Recreation metrics were off the charts on the Allegheny National Forest in 2020.

This year might not be meeting the abnormal highs brought about by the pandemic in 2020, but data available to date shows that usage is exceeding 2019. That might be a sign that recreation changes brought about by the pandemic will have some staying power.

Bradford District Ranger Rich Hatfield said this season has been “pretty busy still” with a final picture not clear for a couple months.

“April and May … were off the charts,” he said, at places such as Jakes Rocks where the data is easily tracked. He said they’ve also seen “high reservation numbers” at campgrounds.

“(I) think (the) recreation trends are here for a while,” noting that “weekends are totally booked. Some of that is starting to spill into the (weekdays).

For example, Hatefield said the campground at Tracy Ridge generated $10,000 in revenue in 2019 compared to $30,000 in 2020.

The actual management of the forest, he explained, “kind of went on as usual” throughout the pandemic because “a lot of our folks were out in the woods.”

While the headquarters and ranger stations remain not open to the public — permits are still being handled virtually — Hatfield said the plan is to open the offices “before too much longer. (We) don’t have a date yet.”

That doesn’t mean, though, that forest management stopped.

“Things are looking up pretty good,” he said. “(We) will sell 50 million board feet (of timber) this year.”

A number that high hasn’t been hit since the 1990s.

“Values are out of sight,” he said. “We’re seeing it on that side. Black cherry is going for more than two times what it was last year…. Timber output is really looking good this year.”