The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service is planning a project to update and modernize the facilities within the Dewdrop Recreation Area.
The Recreation Area was originally developed in the mid to late 1960s and includes several original structures that are now more than 50 years old. The Forest Service reviewed public comments submitted through the 2021 Allegheny National Forest Recreation Site Analysis and noted many comments requesting updated facilities and a desire for updated water utilities such as showers.
The recreation area is located along the Longhouse Scenic Drive (Forest Road 262), about four miles south of the junction with State Route 59, near Kinzua Point. It sits on the western shore of Kinzua Bay, which extends southwest from the main body of the Allegheny Reservoir. Dewdrop Campground, the major asset in the recreation area, is split into two loops and 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, a RV dump station, and one group site which is currently being used by the concessionaire as a facilities maintenance yard. The 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.
The proposal is to update or replace four buildings and the boat launch. The restroom building near campsite 54 in the northern loop will be updated to meet universal accessibility standards, replace fixtures, and other aesthetic updates. The restroom closest to the water view sites in the northern loop near site 36 will be demolished and replaced with a combined restroom and shower house building. The current shower house building in the northern loop may be converted into a cabin or demolished. The restroom in the southern loop near site 14 will be demolished and replaced with a combined restroom and shower house. Accessible paths to all buildings will be constructed. In addition to these updates, the Forest Service proposes to repair or replace the boat launch and other miscellaneous features throughout the area.
Comments are most helpful if received by July 22, and may be submitted by email to comments-eastern-allegheny-bradford@usda.gov. For more information, or to submit comments by telephone, contact Supervisory Natural Resource Specialist-Recreation: Jamie Klebanski at 814-335-3140 or Jamie.Klebanski@usda.gov.
