When I first visited Warren County and the Kinzua Dam ten years ago, Jakes Rocks was one of the places I wanted to visit. Unfortunately, I was unable to see it due to road construction.
Since then, however, I have made it a goal to visit this amazing place in the Allegheny National Forest several times.
Jakes Rocks is located 650 feet above the Allegheny Reservoir, just a few miles east of Warren, Pennsylvania. Getting there requires a short walk of about 100 yards. There are also three roadside overlooks that also offer great views of the area.
In addition to the viewpoints, there are also other hiking trails and some very popular mountain bike trails that start from this location. In fact, if you come on a weekend, it’s likely that most of the other cars in the parking lot will be mountain bikers.
However, since I am not a mountain biker, this article will only focus on the viewpoints. For more information on the bike trails, see this site.
Here’s everything you need to know to get to these amazing places.
How to find Jakes Rocks Overlook
Jakes Rocks Overlook is located on the southeast shore of the Allegheny Reservoir, 15 miles east of downtown Warren, PA.
The road up to Jakes Rocks branches off Route 59, the road along the south side of the lake, just before the only bridge that crosses the lake (coming from Warren). This road, Long House Scenic Drive, is marked with a sign as a scenic drive.
After about a mile, you’ll come to the first turnoff to the right, which is the access road to Jakes Rocks Overlook. Both roads climb fairly steeply as you head toward the overlook. There is a overlook along this road, but since it’s easier to walk down the mountain, I’ll save that for the end of this article.
The access road to Jakes Rocks starts as a two-lane road but soon becomes a one-way loop. This loop is about 2.4 km long and runs past both the lookout parking lot and right next to two of the roadside lookouts.
After about half a mile you will come to the turnoff for Jakes’ Rocks lookout. If possible, park at the end of this road as this is the closest access area to the lookout, but if this is occupied there is another parking area near this turnoff.
To get to this place, it is best to use the following coordinates as they will take you directly to the parking lot: 41.849399, -78.981860.
(Click here for information on using coordinates.)
Hike to Jakes Rocks Overlook
Once you’ve parked, continue following this access road back to Jakes Rocks Overlook. If you parked at the end of the road, it’s only about 100 yards to the overlook. If you had to park in the parking lot further away, it’s more like a quarter mile.
This trail is paved, but due to its age it is no longer perfectly flat. Watch out for the huge boulders along the trail as it passes through the forest.
You’ll soon reach Jakes Rocks Overlook and have incredible views of Kinzua Lake and the Allegheny National Forest. Although I personally prefer the view from Rimrock Overlook, there’s no denying that this is a majestic view.
This overlook is located on the edge of a cliff, although a fence, likely erected in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, adds both safety and beauty to this spot. It’s worth noting that this overlook faces west, so it’s a great place to explore at sunset.
If you enjoyed this place, just follow the path the short distance back to your car.
Enjoy the roadside view at Jakes Rocks
The three roadside lookouts in this area all offer partial views of the lake, none as expansive as the one at Jakes Rocks, but they are worth a quick stop as they are literally on the side of the road.
The first and second viewing platforms are located along the one-way road just after you leave the parking lot for Jakes Rocks. Look for parking on the right side of the road and you will have reached the sites.
Both overlooks actually offer a fairly similar partial view of Kinzua Dam, although the second one offers a better view, so if you want to save some time or avoid getting the kids out of the car, you might want to go straight to the second overlook.
The first viewpoint is located at these coordinates (41.840833, -78.982278), and the second viewpoint is located here (41.840833, -78.982278).
The final lookout at Jakes Rocks is on Rorest Road, about half a mile before you get back to Long House Road. Since the parking lot is on the side of the road that leads back to the lake, it makes sense to visit it after exploring the other lookouts.
In my opinion, this is the best of the three roadside overlooks and offers a beautiful, if somewhat limited, view of the lake. If the trees are devoid of leaves, you can also see the bridge that carries Route 59 over the lake.
This place is located at the following coordinates: 41.839639, -78.965167.
Overall, Jakes Rocks is a fabulous place to visit if you’re exploring the shores of the Allegheny Reservoir in Warren County, PA. While none of the views are as good as those from the nearby Rimrock Overlook, the ability to see four overlooks makes this one not to be missed.
Looking for more nearby attractions? Check out Bent Run Brewing, Marilla Bridges Trail, and Hector Falls.
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