USFS · Wilderness area · Pennsylvania

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...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Hickory Creek Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StatePennsylvania
Size8,633 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1984, by Congress
Center point41.6754, -79.2938
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 10)

Boundary map

1 outline

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.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 5 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

Trailheads and sites

Forest Service directory · 1

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.

Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 11 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

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?

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Hearts Content Recreation Area, 0.1 miles out. 5 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Where to camp

Where are the trailheads in Hickory Creek Wilderness?

The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site here, including 1 backpacking. Each one links to its Forest Service page.

Source: Trailheads and sites

How do I get to Hickory Creek Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 41.675, -79.294. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How dark is the night sky at Hickory Creek Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 10 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Are there historic places near Hickory Creek Wilderness?

11 National Register 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.
  • 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.