Community Forums

Superslif · 02-19-2018, 12:32 PM

As many may not know, the owners of Outdoors RV and Arctic Fox brand of RV trailers (Sister companies) have set up a Meet Up / Mini Rally here in the eastern part of the country for Fri. July 20-22 2018 in Northwestern PA. This is open to any and all IRV2 members. ( you don't need to own a ORV unit, even tent campers as Cook Forest has many great large tent sites. But you are in Bear country )

Both brands of RV's are built in Eastern Oregon where the companies (ORV & Northwood) put on a big yearly rally on the west coast for owners of their brands. We poor Midwest and East coast RV enthusiast who were crazy enough to drive out west to purchase our units are going to set up our own non-company sponsored Mini-Rally open to anyone. Maybe you have always wanted to see just what a AF or ORV unit was like in person but didn't want to drive to a Denver dealership (Closest OVR dealer for east coast people) to see one in person.

Back in Dec. off the ORV Owners Corner Forums section it was thrown out there to have our own rally somewhere in the east. This is a very informal together of IRV2 members and people owning AF's & ORV units but open to anyone. The more the better.

We chose Cook Forest State Park located in NW. part of PA. near the Allegheny National Forest. We have concentrated ourselves in two loops. The electric / pet loop ( sites 47 - 83 ) or the electric non-pet loop sites 121 - 151 ) Most of the sites in both loops are large, and for the most part level. the site pads are a fine crushed gravel (very nice). I myself have been going here the last 25 years, so I know just about every site. So if you have a question please PM me. The online reservation site does a picture of the site, but might be hard to tell actually how that campsite is.

The actual dates are only the weekend of Friday July 20 thru Sunday the 22nd. but most people are coming in a few days early. I myself will be there 7 nights.

There are a lot of things to do in the area:

~ First and foremost Cook Forest State Park is known for the largest Hemlock trees east of the Mississippi ( Forest Cathedral hiking area)
~ lots of hiking in the area
~ Children's fishing pond
~ Canoeing kayaking,fishing, rafting, swimming and tubing on the Clarian River
~ Seneca Point / Fire-tower (free)
~ Farmers Inn Restaurant ($$)
~ Kinzua Bridge State Park "Skywalk" (free)
~ Near by Clear Creek State Park Logging Museum (free)

Link to the thread for the rally

Here is a PDF of the campground sites at the Cook Forest State Park

Post # 49 has what sites are still
available as of 2-15

Google picture page of assorted photos from the Cook Forest / Clear Creek State Park area

Superslif · 03-21-2018, 07:24 PM

***** UPDATE ***** As Of March 21st 2018

Listed below are the sites still available in the two loops at Cook Forest State Park in Northwestern PA. for Friday July 20 to Sunday the 22nd. * But many people are reserving longer than the two weekend days.

Here are the sites available below:

~ In the "pet loop" full service sites 67, 73 and 79 are available (July 20-22).

~ Electric only in the "pet loop" are sites 45, 48, 53, 55 and 83. (July 20-22)

~ In the (non-pet) loop 133, 136, 139, 143, 144, 145, 146 147, 148, 149 and 150. (July 20-22)

Link for the Pennsylvania State Park Reservation page

The 800 reservation number (888) 727-2757

ModestMonk · 03-28-2018, 07:21 AM

If folks can't make this years rally, it might be nice if they got involved in the discussion of dates and location for next years rally.

Superslif · 04-09-2018, 05:24 PM

As of April 9 here is the campsite list: We're at 10 famlies now. The only place our rally is posted is here on IRV2, Outdoors RV factory website Facebook page and Outdoors RV Owners Facebook page. All are welcome. Great to see all the interest for this event.

