Quebec Run Wild Area

The Quebec Run Wild Area within Forbes State Forest is located along the eastern slope of Chestnut Ridge, in Fayette County. This heavily forested 7,441 acre area of land extends eastward to Big Sandy Creek. Nearly all of the Quebec Run and Tebolt Run watersheds are encompassed by the Wild Area. No development of a permanent nature will be permitted in this area, so as to retain the undeveloped “wild” character. The general public can use this area for hiking, fishing, and the pursuit of peace and solitude. Big Sandy Creek and Mill Run are stocked with trout, and the lower reaches of Quebec and Tebolt Runs contain native trout. Please note: there are no restroom locations, and you must pack in potable water.

The forest is known as mixed decidous - hemlock. Sugar and red maple, along with tulip tree, line the moist north and east-facing slopes. Mixed oaks occupy the warmer and drier south and west sides of the hills. Rhododendron thickets share the wet creek bottoms with hemlock. Mountain laurel, dogwood, sassafras and greenbriar occur throughout. An area of pitch pine can be found growing in the rocky face near Miller Trail.

This forest is mostly third growth, resulting from extensive timber harvesting by the Summit Lumber Co. of Uniontown around 1938-40. Many of the old logging roads and tram roads are in evidence, along with the dark brown sawdust piles that give mute testimony to the once active portable sawmills.

An abandoned farm field near the east end of Brocker and Tebolt Trails is reverting to brush and forestland. Several acres were planted with spruce and larch.

Quebec Run Wild Area is managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Bureau of Forestry, and is part of the Bureau's system of Natura Areas and Wild Areas across the state.

Text was modified from fay-west.com. Today's photo of Quebec Run Wild Area is from the WPC archives.

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