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Hiking in Cook Forest: Seneca Point Trail

January 19, 2019 /

For 2019, Sean and I made it our goal to take MORE trips and have even MORE adventures than we have in the last year and half we’ve spent together. We have a dream of traveling the world full time and seeing everything it has to offer, so we want to get the most out of our free days.

But, there’s a catch. This year, part of that same goal is to Spend Less and Invest the Rest. 

I think when it comes to traveling, we do OK financially. By this, I mean that we look for the best airfare deals, book cheap places to stay, and plan our trips out so we know a general idea of our budget. But as much as we try, things always come up, and so does our cost….

This year, our motto is Travel More, Spend Less and Invest the Rest.

We have a couple of bigger trips planned within the next few months, so in the meantime, we have our hearts set on taking as many of our much loved weekend trips as we can squeeze in. After purchasing our first home together, we’ve found ourselves preoccupied by unpacking and organizing our new space.

There’s still a lot to be done, but things are really starting to come together here. So, on the first weekend of the New Year (hello, 2019!), we set out for a day trip to Cook Forest, here in Western PA’s Clarion County.

For us, it was about an hour’s drive to get there. We arrived early afternoon and were pleased to find that we pretty much had the place to ourselves. It was beautiful and sunny out, but sadly, January doesn’t see too many hikers in Pennsylvania.

We parked at the park office and crossed the street to hike the Seneca Point Trail. Both Sean and I had done quite a bit of hiking while we were on vacation in California, but our fur baby, Raven, hadn’t been out on a trail since before her car accident on Black Friday. To be honest, I think this dog was 100% MADE to be out in nature, running wild and sniffing every possible inch of the trail. She absolutely loves hiking with us, and I couldn’t imagine a better hiking companion for Sean and I.

I’m sure Cook Forest has a lot of trails that would impress you, but Sean took us on the Seneca Point Trail because it leads you to a fire tower. This time of year, it was closed at the very top, but we took Raven and climbed the steps as high as we could, until we were standing on a small platform above the trees. Pennsylvania is an extremely wooded state, so it can be difficult to get a good view of anything when you’re hiking, which is what makes this particular spot one of my favorites to hike, even in the winter. Outside of the wind nipping at our noses all the way up there, it was a beautiful experience and one that I am glad to be able to have shared with Sean and Raven. Now, if you’re like my mom, you’re reading this with your palms all sweaty just thinking about being up so high. If that’s you, don’t be scared off too soon. Despite the views that are hidden behind the forest, this trail is marked by stunning large rocks and lined with rhododendrons that would be beautiful in Spring.

Another great feature of this trail is that it is very adaptable. If you’re looking for a long hike, you can start where we did and hike from the park office, past the fire tower to Seneca Point and even meander along other trails that cross it’s path. If you aren’t much of a hiker or are just looking for something smaller, you can park less than a half mile away from the tower and simply enjoy a nice stroll. From the park office, we probably hiked a mile and a half through moderate terrain.

I’d love to come back to this area in the Spring when the rhododendrons are in bloom or in the fall to get an aerial view of the trees at their peak of changing colors.

I think this area would also be great for an entire weekend trip in the summer. There’s plenty of trails to explore, campgrounds to stay at and a river that would beg you to bring your kayak along.

We’re looking forward to a lot more weekend and hiking trips this year, and A LOT more money in our pockets (& investment accounts).

Do you have some great places or tips you would recommend for budget travel? Feel free to share them with us below!

We truly appreciate your recommendations.

XOXO,

Jamie

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