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.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| Size | 8,633 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 41.6754, -79.2938 |
| 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
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
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, refreshed September 18, 2026. 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.
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.
- 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.