Allegheny National Forest offers many opportunities for bicy­cling. These areas are more rugged than most of the trails in this guide. The Buzzard Swamp area offers a 9.6-mile network of rolling grassy trails with good opportunities to see wildlife. It offers an easy step from developed rail-trails to off-road cycling.

In the early 1960’s the US Forest Service and the PA Game Commission created a chain of 15 ponds for wildlife habitat. Now the dams and mead­ows around these ponds offer hiking and mountain biking. For the most part, the trail surface is wide and smooth. About half of the trails are small gravel and dirt; the other half are firm base with grass. If you’re there soon after a trail is mowed, it’s like riding on the lawn. If the grass is high, it’s a meadow experience you won’t forget. The south­ern loop, around the propagation area and the largest lakes, is a 10’ wide gravel road (double-track), a bit firmer than most. However, the east edge of the inter­pretive trail and north from there is tricky single-track with stream crossings, logs, rocks, and soft spots that can be muddy after a rain. The interpretive trail is single-track; we recommend against riding this on a bike because of possible interference with walkers.

Most of the trails are on closed roads. These aren’t blazed except at points of possible confusion, but they’re easy to follow. Trail signs that formerly named the trails have disappeared, but most intersections have copies of the trail map with a you-are-here indicator. The National Forest brochure will help you stay oriented.

[[needs to be updated]] About half the system is mowed grass, half on gravel roads. In 2000 some of the trails were rough as a result of some construction. In particular, 0.8 mile of the trail connecting the northern and southern loops (between ponds 5 and 8) has a chunky surface. The trail from the western (FR157) trailhead is a little rough as well. The National Forest hopes to remedy these problems in 2002.

The area is a special management area that balances wildlife management and recrea­tional opportunities. Fishing in the ponds is encouraged. Entry to the small (40 acre) wildlife propagation area is strictly prohibited, but there are views from the bordering trails. Buzzard Swamp is an important link in the Atlantic flyway, so it’s a great place to see birds during seasonal migrations. Spring migration brings 20-25 species of waterfowl. There may also be non-migratory birds, mammals, and reptiles.

Buzzard Swamp itself lies on the southern edge of the area. The higher ground is not swampy, and we found most of the trails firm. However, mosquitoes thrive here, and they get denser close to the swamp. Combined with the lack of tree cover to provide shade, that makes this a better spring or fall trip than a summer trip.