Allegheny National Forest is a jewel of northwest Pennsylvania's Nature Tourism. Filled with beautiful forests, and unique small towns, Allegheny National Forest offers nearly endless outdoor enjoyment possibilities within its 513,161 acres.

For the mountain biker, Allegheny National Forest boasts several bike trails and dirt trail/road rides that appeal to every style of rider. Another benefit of the National Forest is that you can camp virtually anywhere and ride wherever your skill level permits. With miles of dirt roads and logging roads, you can explore much of the forest, or ride on one of the designated mountain bike trails, enjoying moderate to strenuous trails.

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Located west of Marienville in the Beaver Meadows Recreation Area, this 7.1 mile series of trails is a fun and bumpy ride. Relatively flat, but technical and loaded with roots and rocks, it will sharpen your skills and give you a pleasant ride through a mixture of hardwood forest and pines. This is a ride for the beginning to intermediate rider, though all can enjoy the area, and there is a very nice campground located in the recreation area that would make a great overnight stay.

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Buzzard Swamp was created by the U. S. Forest Service in the 1960's as a fish propagation area with numerous ponds. The meadows and dikes around these ponds have since been turned into a 9.7 mile circuit of trails for mountain biking and hiking. Just outside of Marienville, these trails are an excellent transition ride for those who are just beginning to mountain bike and want a moderate trail ride.

This trail winds through forests and meadows. When the meadow trails are groomed and cut, the riding is much nicer; however, they can be ridden under all conditions. The area usually provides many wildlife sightings, and it is a good place to take an adolescent who has interest in riding and the outdoors. Maps of the trail can be picked up at the Marienville Ranger Station directly north of town.

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Built as a volunteer project by a local mountain biker, the 7 mile Moraine Mountain Bike Loop in Moraine State Park provides some of the best riding in the area. Loaded with steep climbs, technical and rocky singletrack, and speedy downhills, this trail has the complete package that most off-road riders are looking for.

Located in the Glacier Hill area of the park, this trail extends through some beautiful country, but riders are reminded that this trail is an intermediate to advanced ride, and could cause a lot of trouble for inexperienced riders. Maps of the trail can be obtained from the park office, and are important to have due to the confusing network of trails that exist in this area.

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No, this trail is not two miles long - as a matter of fact, it provides 14 miles of mountain bike trails! Located in Venango County just north of Franklin, Two Mile Run Trail is an excellent opportunity for mountain biking due to the diversity of the terrain. With gonzo downhills, steep climbs, technical single track, and open fields and road riding combined, it offers the chance to experience a little of everything. The trails are mostly marked with blazed trees, but maps are available at the Two Mile Run Park Office. Amenities include drinking water, restrooms, and picnic tables. These trails are also used by horses and hikers, so be alert and respectful of other users.

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