Our love affair with the Forbes State Forest is no secret. It is in our backyard – about one hour east of Pittsburgh. JB has enjoyed its beauty ever since he was a child. Last year, we released the Laurel Highlands Gravel Routes Collection, which explores many of the unpaved roads and snowmobile trails in the forest.
Recently, JB posted about the Forbes State Forest Trail Steward Program, which is a PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ program implemented by the staff and management of Forbes to maintain, improve, and grow the forest’s trail network.
One of the trails often used on the routes in the collection and the trail JB stewards is the Mt. Streams Trail. The clips in the video linked in the routes collection article atop of a stream were shot on the Camp Run bridge. The trail is illustrative of much of the terrain and landscape you will find throughout the forest. It has mountain streams (a real shocker). Lush vegetation. Old tree growth. And, rocks!
Mt. Streams Trail – By Section
The Mt. Streams Trail is just shy of eight miles in length. It is multi-use, which means you may see hikers, bikers, equestrians, and skiers and snowmobiles in the winter. It varies in both terrain and elevation. The trail is doubletrack, but there are steep and technical sections that make it challenging, yet approachable. The tour is divided into six sections as the terrain is distinctively different in each. For the purposes of the tour, we start at Tunnel Road and make our way to the Camp Run Road parking lot. From this direction, the trail descends for the first three and a quarter miles and is flat to rolling for the remainder. Let’s walk (or bike!) through the terrain as JB gives you a Mt. Streams Trail Tour.
Tunnel Road to Rocky Section
Tunnel Road is named as such because it leads from Route 31 to an abandoned PA Turnpike tunnel (Laurel Hill Tunnel), which is now privately owned. The road makes one non-motorized vehicle connection between the sections of Forbes State Forest on either side of the Turnpike.
This area of the forest is known as the North Woods, and is a popular place for hikers and cross-country skiers. After coming off of Tunnel Road, you are on the Mountain View Trail of the North Woods Trail System for the first couple of hundred feet or so.
Very soon after, you will make right onto the Mt. Streams Trail. From there, the trail trends down with some undulation. This section is relatively tame, but can be bumpy when traveling by bike. It also tends to see a fair amount of fallen limbs and branches. Be mindful of your spokes and derailleur when riding. This section is approximately 1.7 miles in length.
Rocky Section to Indian Creek
This is the roughest and rowdiest section of the trail. It is the one section that makes a mountain bike the best tool if traveling on two wheels. You will know that this section is upon you when you see the trail make a hard left. Get ready for rocks. There can also be branches and leaves covering up ruts, roots, etc. Don’t fret though, you only have approximately 1.5 miles of this technical terrain.
Indian Creek to Sky View Road
You’ll know you are home free from the gnar of the last section when you catch sight of and sound from Indian Creek and make another hard left at about mile 3.25. It will also remind you of the trail’s name as you get the pleasure of taking in the mountain streams – Indian Creek, Little Run, and more.
The sights and sounds from this section are quintessential Forbes – mountain-laurel and water. There is no bad time on the Mt. Streams Trail, but the rushing water and mountain laurels are amazing from spring through early summer. The cold winter runoff and blooming flowers are AMAZING! It jazzes me up just writing about it!
The trail surface in this section is largely hard-pack and gravel. There are a few sections that retain water, but much if it has seen drainage improvements. It is pretty much flat. You are on this section for just over a mile and then you hit Sky View Road.
Sky View back to Mt. Streams and onto Aukerman Road
You’ll bust a left on Sky View for about .07 of a mile, and then bust a right back onto Mt. Streams. Be cautious when merging onto Sky View. There are homes at the top of Sky View and there can be traffic barreling down the hill (yes, you’ll have a relatively steep climb on the short Sky View piece).
The Mt. Streams portion of this section is less than a mile (about .7 of a mile) and is much like the last section in terms of terrain and elevation. Although you don’t parallel the streams like the last section, you do get a pretty awesome stream crossing. The end of this section is marked by Aukerman Road. You’ll hit it, make a left, travel on it for about .15 miles, and head back onto Mt. Streams.
Before making the right onto Aukerman, stop and look up. Be glad that you aren’t making the left and climbing Aukerman. . . . It is a beast!
Grassy Area After Aukerman Road to Camp Run Bridge
Once you pass the forest gate after Aukerman, you hit a section that is made up of grass and gravel. The gravel was laid a few years ago when the section was regraded to help eliminate drainage issues. The efforts have been amazing as the section is so much better now!
This section undulates. It isn’t terrible by itself, but can be a real gut punch if you are hitting it after a long ride.
You will notice an offshoot of Mt. Streams about .85 of a mile from Aukerman. It leads to State Route 381. Once on 381, you will have two options. If you are really tired, you can take a left on 381 and follow it a half of a mile back to Camp Run. Alternatively, you can make a right on 381 and then quick left onto Hunters Lane (within sight to the right after exiting onto 381). The entrance to the Blair Brothers Trail or Rail Grade is on the left just after making the turn onto Hunters Lane. It parallels 381 and can be used to access Mt. Streams again a little less than a mile later.
To the extent you stay on Mt. Streams, you will finish this section about 1.67 miles from Aukerman on a bridge over Camp Run.
Camp Run Bridge to Camp Run Parking Lot
I would recommend staying on Mt. Streams. This may be one of my favorite spots in the entire forest. Take in the sounds of the water. Heck, take a dip in Camp Run before making the less than a mile journey back to the Camp Run lot (.81 miles).
After leaving the bridge, you climb slightly, make a right, and then have a straight shot (which trends down) back to the lot. There are two possible turns to note. About .3 of mile from the bridge, there is a left clearly marked as the Jeff Barr Memorial Trail (a/k/a Pike Run Trail). Another Mt. Streams offshoot towards 381 and the Blair Bros Rail Grade comes about .7 of a mile from the bridge (noted in the last section as the way back from Blair Bros to Mt. Streams).
Mt. Streams Trail Ride Map
In addition to the DCNR trail map linked above, we have created interactive maps that you can download to your cycling computer or navigation-compatible wearable. One starts on Tunnel Road and follows the Mt. Streams Trail Tour. The other starts at the Camp Run Lot, and takes you in reverse.
Tunnel Road to Camp Run Lot
Camp Run Lot to Tunnel Road
Mt. Streams Trail Parking
We have also provided Google Maps links to two parking areas on either end of the Mt. Streams Trail. The Tunnel Road end is routed to the “Mountain View Trail”. There is a lot very close.
The Camp Run Lot is referred to on Google as the “Kregar Parking Lot”.
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