By Cindy Loose
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 4, 2005; C02

On dark winter days when I dream of spring, I often think of Spruce Creek, Pa. Of weeping willow trees, their branches trailing into water that rushes so rapidly over the limestone creek bed that it makes the sound of a waterfall.

The views in this place you've probably never heard of, just 3 1/2 hours from Washington, are about the finest I've ever seen. If, for example, you hike, bike or drive the dirt road through Rothrack State Forest, you will at several points turn a corner and see the valley laid below, with a patchwork of fields that stretch to the multiple ridges of the Allegheny Mountains. Two picturesque waterways, the Little Juniata River and Spruce Creek, converge at the village of Spruce Creek, which is about 20 winding miles from State College, home of Penn State University.

I first came here as a child. As an adult, I've had a recurring dream that I own a little summer cottage along the creek. Finally, last weekend, I returned to find that the area is as bucolic as ever, but with a few changes. First, the Amish have settled a number of the farms in the adjoining valley. Secondly, a half-dozen or so bed-and-breakfasts have opened, along with a lodge and cottages at a private fishing club. Additionally, sportsmen from outside the area have discovered the local trout. The outsiders have driven up land prices, so I won't likely be getting my dream shack unless I hit the lottery.

During his presidency, Jimmy Carter briefly brought attention to Spruce Creek when he came to fly-fish. The locals weren't all that impressed when the peaceful quiet of their valley was interrupted by the whir of helicopters and Secret Service agents. I remember a local farmhand, asked by a radio station for his reaction, responding, "It don't make no nevermind to me."

But Carter's visit -- and he keeps returning to fish a couple times a year -- did catch the attention of avid fly fishermen. Today, some experts say Spruce Creek and the Little Juniata offer the best fly-fishing on the Eastern Seaboard.

So I booked a half-day guided fly-fishing tour for last Sunday morning and reserved Saturday for kayaking, biking and poking around.

I awoke Saturday to a chilly, rainy morning, but discovered that poking around is enough to fill a day. My planned biking trip up the road winding through the state forest became a drive up for that view.

Women who don't fish but have married men who do often spend their time hitting the antiques stores in nearby towns. I decided instead to see what the Amish had for sale. People go to Lancaster, about two hours away, to gawk and buy fake souvenirs in shops owned by what the Amish call "the English."

In Sinking Valley -- the farming area about a mile from Spruce Creek -- the Amish are part of the fabric of life. No one snaps pictures, which the Amish quite naturally resent. Instead, the English come by to discuss milk prices or just be neighborly. I buy flowers and a wooden trellis at the Amish-owned and -operated Mountainside Greenhouse. About 100 yards down the road, the brother of the owner of Mountainside Greenhouse makes and sells chairs and swings. Handmade wooden chairs start at $60.

Up the road a couple of miles, I followed a hand-drawn sign to a dirt road that leads to another Amish farm, where the women in the family run an old-fashioned dry goods store called the Sinking Valley Variety Store. There are hand-braided rugs starting at $10, exquisite quilts ranging from $70 to $300, and produce. For the Amish, the store stocks just about anything they'd need from the outside world: bolts of cloth, kerosene lanterns, Skinner's Vaporizing Salve, books.

From behind the counter, Sara Ranno had dozens of questions for me: What was I doing in town; how often do I leave home; where do I go; what do I do when I get there? "It must be hard running around like that," she said. That made me pause for minute and think that, for a while at least, I'd like to try her calm, gentle existence.

This area, which my ancestors were among the first to settle, is so special to me that I feel a certain hesitation in advertising its existence, lest it be spoiled. Let's be clear on one thing: Leave your cameras in the glove compartment until you're ready to photograph scenery and animals. It's an unspoiled area -- one well worth a visit from those willing to come with a soft touch.

And then there's the fishing. Sunday morning, a sunnier day, I was on Spruce Creek with guide Eric Stroup, who owns the Spruce Creek Fly Company and also guides for Spring Ridge Club -- membership in which entitles you to guides, lodging and fishing in some of the club-owned or -leased waterways.

