Elk County

Ridgway, the county seat, is a borough in Elk County, 119 miles east by south of Erie on the Clarion River. Formerly, it was in the center of a lumbering district. Coal and natural gas abound in the district. In the past, the industrial interests were manufacturing leather, iron, clay, and lumber products, silk goods, railroad snow plows, dynamos, and machine tools.

A walking tour of Ridgway's Lily of the Valley" National Historic Register District is a lovely way to take in this town's architecture; you'll also find a unique collection of restaurants and specialty shops offering treasures you've never seen before. And you definitely have never seen a collection of chainsaw-carved wooden animals like you'll see in Ridgway! Get out on the Clarion-Little Toby Rail-Trail for some exercise while you're here. It's 18 scenic miles of wildlife and river views that'll take your breath away.

Benezette, a quiet village that is home to the largest herd of free-roaming elk in the Northeast. Bring your camera and wander or let an elk tour guide show you one of America’s most magnificent four-legged wild creatures. From the Benezette Store and Restaurant, travel north along Winslow Hill Road for 3.5 miles to the elk viewing area.

St. Marys, home of the famous and wildly popular visitPA Elk Cam (seasonal), began in 1842 when a group of Bavarian Catholics came to the area to escape persecution in the cities of the east coast. Accordingly, the town is now known for a product often associated with Germany: beer. The Straub Brewery offers tours every weekday and features an Eternal Tap that dispenses - believe it or not - free beer.  Peruse the downtown shops and admire the nation’s first Benedictine convent, St. Joseph, which is available for individual and group retreats. Bendigo State Park is just a short distance away with facilities for picnicking, swimming, fishing and hiking.