~ Site # 78 Santana Thur July 19 thru Mon. the 23rd (pet loop)

~ Site # 82 ModestMonk Thur. July 19th thru Mon. the 23rd (pet loop)

~ Site #128 Kevin & Jen Tue. July 17th thru Sun. the 22nd (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 129 Superslif Sun. July 15 thru Sun. the 22nd (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 130 mamabuchu Thur. July 19th thru Mon the 23rd (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 131 Cornbinder Thur. July 19 thru Sun. the 22nd (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 136 2OLDDIGGERS Fri. July 20th thru Sun. the 22nd. (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 138 Hikermom 718 Thur July 19 thru Sun. the 22nd (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 141 R. Tally Thur July 19th thru Mon. 23rd (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 144 Brett H (non-pet loop)

Still plenty of good sites left. In the "pet loop" full service sites 67 and 79 are available (July 20-22). Electric only in the "pet loop" are sites 46, 55 and 83.

In the "non-pet loop" you have the following electric sites available (July 20-22) 133, 139, 143, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149 and 150. And one full service site #127

Superslif · 05-15-2018, 03:51 PM

***** RALLY UPDATE *****

We have reached 11 families

As of May 15th here is the campsite list:

~ Site # 46 Reynolds2 Thur. July 19 thru Mon. the 23rd (pet loop)

~ Site # 78 Santana Thur July 19 thru Mon. the 23rd (pet loop)

~ Site # 82 ModestMonk Thur. July 19th thru Mon. the 23rd (pet loop)

~ Site # 128 Kevin & Jen Tue. July 17th thru Sun. the 22nd (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 129 Superslif Sun. July 15 thru Sun. the 22nd (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 130 mamabuchu Thur. July 19th thru Mon the 23rd (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 131 Cornbinder Thur. July 19 thru Sun. the 22nd (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 136 2OLDDIGGERS Fri. July 20th thru Sun. the 22nd. (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 138 Hikermom 718 Thur July 19th thru Sun. the 22nd (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 141 R. Tally (non-pet loop) Thur 19th thru Mon the 23rd.

~ Site # 144 Brett H. (non-pet loop) Thur July 19th thru Mon. the 23rd

** AS OF Tue. May 15th **

Still plenty of good sites left. In the "pet loop" full service site 79 is available (July 20-22). Electric only in the "pet loop" are sites 48 and 83.

In the "non-pet loop" you have the following electric sites available (July 20-22) 133, 139, 143, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149 and 150. And one full service site #127

** It seems like many people attending are staying longer than the weekend, as we are arriving there on the Sunday before. So when your doing your reservation there is a date calendar that will show which sites are available for more than the two weekend nights. Here is a link to the Pennsylvania State Park home page.

Superslif · 06-23-2018, 02:18 PM

***** RALLY UPDATE *****

We have reached 13 families

As of June 22st here is the campsite list:

~ Site # 46 Reynolds2 Thur. July 19 thru Mon. the 23rd (pet loop)

~ Site # 48 BaseCamper Thur. July 19 thru Sun the 22nd (pet loop)

~ Site # 78 Santana Thur July 19 thru Mon. the 23rd (pet loop)

~ Site # 82 ModestMonk Thur. July 19th thru Mon. the 23rd (pet loop)

~ Site # 83 kcfissel ( dates to follow)

~ Site # 128 Kevin & Jen Tue. July 17th thru Sun. the 22nd (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 129 Superslif Sun. July 15 thru Sun. the 22nd (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 130 mamabuchu Thur. July 19th thru Mon the 23rd (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 131 Cornbinder Thur. July 19 thru Sun. the 22nd (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 136 2OLDDIGGERS Fri. July 20th thru Sun. the 22nd. (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 138 Hikermom 718 Thur July 19th thru Sun. the 22nd (non-pet loop)

~ Site # 141 R. Tally (non-pet loop) Thur 19th thru Mon the 23rd.

~ Site # 144 Brett H. (non-pet loop) Thur July 19th thru Mon. the 23rd

**** AS OF FRIDAY JUNE 22nd ****

At this point all the sites in "our" pet & non-pet loops have been reserved. There are still some electric sites available in the next loop. Sites 116, 117 and 119 (non-pet sites). They are shady sites and are level. There are "other" electric site available scattered in other loops.

Here is a link to the Pennsylvania State Park home page.

