Elk County High Point Trip Report
Date: April 12/13, 2000
Author: Michael Schwartz
Wildwood fire tower site (2376 ft) and
1 point 2000' SW of the former Wildwood fire tower (2360+ ft)
Off PA 46, from a point which is 7.1 miles southeast of the Cameron/McKean County line and 2.0 miles
northwest of PA 46/PA 120 junction in Emporium, turn onto Rich Valley Road. Cross bridge at 5.8
miles, where pavement ends, and keep left. Reach crossroads at 13.2 miles. Don't make sharp left, but
bear slightly left and downhill onto signed Straight Creek Road. At 13.4 miles, turn left onto Wildwood
Tower Road. This roughly parallels the road to the left you ignore at the crossroads, and almost touches it
in places. At 15.1 miles, the roads come together, just before the road starts to descend into a deep cut.
From here, hike up gated road to the site of the former tower. One concrete support is still visible. Return
to car, and bushwhack SW to high ground 2000' SW, crossing jeep road en route.
USGS benchmark on Boone Mountain (2369 ft) and
2 points 1 mile southwest of the USGS BM (2360+ ft)
Take PA 153 southeast from US 219. Pass Elk/Clearfield County line at 3.6 miles, turn right onto
unsigned Boone Mountain Road at 3.8 miles. Road crests near multiple towers in about 3/10 of a mile.
Highest ground in woods not far from road. Lookout tower shown on topo is gone. Benchmark not
found. From this point, I was only able to drive a short distance further SW, due to mud. From where
road starts to descend at spot elevation 2294, I bushwhacked through laurel thicket to the easterly high
ground. Then I compass hiked west to the westerly high ground. This has a nice crop of boulders at the
summit. You should find a white blazed path that leads back down to the dirt road.