Getting Oriented
Sproul State Forest is Pennsylvania's largest state forest, 305,450 acres of steep hillsides and forested ridges in Clinton and Centre counties, cut by the West Branch Susquehanna and its tributaries. Inside that forest, DCNR set aside an ATV Management Area with two separate trail systems: Whiskey Springs, 50 miles southeast of Kettle Creek State Park, and Bloody Skillet, a 38-mile system to the east near Snow Shoe. ATV riding anywhere else in the forest, on any other state forest road or trail, is closed year-round.
Trail Overview
Whiskey Springs mixes single-track woods trail with stony, unreclaimed strip-mine ground left from earlier coal operations, laid out as a network of looped trails rather than one point-to-point route. Riders can string loops together for a full day or a multi-day trip. The trailhead is reached from State Route 120 in Westport by following Kettle Creek about 1.5 miles, then turning north on Two-Mile Road. Only registered Class II ATVs under 64 inches wide and 1,800 pounds are permitted. DCNR asks riders to travel in smaller groups and consider postponing a ride during dry stretches, since dust off the unreclaimed ground affects trail sustainability and visibility for other riders.
Points of Interest
- Two Mile Run and the Kettle Creek approach: the access route into the trailhead follows Kettle Creek through a narrow forested valley before climbing north on Two-Mile Road.
- The strip-mine sections: stretches of the trail cross old unreclaimed surface-mine ground, a rougher, stonier surface than the wooded sections and a visible reminder of the area's mining history.
- Bloody Skillet Trail: a second, 38-mile ATV trail system elsewhere in Sproul State Forest, reached from PA Route 144 near Snow Shoe, for riders who want more mileage in the same forest.
- Kettle Creek State Park: about 2.5 miles from the trailhead, home to the Alvin R. Bush Dam and reservoir.
Where to Camp
Kettle Creek State Park, a short drive from the trailhead, runs two campgrounds. Lower Campground sits along Kettle Creek with 41 electric sites and modern restrooms with showers, open early April through mid-December. Upper Campground overlooks the Alvin R. Bush Dam and reservoir with 27 sites, 12 with electric hookups, and vault toilets, open early April through mid-October. Both take reservations through Pennsylvania State Parks and Forests Reservations, at 888-727-2757 or reserveamerica.com.
Sproul State Forest itself has nine roadside campsites for self-contained RVs only; no tent camping is permitted at them, and they book the same way. Backpack camping elsewhere in the forest is free for a single night without a permit, provided the site sits at least 200 feet from a forest road, 25 feet from a trail, and 100 feet from water. Staying longer, or wanting an emergency point of contact on file, requires a free permit from the district office at 570-923-6011.
Tips for a Safe and Enjoyable Trip
- Ride only inside the marked ATV Management Area. Every road and trail outside it is closed to ATVs year-round, including other state forest roads.
- The trail runs on two separate seasons. Summer season is the Friday before Memorial Day through the last full weekend in September. Winter season opens the day after firearms deer season ends and runs through April 1. The trail is closed the rest of spring, from April 1 until Memorial Day weekend.
- Vehicles must be registered Class II ATVs, under 64 inches wide and 1,800 pounds. Riders need a state certificate of registration, proof of liability insurance, a registration plate, and current expiration stickers.
- Riders 8 to 15 need a completed safety course and certification to ride anywhere but a parent's or guardian's own property. No one under 8 may operate an ATV on state land.
- DCNR hasn't published a cell-coverage rating for this part of Sproul State Forest; plan for the possibility of no signal on the trail.
- During dry weather, ride in smaller groups and consider timing a trip around rain to cut down on dust.
Fuel and Water
Westport, the reference point for the trailhead, is an unincorporated hamlet with no fuel service. Renovo, about five miles east on PA Route 120, is the nearest town with gas stations, a grocery store, and basic auto services. Water and restrooms are available at Kettle Creek State Park, about 2.5 miles from the trailhead; DCNR doesn't list a water source at the trailhead itself.
Nearby
Kettle Creek State Park, about 2.5 miles from the trailhead, centers on the Alvin R. Bush Dam and its reservoir, with two campgrounds and boat access. Sproul State Forest's Bloody Skillet ATV Trail, a separate 38-mile system, is reachable from PA Route 144 near Snow Shoe on the forest's eastern side. Renovo, about five miles east, has the nearest fuel and groceries.
