Dewdrop Recreation Area within Pennsylvania’s Allegheny National Forest features structures that are now over five decades old. Currently, Forest Service is planning to modernize the facilities within the area.
In a press release, the department announced that it reviewed public comments submitted through the 2021 Allegheny National Forest Recreation Site Analysis. It noted many comments requesting updated facilities and a desire for updated water utilities such as showers.
Dewdrop Campground, a major asset of the recreation area, has 74 family campsites, each containing a picnic table, fire ring, and tent pad.
The southern loop holds sites 1-25 and a toilet building. The northern loop holds sites 26-74, two toilet buildings, a bathhouse, and a boat launch. The campground also has a fee station, an RV dump station, and one group site, which the concessionaire is currently using as a facilities maintenance yard.
Dewdrop Campground is connected to the Jakes Rocks Trail System and has become a very popular overnight accommodation for mountain bikers traversing the Jakes Rocks Extreme Mountain Biking Trails.
For now, the proposal includes updating or replacing four buildings and the boat launch. The restroom building near campsite 54 in the northern loop will also be updated to meet universal accessibility standards, replace fixtures, and other aesthetic updates.
Meanwhile, the current shower house building in the northern loop may be converted into a cabin or demolished.
Forest Service is seeking public input until July 22. Comments may be emailed to comments-eastern-allegheny-bradford@usda.gov.
