Sweet Root Park

It was said that Sweet Root Creek at one time was so full of fish that you could catch enough in two hours to feed your family for a week. After the drought of 1911-1913, everything changed, today in some of the deepest holes (if you're lucky) you may find a few native brown trout. There is 69 acres of virgin Hemlock still standing at the foot of Tussey Mountain, because it is deep inside the Sweet Root Gap it is impossible to harvest.

In the 1940's there was a plan to build a 35-40 acre artificial lake in this area. Instead, in July 1957 the Sweet Root Park was officially opened. The park covers about two acres of the 256 acre track that Albert Adams sold to the state in the mid-thirties. At the cost of approximately $1000.00 the park was equipped with 16 picnic tables, cement and metal fireplaces, a hand pump and rest room facilities. Some of this work had been started by the C.C.C. enrollees who lived in the park in the mid 30's.

Since then, the State Forest Commission designated 1400 acres of the "Sweet Root Natural Area" in 1970 to be "preserved for scientific, scenic, and educational values" (no motorized activities are allowed). Then in 1979, the natural area was also designated for amphibian and reptile protection (no killing or taking of).