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5.31.2016

Spectacular Birch Grove at the Marion Brooks Natural Area, Elk County, PA

So far, we have talked about the amazing wildlife including elk and eagles, in addition to talking about the scenic views, and wild waterways of the area. Today we talk about one of the many spectacular groves of trees in the PA Great Outdoors region, the stand of birches at the Marion Brooks Natural Area in the Moshannon State Forest and the Quehanna Wild Area. This is an extremely remote, quiet, and beautiful area. 

I always love seeing birch trees, thus this place has held a place on my bucket list for a long time. I am not a professional arborist by any means, but I absolutely love trees. This place is easily in my shortlist of favorite places to observe trees, which include places like the nearby first growth Cook Forest State Park, and forests further away such as the redwoods in Yosemite, Muir Woods, and Redwood National Forest. I hold the birch grove at the Marion Brooks Natural Area in similar high regard for its sheer beauty. This reserve was named after Marion Brooks, a conservationist that was born in Allegheny County. Marion moved up to this region with a concern about protecting the environment, fighting mine runoff pollution, protecting hunters and others with the creation of an ambulance program, and more. 

The Marion Brooks Natural Area is located within the Moshannon State Forest and the Quehanna Wild Area, just off of the Quehanna Highway, Route 2004 in Benezette Township.
This is one of the southernmost and largest groves of white birches. They are primarily found in the cooler climate areas of North America, with them being especially abundant in Canada. This grove is extremely rare for this part of the country. 
The grove spans over 900 acres, but it is the most densely populated right near the entrance to the reserve as you pull off of the road. There is no mistaking that you have arrived when you pull up to it.
The beauty is so spectacular that it almost seems unreal, as if you have walked into a movie set or something. Absolutely awe inspiring.


This dual trunked tree was one of my favorite specimens.
I've never seen birches this huge.

This one was my favorite specimen in the whole grove. This giant tree boasts four trunks and is at least fifty feet tall. It stood out to me like the giant Christmas tree stood out to Clark Griswold in Christmas Vacation. No, the tree did not end up on the roof of the car. I stood in awe when I saw this tree.  
The trunks on this tree are huge. 
The forest floor was coming back to life with rich greens, reds, and browns from the previous fall and winter. There is nothing like seeing a forest come back to life in the spring.
If you want to see a spectacular stand of birches, be sure to visit the PA Great Outdoors Region and the Marion Brooks Natural Area. For more technical information about these trees, check out this survey done by the Native Tree Society.
The coordinates to the Natural Area
41.2763, -78.2879
It is located just off of the Quehanna Highway, Route 2004, in Benezette Township

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