When I first visited Warren County and the Kinzua Dam a decade ago, Jakes Rocks was one of the spots that I wanted to visit. Unfortunately, due to some roadwork, I was unable to check it out.
However, since then, I’ve made it a point on several occasions to get out to this great spot in the Allegheny National Forest.
Jakes Rocks is located 650 feet above the Allegheny Reservoir just a few miles east of Warren, Pennsylvania. It requires a short walk of about 100 yards to visit. There are also three roadside overlooks on the road that offer great views in the area as well.
In addition to the overlooks, there are also other hiking trails and some very popular mountain biking trails that start from this spot. In fact, if you visit on a weekend, it’s likely that most of the other cars in the lot will be mountain bikers.
That being said, as I’m not a mountain biker, this article is going to focus just on the overlooks. More information about the bike trails can be found on this site.
Here’s everything you need to know to reach these great spots.
How to Find Jakes Rocks Overlook
Jakes Rocks Overlook is located on the southeastern shores of the Allegheny Reservoir, 15 miles east of downtown Warren, PA.
The road up to Jakes Rocks turns off of Route 59, the road along the southern side of the lake, just before the one bridge crossing the lake (if coming from Warren). This road, Long House Scenic Drive, has a sign listing it as a scenic byway.
After about a mile, you’ll come to the first right turn, which is the access road to Jakes Rocks Overlook. Both of these roads climb fairly steeply uphill as you head towards the vista. There is a vista along this road, but as it’s easier to visit come back down the hill, I’ll save that for the end of this article.
The access road to Jakes Rocks starts off as a two-lane road, but soon becomes a one-way loop. This loop, is about 1.5 miles in length and passes by both the parking area for the overlook and directly next to two of the roadside vistas.
After about half a mile, you’ll come to the turn-off for Jakes’ Rocks Overlook. If you can, park at the end of this road as that’s the closest access area to the overlook. However, if that’s full, there is another parking area near this split.
The best way to get to this spot is to use the following coordinates as these will take you right to the parking area: 41.849399, -78.981860.
[Click here for information on how to use coordinates]
Hiking to Jakes Rocks Overlook
Once you’ve parked, continue following this access road back towards Jakes Rocks Overlook. If you parked at the end of the road, it’s only about 100 yards back to the vista. If you had to park at the further lot, it’s closer to a quarter-mile.
This trail is paved, but due to its age, it’s no longer perfectly flat. As it goes through the woods, note the giant boulders along the trail.
Soon, you’ll come to Jakes Rocks Overlook and an incredible view over Kinzua Lake and the Allegheny National Forest. While I personally prefer the views at Rimrock Overlook, there is no denying that this is a majestic vista.
This overlook is located on the edge of a rim cliff, though a fence likely installed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps adds both safety and beauty to this spot. It’s worth noting that this view faces west, so it’s a great spot to check out at sunset.
Once you’ve enjoyed this spot, simply follow the trail back the short distance to your car.
Seeing the Roadside Vistas at Jakes Rocks
The three roadside vistas in this area all offer partial views of the lake, none of which are as expansive as the one at Jakes Rocks. However, they are worth a quick stop to see since they are quite literally roadside.
The first and second vistas are along the one-way loop shortly after you leave the parking area for Jakes Rocks. Look for parking areas on the right side of the road, and you’ll have reached the spots.
Both overlooks offer partial views of the Kinzua Dam that are actually quite similar, with the second offering a better view, so those looking to save a bit of time or trying to avoid getting the kids out of the car when possible might just want to proceed directly to the second vista.
The first overlook can be found at these coordinates (41.840833, -78.982278), and the second overlook can be found here (41.840833, -78.982278).
The final overlook at Jakes Rocks can be found along Rorest Road about half a mile before you get back to Long House Road. Since the parking area is on the side of the road heading back down toward the lake, it makes sense to visit it after checking out the other overlooks.
In my opinion, this is the best of the three roadside overlooks, and it offers a beautiful, though somewhat narrow view of the lake. When there are no leaves on the trees, you can also see the bridge that takes Route 59 over the lake.
This spot can be found at the following coordinates: 41.839639, -78.965167.
Overall, Jakes Rocks is a fabulous spot to visit when exploring the shores of the Allegheny Reservoir in Warren County, PA. While none of the views are as good as the ones at the nearby Rimrock Overlook, the chance to see four vistas makes this a spot you won’t want to miss.
Looking for more places to visit nearby? Check out Bent Run Brewing, the Marilla Bridges Trail, and Hector Falls.
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