Catlin Brook is as demanding and rugged as it is special. A stream that plummets down a steep gorge with numerous waterfalls and tiers of cliffs. There are no marked trails, there are no signs. Only experienced hikers should attempt this demanding hike. Do not try to hike from Catlin Hollow Road as it is private land; a long hike from Stony Brook is required. It is about 16 miles long.
I described this hike a few years ago. It is worth reading that report. However, this route is different. It is the best and less demanding route as it utilizes an old woods road on the east side of the gorge. This is a far better way to descend into the gorge. Of course, climbing the gorge is very demanding. It is steep, with loose rock, which is probably the greatest risk. There is no requirement for special climbing equipment, but in a few places there is exposure. There is stinging nettle in summer, which recedes as you climb.
The brook can be a trickle in summer or drought, and you don’t want to make this long hike to see dry waterfalls. As a general guide, the USGS gauge for the Loyalsock Creek at Montoursville should be 2.5 to 3 feet for good flow at Catlin Brook. You can also see the brook as it flows under Catlin Brook Road to see how well it is flowing. Do not attempt in high water as the gorge will be very dangerous.
This past summer had a lot of rain so my friends and I decided to tackle Catlin Brook. I think it ranks as one of their most demanding and memorable hikes.
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Wyoming County is home to some world class scenery and one of the gems is Catlin Brook. This is one of the most rugged streams in the state as it plummets off the plateau, creating numerous waterfalls and canyons of rock. However, hiking here has a price; it is a long hike in and it is very challenging. There are no marked trails. Climbing up Catlin Brook should only be attempted by experienced hikers due to the steep terrain and loose rock. However, the incredible scenery more than makes it worthwhile.
We did this hike in the summer and began at Stony Brook, following old logging roads past flood scars. All the creeks were flowing well due to recent rains. The forests were covered in green and ferns carpeted the forest floor. We passed meadows, tumbling streams and small waterfalls. As we hiked further up, deep green red spruce rose through the trees. On this hike we followed a new route, sticking to the old forest roads to Catlin Meadows. This made for an easier hike compared to our previous journeys to Catlin Brook.
The meadows stretched across the plateau, but were too wet to cross. Sometimes, pink and purplish flowers adorn these meadows. The faint grade disappeared. We crossed the swampy outlet and veered right into hemlocks, and soon found the old forest road again as it tunneled through deep hemlocks. Springs and small streams seeped from the moss. We reached the edge of the plateau and began to descend. The old road provided easy passage. We descended as the old road followed some switchbacks. Off to our left was the gorge, and it roared with the sound of falling water. We all looked at each other with both excitement and nervousness. What were we getting ourselves into?
We left the old road and dropped down to the creek along the game lands boundary. The creek was flowing powerfully. Stinging nettle greeted us and there were more than a few curse words directed at these plants. We reached the first falls as it surged through a chasm. Above, a powerful falls plummeted down smooth red bedrock as a side falls joined the scene. We all looked at each other in amazement. Above us the canyon rose with tiers of cliffs and ledges. What was ahead? We would soon find out.
We made our way up the gorge, contorting our bodies to avoid the stinging nettle. Some nettle burned, other plants were harmless. The creek cascaded down over boulders and ledges, and the nettle would move in the breeze created by the falling water.
Off to our left, springs flowed over dark ledges creating translucent draperies of water. We scrambled up the steep terrain. Walking along the creek provided some refuge from the nettle. Up the creek we slowly climbed, sometimes on all fours. The gorge has a lot of loose rock and we had to be careful where we stepped. Some rocks would slide down the creek. Everyone seemed silent, dumbfounded by what they were seeing. We looked at each other and just shook our heads. The gorge is so steep, the earth just seems to fall away into oblivion.
We reached the heart of the gorge, with a wall on the left over a hundred feet tall and a series of incredible waterfalls. Springs plummeted down the wall. In winter, there are incredible ice flows here. We took a break at the base of the falls and soon began to make our way up, climbing along the ledges above the water. We had to be careful, as there was some exposure along the ledges. Above use were more falls, we were surrounded by the roar of water. And then there were more waterfalls. One after the other. The gorge seemed to get even steeper and the falls were often encased in glens of cliffs. The terrain finally began to ease as we neared the top, but we could still see a series of waterfalls through the forest, gowns of white between the trunks of trees. Everyone was amazed.
We scrambled up some mossy boulders and passed the final falls. Then we crossed the “Spooky Forest”, a deep hemlock and pine forest with gnarled, twisted trees. Exhausted, we reached the old forest road and crossed the outlet of the meadows, not caring as our legs sunk into the muck. Our legs and feet were soaked anyways. We made the long hike back down along Stony Brook, reaching our cars as twilight descended along the isolated gorges and valleys of the Mehoopany Creek.
Catlin Brook is an amazing place that we are lucky to have in Wyoming County. Hiking up the gorge should only be attempted by experienced hikers. Do not hike it in high water, and a winter traverse will require ice climbing gear.
For the map above, brown is old forest road or grades, which can be faint in places. Red is off trail. The above map is for general directional purposes and does not represent an exact GPS track.
Parking is at about 41.466889, -76.161620.
Photos and videos:
Hike Pennsylvania with Jeff Mitchell 