King's Island (Pennsylvania) facts for kids

King Island is a special place in the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania. It's a natural island, meaning it was formed by the river itself from river sediments. This island is part of a larger protected area called the Allegheny Islands Wilderness, which is inside the huge Allegheny National Forest.

Discovering King Island

King Island is about 35.7 acres in size. That's like 27 football fields! It's located in Harmony Township, Forest County, Pennsylvania. It's one of seven special islands in the Allegheny River that are part of the protected wilderness area. King Island is also one of the easier islands to reach.

Amazing Forests

King Island is home to some really old and untouched forests. These are called old growth or virgin forests. This means the trees have been growing there for a very long time without being cut down by people. You can also find special river bottom forests here, which are types of trees that grow well near rivers.

Home for Mussels

The waters around the northwest side of King Island are a special place called a riffle habitat. This means the river water flows quickly over rocks and pebbles, making shallow, bubbly areas. These riffles are perfect homes for freshwater mussels. Mussels are amazing creatures that help keep the river water clean by filtering it.

A Little History

You can find two old, unused oil wells on King Island. These wells show that people once explored the island for oil.