Catawissa Recreation Area in Weiser State Forest
The 5,924-acre Catawissa Recreation Area in Weiser State Forest in Schuylkill and Luzerne counties is being developed for motorized recreation. It will be the first in the Pennsylvania state forest system.
The
Catawissa Recreation Area Map (PDF) provides a detailed outline of the motorized recreation area.
The tract is currently open to hiking, biking, and hunting --
state forest rules and regulations apply.
The area is currently closed to motorized use as site work and development progresses.
Work Completed
Working with the Larson Design Group, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources completed a
Master Plan for the Catawissa Recreation Area (PDF).
This master plan report is a concept for the recreation area. It includes options for development that could be implemented based on:
- Feasibility
- An agreement with a future motorized recreation vendor
- The availability of funding.
It’s possible that not everything in the plan will be developed. It also is anticipated that concepts of the plan will be implemented in phases.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry has been completing preliminary work that must occur before site development for motorized trail riding since acquiring the property in 2022, including:
- Initial site evaluation and trail inventory (done)
- Environmental and ecological review (ongoing)
- Coordinating with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection on road access and an acid mine drainage project (in progress)
- Acquisition of an additional 363 acres of land adjacent to the recreation area to increase trail mileage and connectivity (done)
- Meeting with local municipal officials and first responders (done)
Next Steps
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has begun the design and permitting process for road access to its acid mine drainage site on the property, which will include the main public access to the recreation area.
Construction will tentatively begin in 2025.
After the access road is complete, the Department of Environmental Protection will construct the acid mine drainage facility to aid in the water quality restoration of Catawissa Creek.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is developing a business model for long-term and day-to-day management of the motorized trails, which will include a concessionaire contract with a third-party vendor.
Interested parties should
contact Weiser State Forest.
A vendor forum will be scheduled in the summer of 2024 where interested parties can provide feedback to inform the department’s solicitation process.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources also will begin on-the-ground work including:
- Installing gates at several historical access points
- Installing bridge structures at critical stream crossings
- Constructing a small parking area to provide foot access from Lofty Road
- Creating detailed implementation plans based on the master plan.
History of the Catawissa Recreation Area
The area was the former site of the Paragon Adventure Park, a private business that offered off-road motorized recreation.
Its history includes considerable anthracite coal mining activity, whose legacy impacts are observable today.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources intends to implement ecological restoration and remediation where necessary, focusing efforts on Catawissa Creek, which runs through the property.
Despite human impacts to the area, much of the tract remains a productive forest that contains valuable streams, headwaters, and forest types.
The department’s Bureau of Forestry intends to protect these areas in a manner consistent with its forest conservation mission, while offering an exciting new opportunity for motorized recreation enthusiasts.