Cook Forest State Park Office — Attraction in Farmington Township

I love to backpack parts of the north country trail. I was hoping to make my way thru cook forest because i have always heard at how beautiful it was. I always like to call the nearest park station just to get an idea of the regulations and rules. As i called today i was greated by a woman who already sounded like i was disrupting her daily television show and her time. As i proceeded, i asked about if the north country trail that ran thru the area had any designated camping areas for back packers. It was quickly responded with a harsh "no" and "camping is only allowed in camp grounds in the state park". I then replied with "mama i understand but if your backpacking the NCT, I'm not getting off trail to find a camp ground on foot". She (even more irritated) answered back with a "i'm just not quite understanding what you are talking about". I then sighed and said "mama im sorry for whatever i said to anger you. Thank you for your time" and we ended the phone can there. Its sad because I have seen pictures and it looks beautiful thru there. If anyone has any information on any type of camping for someone back packing, please advise me. Thank you. I would also be more than happy to change my...

The park itself is sincerely beautiful and if you love hiking, it's perfect! This review is for the Ridge Campground.The reason I gave it a 2 star rating is because of our site and the organization of the park. On the park map, it shows spot 8 as being on the entrance road and facing the woods. What they don't say is that the road is non stop traffic from 6am to 11pm! Not to mention the site is also very close to the highway with semi's using their Jake brake all the way down the hill! Plus our spot is right by a speed bump that people slow for and then gun it as they go by. We are thinking of leaving before the weekend even though we already paid, because the noise and lights from traffic will be too much. There should be no spots along the entry road. The electric boxes should be taken and put in some of the big, quiet spots past the gate house! We took a walk and it was so peaceful past the gate house.If the "honor" system wasn't used, you could probably afford a high school student to run the gate house so that people could pay and get some good quality information. Never saw a camp host once. I would recommend this park as it is beautiful but I would not recommend any of the sites along...

A beautiful state park- when you can catch some nature between all the man-made attractions.

No matter what time of year you visit don't miss the view after climbing the Cook Forest Fire Tower! For those with an interest in coal & coking or any history- stop by Helen's Furnance. The park also hosts an annual French and Indian War reenactment that is sure to please all ages. The park is also home to the SawMill Theater that offers shows throughout the summer months. The Clarion River is great for canoeing and fishing. While Cook Forest does have hiking trails, I recommend checking out a less-famous nearby park, Clear Creek. (Clear Creek also offers a designated swimming area in the Clarion River with two nicely maintained beaches). Lots of tourist attractions in the area. Go-karts, mini-golf, water slides, pony rides, and canoe rentals line the road...