When John Cook settled near the Clarion River in 1828 and began his logging career, he left the area’s towering white pines and hemlocks alone. What remained is an area famous for its stands of old-growth forest, including the 8,500-acre Cook Forest State Park of scenic northwestern Pennsylvania. Also home to the Clarion River, Cooksburg lures gamers, avid canoeists and rafters come for its wild waters. Nature lovers come for the glorious mountain laurel and rhododendron, and the year-round recreational opportunities are numerous.
