Middle Creek Adventure Tour

Trail Overview

The Middle Creek Adventure Tour is an easy, scenic run through Pennsylvania's nearly 6,000-acre Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area. The route rolls over wooded ridges, dips through creek valleys, and passes the edge of Middle Creek Lake, with mostly hard-packed gravel, some loose stone, potholes, and occasional washouts. In dry conditions, this is a relaxed drive for even 2WD sedans, but winter weather and freeze-thaw can make the narrower single-vehicle sections slick and scary in a hurry. What makes this route worth mapping is everything around it. Middle Creek has more than 20 miles of hiking trails, a seasonal wildlife drive, fishing, non-motorized boating on the public section of the lake, picnic areas, an interactive Visitors Center, and the attached Conservation Heritage Museum. It is also one of just six Globally Important Bird Areas in Pennsylvania, and late winter brings one of the biggest draws in the state when snow geese, tundra swans, ducks, bald eagles, and other birds stack up around the lake. Willow Point is a standout stop if you want to stretch your legs and watch the show. This is a great trail for beginners, families, or anyone looking for a low-stress gravel route with a lot to do along the way. Cell service can get spotty in the valleys, but it improves around the Visitors Center and on higher ground. Download your maps before you go, take your time on the narrow sections, and plan extra time if you want to hike, fish, birdwatch, geocache, or catch the migration. If you're planning to visit to do the wildlife drive, that's available March 1 through September 30. If you'd like to stop by the interactive Visitors Center and Conservation Heritage Museum, that's open Tuesday through Sunday 8am to 4pm from the day after MLK day to the day before Thanksgiving.

Photos of Middle Creek Adventure Tour

Want to see more?

Login

Difficulty

Most of the trail is either hard-packed or loose gravel, but there are large potholes and occasional washouts along the way that could hurt non-4x4 vehicles. Winter after snowfall can be treacherous on some of the hills and narrower sections.

History

Middle Creek Lake was created in the 1970s to provide a place for migratory birds to rest along their path.

Technical Rating

Middle Creek Adventure Tour can be accessed by the following ride types:

• High-Clearance 4x4
• SUV