PA Waterfalls

Exploring Pigeon Falls in Forest County

Collage of four scenic views at Pigeon Falls in the Allegheny National Forest, featuring cascading water over rocky steps, a visitor photographing the falls, lush greenery surrounding the stream, and a wooded picnic area marked by a Pigeon Falls signpost.

If you’re looking for information about visiting Pigeon Falls in Forest County, you’re in the right place!

Pigeon Falls cascades gently over a series of wide, tiered rock ledges along Pigeon Run, surrounded by forested slopes in the Allegheny National Forest of Forest County, Pennsylvania.

Pigeon Falls is an 8-foot-tall, multi-tiered waterfall along Pigeon Run in the Allegheny National Forest, surrounded by serene woodland beauty.

Multi-tiered Pigeon Falls cascades over mossy rock ledges surrounded by ferns and evergreen trees in the Allegheny National Forest.

The falls are easily accessible via a relatively flat, one-mile long trail (two miles round-trip), and make for a great day trip destination in Forest County.

A hiker in bright orange stands at the edge of Pigeon Run, admiring the cascading 8-foot Pigeon Falls surrounded by forest in the Allegheny National Forest.

Directions to Pigeon Falls

Trailhead parking for the hike to Pigeon Falls can be found along a forest road roughly 8 miles east of Marienville.

If navigating by GPS coordinates (which I highly recommend), use 41.45935, -78.96946 to find the parking area, pictured below.

Two vehicles are parked at a small gravel pull-off near an information kiosk, marking the trailhead for the hike to Pigeon Falls in Forest County, Pennsylvania.

As of April 2025, the forestry road leading to the parking area is in fair condition – rutted in spots, numerous potholes, and best suited for vehicles with good ground clearance.

A long gravel road stretches through a leaf-covered forest in early spring, passing a Pennsylvania Game Commission sign marking State Game Lands near the remote trail to Pigeon Falls along Pigeon Run in the Allegheny National Forest of Forest County, Pennsylvania.

You’ll encounter this bridge immediately before reaching the trailhead parking area.

A narrow dirt road with muddy puddles leads across a small wooden bridge marked with a 6-ton weight limit sign, en route to Pigeon Falls in Forest County, Pennsylvania.

From here it’s almost exactly a one-mile hike to Pigeon Falls.

Trail map showing the hiking route from the parking area through State Game Lands 28 to Pigeon Falls along Pigeon Run in the Allegheny National Forest.

The trail itself doubles as a bridle/horse path, and is very well defined.

A narrow grassy path winds through a quiet forest corridor marked by a trail post labeled “17,” part of the route leading to Pigeon Falls along Pigeon Run in the Allegheny National Forest of Forest County, Pennsylvania.

There is a small wet crossing near the beginning of the trail (pictured below), but other than that, it’s essentially an easy, flat hike to the falls.

A shallow stream with scattered stepping stones crosses a wooded trail, guiding hikers toward Pigeon Falls along Pigeon Run in the Allegheny National Forest of Forest County, Pennsylvania.

The hike starts on State Game Lands 28, then crosses into the Allegheny National Forest.

A wooden post marked "NATIONAL FOREST" stands along a narrow, leaf-covered trail bordered by boulders and bare trees, guiding hikers through the Allegheny National Forest toward Pigeon Falls in Forest County, Pennsylvania.

It’s impossible to miss Pigeon Falls, because there’s a large wooden post emblazoned with the falls name right along the trail, just below the falls.

A wooden post marked “Pigeon Falls” stands beside a serene stream and wooded picnic area, with the 8-foot cascade of the falls visible through the trees in the Allegheny National Forest of Forest County, Pennsylvania.

There’s even a little campsite and picnic table at the base of the falls as well.

A wooden picnic table sits in a peaceful forest clearing with a clear view of Pigeon Falls, an 8-foot cascade along Pigeon Run in the Allegheny National Forest of Forest County, Pennsylvania.

If navigating by GPS, you’ll find Pigeon Falls at coordinates 41.46956, -78.96053.

Close-up trail map showing the final approach to Pigeon Falls along Trail 17, following Pigeon Run through the Allegheny National Forest and State Game Lands 28.

Photographing Pigeon Falls

Pigeon Run is a small tributary of Spring Creek, so so visiting after a sizeable rainstorm is your best best to catch it with nice flow.

A side view of Pigeon Falls reveals water spilling over multiple dark rock ledges into a calm pool, surrounded by mossy boulders and a wooded hillside in the Allegheny National Forest of Forest County, Pennsylvania.

Using myself for scale in the photo below, I’d feel comfortable guesstimating Pigeon Falls to be 8 feet tall.

A hiker in bright outdoor gear stands beside the rocky streambed of Pigeon Run, photographing the 8-foot-tall tiered cascade of Pigeon Falls as it flows through a forested hollow in the Allegheny National Forest of Forest County, Pennsylvania.

While not an overly-large waterfall, it’s a serene spot, miles from civilization.

A wide, tiered waterfall cascades over dark rock ledges surrounded by ferns, moss, and evergreens along Pigeon Run in the Allegheny National Forest.

When you’ve had your fill of Pigeon Falls, simply backtrack to the trailhead parking area.

A narrow, muddy trail winds through a mix of evergreen and deciduous trees in early spring, leading hikers through the Allegheny National Forest toward the scenic 8-foot cascade of Pigeon Falls in Forest County, Pennsylvania.

Nearby Attractions

Logan Falls in Forest County is another picturesque waterfall tucked away nearby in the Allegheny National Forest.

Logan Falls near Marienville Pennsylvania

The Sherman Memorial Lighthouse, sometimes referred to as the Tionesta Lighthouse (as it is located in Tionesta, the county seat of Forest County), is the tallest lighthouse in Pennsylvania!

Exploring the Tionesta Lighthouse in Forest County Pennsylvania.

Find even more great spots to explore all across Pennsylvania with the interactive PA Bucket List Travel Map!

Did you enjoy this article?

If so, be sure to like and follow PA Bucket List on Facebook, Instagram, and/or Pinterest to learn more about the best things to see and do in Pennsylvania!

Click on any of the icons below to get connected to PA Bucket List on social media.