Return to Rimrock and Morrison Trail, Allegheny National Forest

I've been spending the week at the Chautauqua Institution just inside New York State.  But a friend and I got a little tired of all the self-important lectures and opted for a day trip to the Allegheny National Forest, which isn't far away--my old domain.  After a return to the beautiful overlook at Rimrock, we hit the Rimrock Loop of the nearby Morrison Trail.

Here's the famous view from the Rimrock overlook.  Can you imagine so much land, just covered in trees, with no buildings or roads as far as the eye can see?  I don't know.  Mostly I just wanted to make sure it was all still there, right where I left it--lo these seven years ago. When I return to the ANF, I'm always torn between the desire to revisit old haunts and the drive to discover new places.

Fortunately, today's day trek included a little bit of both.  After showing my Texas friend the glories of Rimrock, we made a quick jog over to the Rimrock Loop of the venerable Morrison Trail.  Strangely, I'd never gone far on the Morrison, even when I lived up here and trekked regularly.  I'd always known that the Morrison was one of the most visited trails in the forest, and one of my goals in the wilds is to avoid people.  

Today at last was the day to come back and complete the southern loop of the Morrison Trail, known confusingly as the Rimrock Loop.  It's nearly 9 miles in length, and even though it's pretty heavily traveled, it manages to be overgrown in a lot of places.  A vast thicket of beech saplings crowds out the path for several long stretches.  The trail passes through some lovely dark hemlock forest with ferns, and moss, and cold brooks trickling over rocks.  There were mosquitoes aplenty. 

After passing through an old overgrown fruit orchard, on the edge of the reservoir, an unmarked spur trail leads down to the Morrison Campground, which is a beautiful place.  Here there are campsites right on the water, with several isolated sites in nearby woods.  The only way to arrive at this far-flung campground is to hike in at least 3.5 miles from the parking lot or else to come by boat.  We did see a handful of characters swimming and playing with their dogs.  We also came across two oddly unpleasant strangers and later heard from another hiker that two creepy fellows had been snooping around his bear bag--as if to steal it.  Who knows?  We were supposed to go to the Kinzua Bridge after our hike; my Texas friend mostly wanted to see that.  But he was too tired and asked to head back to the Institution.  And so, sadly, I was deprived of the opportunity to drive again down the unspeakably lovely Longhouse Scenic Byway.  We simply went to Chautauqua.