Thanks for visiting the website for the Clarion Chapter of the North Country Trail Association. On this site you’ll find information on our chapter, local events, workdays and hikes on the North Country National Scenic Trail.
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The Clarion Chapter of the North Country Trail Association held it’s 2nd Annual Strawberry Pie Hike on Sunday, May 6, 2012. 36 hikers came out on a beautiful May day. The sun was beaming and the temperatures were in the mid 70′s. This was in stark contrast to the torrential downpours that we experienced last year during our inaugural Strawberry Pie Hike. I would say that this hike was a tremendous success not only because of the brilliant weather but because of the attendance. It was exciting to have broken a monthly hike attendance record for the second month in a row. I am truly glad that so many people came out to enjoy our trail today and have a little pie too.
At last years “swamp fest”, we hiked 8 miles from the Route 66 trail head to the Environmental Center in Cook Forest State Park through a monsoon. This year, we decided to shorten the hike up a little bit. We decided to start the hike at the trail head on Maple Creek Road and hike to the Environmental Center instead. This gave us a hike of just over 6 miles, along relatively easy terrain.
At about 20 after Noon, after posing for the above picture, the huge hiking group left the trail head on Maple Creek Road and headed Westward into Clear Creek State Forest along the trail toward the trails crossing of the picturesque Maple Creek. The water level of Maple Creek was significantly lower than when we held our monthly hike in January of this year through this same area.
After traveling across the bridge over Maple Creek, the group climbed out of the Maple Creek valley to Jacks Hollow Road. At this point, the hikers followed Jacks Hollow Road and Maple Creek Road for a short distance before entering the woods again on another section of Clear Creek State Forest. This section of trail was accentuated by stands of conifers and hardwoods. Some of the group stopped to marvel at the monster tree that fell on this section of the trail several years ago. It must have been quite an impressive tree when it was standing.
The trail next crosses Greenwood and Forest Roads as it enters the Northern section of Cook Forest State Park. Once in the park the hiking difficulty decreases significantly. In the Northern section of Cook Forest State Park a hiker finds a trail that is traveled extensively during the summer months. This situation has resulted in a very wide, well packed surface through this very scenic area of trail. The group of hikers, now broken into 5 or 6 smaller groups, traveled through Northern Cook Forest, delighting in the scenic views along Browns Run. After crossing Tom’s Run Road, near the confluence of Browns Run and Tom’s Run, the trail lead the hikers along the West bank of Tom’s Run for 1 1/4 miles. Here, the trail leads to Forest Drive and the Cook Forest Environmental Center.
Once at the Environmental Center, some decided to head straight for home, while others sat around the Environmental Center eating Strawberry Pie and talking trail. A good time was had by all. Below is a track file of the route.
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