*** In the next post I throw out here our tentative rally schedule. Please feel free to give feed back.

Superslif · 06-23-2018, 02:19 PM

First draft of the 2018 ORV / IRV2 Cook Forest State park Rally Schedule

~ Thursday 7:00pm ~ How about a fireside meet and greet. I'll volunteer to have it at my site (Site #129). Very informal chance to place names or should I say (tag names) to people & faces. How about 7:00. I'll have a nice fire going and we can relax to the backdrop of the big trees. And I'll tell ya a few "bear stories". Bring a chair, bring a beverage and a snack....

~ Friday 8:00-10am ~ Coffee & muffins (I would like to see if there is someone to host this event) We can bring a pot of coffee over. Might be a good time to ask your Wagon Master about things to see in the area such as: The Forest Cathedral, hiking options, Seneca Point Lookout / Fire tower, MacBeth's General Store, Blackbird Distillery, Kinzua Bridge Sky Walk, Clarion River tubing, kayaking and swimming options, Farmers Inn (mini golf, driving range, gift store, bulk store and petting zoo).

~ Friday 5:00 ~ Dinner meet up at The Farmers Inn (Sigel PA.) 9.2 miles away. **( allow at least 15 minutes drive time ) ** Since they don't take reservations, we will meet at the Farmer's Inn at 5:00. As soon as we get an official head count I'll tell the hostess we are ready. I have communicated with the owner and will call Friday to give them a heads up on our party size, so they have a heads up on our approximate size. (25-30?)

~ Saturday ~ Pot-luck Time ? Need a host campsite for our pot-luck. Any Takers??? As with our past IRV2 mini rally's, our pot-lucks were well attended. Always a good variety of eats. Usually we would have a campfire going for anyone needing to grill something.

Below are some random thoughts:

~ I do have some ORV provided "Door Prizes" I guess I'll call them that. I do have enough for each family to have at least one. Not going to say what it is yet...When do you think we should hand them out?

~ With the scheduled campsite gatherings, does it put a inconvenience on anyone who has a pet. We have to remember as with my Thursday evening Meet & Greet" it will be in the non-pet section.

~ Just a reminder. It has been 3 years since we were at Cook Forest State Park. Never had seen any issues in my 25+ years going here or any PA. state park with regards to alcohol as long at you didn't get stupid, except last time (2015). Must have been a new policy for this park or a new head ranger. He was very diligent in looking for people openly consuming beer or wine. Fact the family across from us was asked to leave...The lady & man next to us were asked to put their dinner wine away.

~ For anyone who is not a ORV owner, I will have a supply of the latest ORV brochures: Black Rock, Creekside, Timber Ridge, Blackstone and Glacier Peak.

~ Someone a few months back asked if we would like to post a few banners for the rally. They were volenteering to make up a few banners to place one at the beginning of our loop / loops. Maybe something on route 36 just before the entrance of the state park. Who was that?

~ just as a reminder. The "sign" for the campground entrance is rather small. I believe it reads "Ridge Campground". The campground is referred to as the ridge campground. If your coming in from the west on Route 36 and happen to "miss" the entrance, continue to the bottom of the hill and turn around at the MacBeth's general store. Route 36 is a nice secondary road, good width and re-payed about 4-5 years ago.
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Superslif · 07-09-2018, 01:31 PM

Thanx to ModestMonk he had our sign shipped to my house. It is a two sided sign, so I'll be placing it at the entrance of the campground on route 36.

Once again as a reminder, the entrance of the campground is on the north side of Route 36.

~ Coming from the west (route 36) as you enter Cook Forest State Park you will enter a big woods, go down a small valley, just after you crest the top of the next hill (about a mile) the campground will be on your left.

~ Coming from the east (route 36) At the bottom of the valley you will pass a country store (McBeth's) and the bridge over the Clarion River. Then route 36 climbs (about a mile) to the top of the hill. AS SOON AS THE ROAD "FLATTENS OUT" the campground is on your right.

~ The state park campground sign I believe reads "Ridge Campground or Ridge Camp". Just look for our RED COLORED ORV Rally sign pictured below.