Tabula, Last year you planned to go Michaux for a camping trip. I am wondering. Did you go and what route did you take. How were the trails and was there any water, streams, ect.
Unfortunately we did not get to go- the night we were supposed to be camping they were calling for tornadoes and strong storms in the area so we thought it best not to be spending the night in a tent LOL! Hopefully we’ll get to go this year.
I can give you some info about camping at Michaux. I’ve ridden there but not camped inside the state forest. Most of the horse campers use the largest parking area in South Michaux. This is the part of the state forest that is south of Hwy 30. Do not make the mistake of driving into Southern Michaux State Forest from Hwy 30 on Three Springs Rd. That gravel access road off of 30 is really rough and very slow going with a trailer. I won’t do that again. Print the public use map from this link:
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/michaux/maps/index.htm
Look for the parking lots in the southern half. The parking lots are marked with a red “R”. The lot at the intersection of Cold Spring Rd and Teaberry road is the one that most people use. It’s a huge graveled parking lot and the campers park their rigs around the edges of the lots, putting their horse pens or high ties between the trailer and the woods. This is primitive camping. No toilets or water.
You need to obtain a free camping permit. You can get one ahead of time by contacting:
Michaux District Office
10099 Lincoln Way East
Fayetteville, PA 17222
(717) 352-2211
fd01@pa.gov
The office is right on Hwy 30 but you cannot get a trailer rig into their small hillside parking lot. If you want to stop there to pick up you permit you will have to park on the shoulder of the Hwy and you can drive on west to Rt 233 to take a round about route to the Teaberry parking lot.
I prefer to enter Michaux from the south, taking Hwy 16 towards Waynesboro then turning north onto Old Forge Rd, driving north to South Mountain Rd and taking that to Cold Spring Rd and on to the parking area. All of those roads are paved and better driving for you and the horses.
Another way to the parking lot is coming from the east off Rt 116, directly onto Cold Spring Rd (paved) and up the ridge to the parking lot. Last bit of the road is a bit steep but it’s paved and safe to drive and you pop out right at the parking lot.
It can be a bit hard to find your way around if you ride alone. If you can print the forest map and enlarge it (office also has them) then sit with some other campers and go over the map it will help. Yes there are some creeks up there but not a lot. ROCKS!!! If you go off of the roads and get on real trails as apposed to old jeep roads you will find rocks and rocks. No barefootin’. Hope this helps.
Bonnie S.
Thank you, your info really helps.
