Wilderness contains mostly northern hardwoods and hemlock, with an understory of abundant flowers, ferns, shrubs, and mosses. Bear, deer, and turkey are common. Hickory Creek Trail, the only designated trail within the Wilderness, is managed for foot travel only. The rolling 12-mile loop provides for easy day hikes as well as overnight backpacking opportunities along flat to moderately steep terrain. Access to the trail is from a dedicated parking area just off State Route 2002. The trail may be difficult to follow after snowfall in winter.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| Size | 8,633 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 41.68° N, 79.29° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 10) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 4 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 backpacking. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 2 miHickory Creek Wilderness ↗Backpacking · January to December
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
2 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 20 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Hickory Creek ↗ | 11.6 | |
| Tanbark Hiking ↗ | 8.8 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 6.1 miWest Hickory Bridge ↗West Hickory, PA
- 9 miIrvine United Presbyterian Church ↗Irvine, PA
- 11.6 miHazeltine, A. J., House ↗Warren, PA
- 12.3 miJefferson. John P., House ↗Warren, PA
- 12.4 miStruthers Library Building ↗Warren, PA
- 12.4 miWarren Armory ↗Warren, PA
- 12.5 miWoman's Club of Warren ↗Warren, PA
- 12.5 miWetmore House ↗Warren, PA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Pennsylvania
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Hickory Creek Wilderness?
8,633 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Hickory Creek Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Hickory Creek Wilderness in?
Pennsylvania.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Hickory Creek Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Hickory Creek Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Hickory Creek Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 41.675° N, 79.294° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Hickory Creek Wilderness?
The National Register has 11 listings within 15 miles, including West Hickory Bridge and Irvine United Presbyterian Church.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.