One stretch of Spruce Creek is open to the public. To fish privately held areas, you need to either join the fishing club or go with one of the guides who have negotiated access with landowners. The Little Juniata, on the other hand, is open to the public, however the issue of access is currently part of a long-running court battle.

I needed a guide in any event. The sum total of my previous fishing experience was dropping a hook and a worm into a pond and getting freaked when a tiny fish got stuck on the hook. Neither I nor the fish knew how to get it loose.

Fishing had always seemed boring to me. But I discovered that fly-fishing is to regular fishing what surfing a wave is to taking a bath.

I loved the challenge of casting and recasting a line so that the hook dropped at the precise spot where I just saw a big trout leap to catch an insect. I hooked more trees than fish, but finally caught a shiny brown trout.

I'd always assumed that casting was the big-deal skill in fly-fishing. But I soon learned that's just the fun and easy part. I struggled with hitting the current just right. You have to have your line drift at the exact same speed as the current; otherwise, the fish won't be fooled. Even more challenging: It takes years of practice to even get a clue about what fly to put on your hook.

Stroup said there are about 100 insects that the fish feed on in this area. But on a given day, they'll be going for just one kind. Further, they'll be going for one insect in a given stage. Stroup has 1,000 different flies to mimic the various versions of insects a trout might find tasty.

The day before, he had taken out an experienced fisherman who netted about 30 fish. But I was happy with my sole trout. My four hours flew by. After one morning on a crisp spring day, I was the one who was hooked.

Now, I have yet one more reason to dream of Spruce Creek. And one more reason to return.

Escape Keys

GETTING THERE: Spruce Creek, in Huntingdon County, Pa., is a 3 1/2 -hour drive from Washington. Take I-270 north to I-70 west, exit at Tyrone and pick up Route 453/45 east to Spruce Creek.

WHERE TO STAY: Spruce Creek B&B (4892 Spruce Creek Rd., 866-632-3777, http://www.sprucecreekbnb.com/ ) includes two 19th-century houses. Prices for a double range from $80 to $200 a night. Cedar Hill (4514 Spruce Creek Rd., 888-764-9790, http://www.cedarhill-sprucecreek.com/ ) is a bed-and-breakfast on a 42-acre farm. Doubles range from $85 to $165.

WHERE TO EAT: The Spruce Creek Tavern (4930 Spruce Creek Rd.), the only eatery in town, serves up fantastic hand-cut french fries and good sandwiches. Try the cheese steak for $3.95. For fine dining, about 12 miles from Spruce Creek, Burley's (954 Pennsylvania Ave., Tyrone) serves a variety of fish and meat entrees beginning at about $15.

HIKING AND BIKING: You need a keen eye to spot Rothrock State Forest from Spruce Creek Road, also known as Route 45, the main drag through town. Set your odometer at Spruce Creek Tavern and travel 1.8 miles east. Turn right and you'll see the sign. FISHING: A three-day out-of-state fishing permit costs $35. Outfitters providing guides and equipment for fishing either private or public waterways include Spruce Creek Fly Company (3880 Spruce Creek Rd., 814-632-0053, http://www.sprucecreekflyco.com/ ) and Spruce Creek Outfitters (4910 Spruce Creek Rd., 814-632-3071, http://www.sprucecreekoutfitters.org/ ). If you're very serious about fishing, the Spring Ridge Club (5531 Riverside Drive, 877-788-9797, http://www.springridgeclub.com/ ) currently has three memberships open -- $89,000 to join, which gets you access to private fishing spots, accommodations and guides. Two Spruce Creek properties rent accommodations with private stream access: Spruce Creek Lodge (814-632-8550, http://www.sprucecreeklodge.com/ ) offers a two-bedroom, two-bath lodge for two nights, access to a half-mile of private stream, and two days of fishing with a guide for two for $1,800. At Evergreen Farms (814-632-5925) two cottages cost $600 a night for four people, each with a mile of private stream.

INFO: Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau, 814-658- 0060, http://www.raystown.org/ .