On The Trail At: Mt. Davis As tagging state highpoints goes, Mt. Davis is unique. Scaling mountain peaks does not spring to mind. Assuming you don't drive to the summit and take the short, flat walk to the highpoint, your dog's approach to the top of Pennsylvania will be a hike of nearly a mile from the Mt. Davis Picnic Area on the High Point Trail. This sliver of path is essentially a straight shot through an area recovering from a destructive 1951 fire. After a gentle ascent your dog will reach the highest natural point in Pennsylvania - a rock. How long has Mt. Davis been the highest point in Pennsylvania? Well, always, of course. But it wasn't recognized as such until 1921 when the U. S. Geological Survey established the fact that the crest of Negro Mountain is 3,213 feet above sea level. This survey officially snatched the honor of "Pennsylvania's Roof" away from Bedford County's Blue Knob. The slight rise in the 30-mile plateau of Negro Mountain was named for the long-time 19th century owner of the land, John Nelson Davis, rather than recognizing the heroic expoits of the unidentified black man who fought heroically during the French and Indian War and was buried on the mountain. Davis, himself a Civil War veteran, was a naturalist said to be able to identify all the shrubs, wildflowers and plants growing in the area. <<Back To May 2008 Newsletter <<Back To Article Index