I asked around on the forum a few weeks back asking for information about Poe Paddy State Park, but it looks like no one has stayed there (at least on the Hammock Forums). So, I thought it'd be good to post a short report on my experiences.
LINK: https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/F...s/default.aspx
Park Details:
Poe Paddy is a small State Park in Woodward, PA. It is named after the two mountains found nearby (Poe and Paddy). It is in a fairly remote location, nestled deep in Poe Valley, with no paved roads leading into the park and 30-minute drive to the nearest town. Winter maintenance is not guaranteed, so getting into the park in the winter could be difficult.
The campground makes up most of the park, with around 40 campsites and lean-tos. There are 3 public roads that cut through this park, and daytime traffic is moderate. Duel-sport motorcycles are common all around the area.
Amenities:
- No flushing toilets or showers. Pit toilets and drinking water only. If you need more, you need to drive 3 miles up the road to Poe Vally park ($4 per shower, honor system).
- There is no cell service in the campgrounds or in the entire valley. We found service at the top of the mountain (650 elevation gain over 1.5 miles) or 20 minutes drive back toward civilization. Great place to disconnect!
Things to do:
- Fishing
- Tubing on Penns Creek
- Hiking
- Biking - off-road (mountain bikes or fat tire road bikes) or 3 miles of rail trail through a cool tunnel.
- Dual sport motorcyles or 4x4 exploration
Observations and Experiences:
I'm pretty sure Poe Paddy park exists solely for the fly fishing, as there is a confluence of a few large creeks, the biggest being Penns Creek. September is not peak trout season, but I was able to catch one small trout in about an hour of fishing (with a spinning lure, no less). My buddy caught one small-mouth bass as well.
We camped in Site 150 in the back loop of the campground. As far as State Park campsites go, I thought this loop was pretty nice, each site being a decent size and reasonably spaced out. Similar to what I've found in other parks, you probably have 2-3 hammocking opportunities per site, but you may need to get creative. I had my one hammock + two other small tents, 1 canopy, 2 cars and we fit just fine. I would say that sites 146-152 are the quietest since the rest are either on through roads (see public roads comment above) or have through traffic with people heading to the creek to fish or tubing/kayaking.
I bought a Purple Lizard map prior to heading out there and it was a real lifesaver. You need to have at least one paper map on you at all times especially if you're driving. The best roads you'll be on will be dirt and the worst will be high clearance 4x4 roads with washouts and muddy bogs.
We went there to bike (I favor the "adventure bike" style of biking (rugged-tire, steel-frame road bike) and we did about 65 miles total over three days. It is very hilly and challenging, but we had a blast. Even with the limited facilities, we would definitely go back, based on it's proximity to great biking roads. I'm not a big fisherman, so that's not a draw, but it looked like a great creek to fly fish on.
Let me know if you have any other questions, I'll post some pictures shortly.
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Originally Posted by KBr00ks
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