A new colorfully detailed adventure guide to 23 points of interest along the Elk Scenic Drive in the heart of the Pennsylvania Wilds is now available, just in time for the fall wildlife viewing season

The guide outlines a 127-mile corridor passing through Clinton, Clearfield, Centre and Elk counties. Two state scenic byways - Route 144 and Route 120 - are part of the drive, which takes travelers through three state forests and three state game lands. The drive runs along a spectacular loop between I-80's Penfield Exit 111 and Shoe Exit 147.

In addition to maps and directions, the guide provides write-ups for 23 locations that note the history of the area; natural features; elk viewing areas and wildlife to be on the lookout for; recreational opportunities such as hiking and fishing; and other tidbits of information.

Complementing the guide and enhancing the visitor's experience are 24 new interpretative panels at six newly developed locations and 150 guideposts erected along the drive to keep people on track and point out areas of interest.

Also outlined in the guide are some facts about the area that visitors might not know, such as:

· Elk aren't the only thing to see - be on the lookout for ospreys, eagles, beaver, black bear, many types of birds and butterflies.

· Parker Dam State Park is a great place to start your exploration along the Elk Scenic drive because it has an array of habitats.

· The best time of day to see elk is the first hour of daylight and the last hour before dark.

· The Marion Brooks Natural Area was named after a local resident instrumental in establishing some of the first strip mine reclamation laws in the state.

· Wykoff Run Natural Area is a great place for bird watching because of a wide diversity of bird populations.

· A 26-mile equestrian trail is available at Thunder Mountain.

· The Bucktail Path Trail, named for a Civil War regiment, lets you see rugged landscape that looks very similar to what the first settlers saw when they came to the region.

· You can fish from your campsite in Kettle Creek State Park.

Visitors also have the opportunity to interact with the Bugle Corps, a cadre of local volunteers from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and DCNR. They will be on hand at the following viewing areas in four prime areas in the heart of Pennsylvania's elk range -- Hick's Run, Sinnemahoning State Park, Hoover Farm and Beaver Dam.

These dedicated volunteers will be at the sites on weekends from September to mid October. They will have spotting scopes, binoculars and materials pertaining to elk and wildlife found at these specific sites, along with additional maps and information about the local area.

The Elk Scenic Drive guides are available at tourist promotion agencies, PennDOT welcome centers, state parks and forests or by calling toll-free 800-577-2029.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Wilds webpage.

9/16/2005