Michaux State Forest
Managed by Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry
10,936 acres78.9 mi of trail
Appalachian National Scenic TrailLog Sled ATV Trail (Easy)1100 Block TrailBuck Ridge Trail+1
Dogs on leash
Directionsto Birch Tree ParkingWebsite ↗
Photo: Zeete · CC BY-SA 4.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Cooke Township
More than half of Cooke Township’s land is conserved: 94%
94% of Cooke Township’s land is conserved, about 11,914 acres. The biggest trail networks: Michaux State Forest (78.9 mi), Pine Grove Furnace State Park (7.4 mi), Tumbling Run Game Preserve (0.7 mi). 758 acres are parks and preserves, 4,190 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
94%
11,914 acres · of 19.8 sq mi of land
Trails
87 mi
4.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
758 ac
4,190 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
34%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
9.6 mi
9.6 mi paths
Highest peak
1,453 ft
Pinnacle Mountain
Lakes & rivers
2
2 beaches
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Michaux State Forest, with 78.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Managed by Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks
658 acres7.4 mi of trail
Mountain Creek TrailKoppenhaver TrailCreek TrailHiker Biker Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Tumbling Run Game Preserve
Nature preserve
142 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Kings Gap Environmental Education Center
Managed by Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks
99 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Who protects it
11,914 conserved acres
94% of Cooke Township’s land. Who manages Cooke Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources10,974 ac
State parks790 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits28 ac
Not recorded11,226 ac
State Resource Management Area · 21,912 acState Park · 813 acPrivate Conservation · 106 acState Other or Unknown · 97 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 78 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. Public access isn’t recorded for 2 of 10 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michaux State Forest State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 21,912 | Open |
| Pine Grove Furnace State Park State Park | State parks | 719 | Open |
| Kings Gap Environmental Education Center State Other or Unknown | State parks | 110 | Open |
| Tumpling Run Game Preserve Private Conservation | Not recorded | 106 | Restricted |
| Kings Gap State Park State Park | Not recorded | 94 | Unknown |
| South Mountain Private Other or Unknown | Land trusts & nonprofits | 78 | Closed |
Things to do
13 places to go in Cooke Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Cooke Township
2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Cooke Township
Mountain Creek OverlookIn Pine Grove Furnace State Park
DirectionsPeaks in Cooke Township
Pinnacle Mountain1,453 ft elevation · In Michaux State Forest
DirectionsSunset Rocks1,319 ft elevation · In Michaux State Forest
DirectionsPole Steeple1,302 ft elevation · In Michaux State Forest
DirectionsPicnic areas in Cooke Township
1 picnic area without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Campgrounds in Cooke Township
Birch Tree - Michaux Campsite #4Fee · In Michaux State Forest · Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
DirectionsCharcoal Hearth CampgroundIn Pine Grove Furnace State Park
DirectionsIron Workers Organized Group CampIn Pine Grove Furnace State Park
DirectionsPitch Pine - Michaux Campsite #6Fee · In Michaux State Forest · Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
DirectionsSawmill - Michaux Campsite #5Fee · In Michaux State Forest · Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
DirectionsWoodrow Campsite - Michaux Campsite #7Fee · In Michaux State Forest · Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 2 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 49.2 miHorses · 5.4 miUnpaved · 53.7 mi
Appalachian National Scenic Trail5.8 mi
Log Sled ATV Trail (Easy)2.8 mi
1100 Block Trail2.5 mi
Buck Ridge Trail2.3 mi
Community Service Trail2.2 mi
Slate Quarry Road ATV Trail (Easy)1.8 mi
Gillyweed1.5 mi
Mountain Creek Trail1.3 mi
Traverse Trail1.3 mi
Rattlesnake Ridge1.2 mi
15 more trails
ManBearPig
1.1 miPole Steeple Trail
1.1 miKoppenhaver Trail
1.1 miSafari Extended
0.9 miCattle Chute Trail
0.9 miThrottle
0.8 miDerailleur Loop
0.8 miLeaf Ridge
0.8 miDouble Back
0.8 miHop
0.8 miSWMA#8 Trail
0.7 miCreek Trail
0.7 miFern Gully
0.6 miToms Run
0.5 miLeaf Trail
0.5 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
9.6 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
9.6 mi
off-road bike paths
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 3 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Pine Grove FurnaceSite · listed 1977
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Cooke Township: April to August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.6 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.4 | 15.0 | 14.7 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 9.9 | 9.3 |
| High (°F) | 37 | 40 | 49 | 62 | 71 | 79 | 83 | 82 | 75 | 63 | 52 | 41 |
| Rain (in) | 3.4 | 2.7 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 4.9 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 3.7 |
February is the driest month (2.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.9 inches fall in September, the wettest month. The climate in Cooke Township →
Next door
Cooke Township and its neighbors
Cooke Township has the most mapped trails of the 4 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooke Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| South Newton Township | 29% | 0.9 | 5 | 11% | B |
| Penn Township | 32% | 0.1 | 341 | 20% | B+ |
| Dickinson Township | 40% | 1.2 | 325 | 24% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Cooke Township
Where can I hike in Cooke Township?
The longest trail networks: Michaux State Forest, 78.9 miles; Pine Grove Furnace State Park, 7.4 miles; Tumbling Run Game Preserve, 0.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Cooke Township’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Michaux State Forest (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Cooke Township?
9.6 miles of bike routes are on the map: 9.6 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Cooke Township?
71,225 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Cooke Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 11,805 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Cooke Township neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →