🦌 Unplug at Cook Forest State Park

Our host park as we filmed this week’s episode was Cook Forest State Park — a breathtaking 11,536-acre natural wonder tucked away in northwestern Pennsylvania. Bordered by the picturesque Clarion River, the park is best known for its towering virgin white pines and hemlock forest. Designated a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service, Cook Forest is often referred to as the “Black Forest” of Pennsylvania. A little history . . . When Europeans first arrived in the region during the 1700s, the Seneca Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy used this land as hunting grounds. In 1757, Pennsylvania’s Proprietary Council sent a missionary to persuade the Seneca to join the British during the French and Indian War — but the Seneca sided with the French. After the British victory, the land was eventually purchased from the Iroquois. John Cook became the first permanent American settler here. He arrived in 1826 to assess the possibility of building an east-to-west canal along the Clarion River for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Two years later, he purchased 765 acres and settled there with his wife and ten children. What struck us most was just how untouched, vast, and beautifully wild this place remains. The towering forest — and the majestic wildlife that call it home — seem to stand above everything else. There’s something incredibly humbling about being surrounded by a place that has remained so connected to its natural roots. It was hard leaving this beautiful corner of the world, and we’re grateful for the time we spent simply listening . . . and talking to the trees. We can’t wait for Sunday’s episode to kick things off.

Some of the nicest, most creative, weirdly wonderful people we've met along our travels have been artists. (Heck, I married an artist - Mr. Producerman - Kevin McCabe.) In this week's episode we take a little detour inside Cook Forest State Park to visit the Cook Forest Sawmill Center for the Arts and meet a few of the talented contributors who keep the heart of this community beating and the walls of this historic building filled with handmade treasures. We were treated to an unforgettable experience, including an oil painting created right before our eyes, a hand-carved wooden map of Pennsylvania with interactive markers to track every Pennsylvania State Parks we visit, locally sourced honey that was rich, dark, and absolutely delicious, and - if you've noticed the earrings I'm wearing in our Season 5 promo photo - they're handcrafted from wood, too! Don't miss the premiere episode from Leeper, Pennsylvania! Come meet these incredible local artists, discover their amazing work, and maybe even start planning your own visit to shop, explore, and support this special creative community.

We visited the Elk Country Visitor Center - the premier location in the northeastern United States for seeing and experiencing elk in a natural setting. The Visitor Center was designed to provide live, year-round opportunities to see and hear these amazing animals from trails, viewing areas, and to learn more about them and their habitat from indoor exhibits and a 4D theater. We had an amazing time meeting everyone (including a big bull and his harem) and learning all about the Pennsylvania Elk.

Watch the episode here or click the link below to watch: