The Kune's Camp Ruins, in the Quehanna Wilds Area
This unique hunting camp was built using two large stone boulders as the side walls. Stone walls were added at each end, and at one time, the structure had a wooden roof.
Today the Kunes Hiking Trail goes directly through the remains of the camp building. If you hike the trail, you cannot miss the structure, as you will walk right through it.
Parking Coords: 41.21645, -78.17222
(look for a large rock with the number 3 on one side of the road, the Kunes Trail will be opposite it, on the other side of the road)
The trail is well marked and easy to follow.
Parking Coords: 41.21645, -78.17222
(look for a large rock with the number 3 on one side of the road, the Kunes Trail will be opposite it, on the other side of the road)
The trail is well marked and easy to follow.
This is one of my all time favorite "hikes". It's a beautiful, mostly flat .9 mile walk to the ruins, making it less than two miles round trip. Once there, the photos do not do this justice. It's a great spot!
Be careful, as always, when in the woods in stony areas like this. This was the first time Dan has ever heard a rattlesnake in the wild. The snake was not in the ruins, but on a boulder nearby. (We typically save hikes like this for the colder months when snakes are hibernating, for just this reason. But we were never in any danger here, we were warned before we got too close, and we made sure to keep our distance from that particular boulder)
Kune's camp is the remnant of an old hunting camp, built in the early twentieth century. At one time, 206 hunting camps circled this area, but in 1955 all of the camp leases were terminated when the Curtiss-Wright company brought their new nuclear research facility to the land. While many of the old hunting camps were removed, the Kune's Camp had been built between two boulders, with stone walls built between, on each end. The camp had windows, doors, and a brick chimney.
The side walls of the camp are huge boulders. Stone work was added at the top to square out the structure.
There wasn't too much "trash" left here, what looks to be left was likely attached when the building was abandoned. The foundation of what was possibly an outhouse can be seen nearby the structure, as well.
It was a really neat experience, to walk through the woods with trees and ferms on each side, and then all of a sudden there were these huge boulders, and as you walked around, still following the trail, you walk right through the structure.
The Kune's Cabin Ruins was one of the most interesting abandoned structures we've ever hiked to. I wish I could find "before" photos, or more history of the camp, but I have not yet had any success.
There are other trails with some camp ruins as well - chimneys mostly. But I don't think there is anything else quite like this - this camp was one of a kind.
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I've been to the Kune's camp as well, actually looking for historical rattlesnake dens to document for the Pa Fish comm.-- as you said, a really unique and pretty place. You had wanted more information, and I have this to add from what I found out.
ReplyDeleteJIm Schilt has hunted the Kunes Camp Trail Area since 1969. The Kunes Camp was established by Wayne Kunes, who also operated Kunes Farms, and Apple Operation in Keewaydin, PA. Wayne and his family and friends would travel to the camp by automobile on the few woods roads that existed, and hunted Deer primarily for the entire season. The camp was heated by a large wood stove that they also cooked on. Lighting was by oil lamp. They had bunks and found that they had to deal with the condensation from the stone walls, and the heat would draw the snakes out into the camp. Wayne had two (2) Sons, Kurt, who resides in State College, and Tim, who recently passed away, they were good Deer Hunters. When Curtis Wright moved into the area they closed down ALL the camps due to the nuke research and jet engine testing. Wayne retrieved some of the items from the camp and left the rest, and moved his Camp to Millers Landing along the West Branch of the Susquehanna, near Karthaus, PA and recently sold the parcel of ground this past summer. Other Camp Owners faced similar situations. During Curtis Wright's Occupation no lawful hunting was permitted in Quehanna, and when they opened the area circa 1967, the quality of The Bucks was tremendous. It was not uncommon for a group of Deer to number 25-50 animals. In 1969 there was a winter kill from a harsh winter. Glad you enjoyed the visit.
Love this! Thank you so much for commenting!
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