Clearfield County lies in central Pennsylvania, with DuBois anchoring the west, the Borough of Clearfield and Curwensville occupying the central river corridor, and Osceola Mills, Houtzdale, and Chester Hill spread through southeastern valleys. I-80, U.S. 322, U.S. 219, PA 53, PA 153, PA 255, and PA 879 provide the strongest road references. The map set also shows the West Branch Susquehanna River, Curwensville Lake, reservoirs, and large elevation changes, and the four original A3 high-resolution JPG files are available in the download box below.
The West Branch Susquehanna River and U.S. 322 provide the simplest framework for understanding the county. The river passes through Curwensville Lake and continues toward Clearfield, while U.S. 322 links the DuBois side with the central county. Broad uplands cover much of the north and interior, but lower river and creek valleys create the corridors where many roads and communities are concentrated.
Table of Contents
U.S. 322 and I-80 connect DuBois with the Clearfield side
DuBois and Clearfield are the two easiest settlement anchors on the general map. DuBois lies near U.S. 219 and PA 255, and U.S. 322 continues east toward Clearfield. I-80 crosses the middle of the county and provides the major long-distance east-west route, passing south of the central Clearfield area and near the PA 879 and PA 53 approaches.
Around Clearfield, U.S. 322 and PA 879 provide important connections, with local routes continuing southwest toward Curwensville. Wallaceton lies east of Clearfield near the I-80 and PA 53 side, while Chester Hill and Osceola Mills occupy separate valleys farther southeast. The elongated eastern boundary is crossed by relatively few major routes because hills and stream valleys strongly influence where roads can run.
The southwest contains many smaller places, including New Washington, Newburg, Burnside, Westover, and Irvona. PA 36, U.S. 219, PA 729, PA 453, and PA 153 link these communities through broken terrain. Starting with the DuBois–Clearfield east-west corridor and then following the southern valley roads is much easier than treating the county as a regular road grid.
DuBois and Clearfield lead the ranking while southeastern towns occupy narrower valleys
The ranked community map highlights DuBois, Clearfield, Curwensville, Osceola Mills, Houtzdale, and Chester Hill. The values printed in the supplied graphic are DuBois 7,402, Clearfield 5,873, Curwensville 2,472, Osceola Mills 1,325, Houtzdale 857, and Chester Hill 788. These figures explain the ranking used on the map; readers needing the newest official population estimates should consult current Census Bureau releases.
DuBois lies on the western side and Clearfield near the county center, so the two largest ranked communities do not form one continuous built-up area. Curwensville occupies the West Branch Susquehanna corridor southwest of Clearfield. Osceola Mills, Houtzdale, and Chester Hill sit farther southeast, where long hills and narrow valleys divide the settlement pattern.
The ranking becomes more useful when compared with roads and terrain. DuBois is tied strongly to U.S. 219, U.S. 322, and PA 255, while Clearfield has direct access to the central I-80 and U.S. 322 network. The southeastern communities depend more on state routes that follow the low passages between ridges.
Curwensville Lake and the West Branch Susquehanna define the central water corridor
The West Branch Susquehanna River is the most important water feature on the terrain-and-water map. It enters the southwestern part of the county, passes through Curwensville Lake, and then continues toward Clearfield. The reservoir is easy to recognize because its broad water surface interrupts the narrow river valley and provides a clear landmark for the central-southwestern county.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers material identifies Curwensville Lake as an actively managed reservoir on the West Branch Susquehanna system. On the supplied map, the lake and downstream river occupy a low corridor bordered by rolling uplands and many short tributaries. That relationship helps explain why Curwensville and Clearfield are closely tied to the river valley.
Western and northwestern water features include Du Bois Reservoir, Treasure Lake, Bimini Lake, and Lake Sabula. Parker Lake and Laurel Run appear farther north, while Clearfield Reservoir and Anderson Creek provide useful references west of central Clearfield. These smaller water bodies help divide the western uplands into recognizable local valleys.
Deer Creek and Sandy Creek drain the northeastern and eastern sections through deeply cut terrain. Emigh Lake and Little Laurel Run appear near the southeastern edge. The terrain-and-water map is intended for geographic reference and should not be used to determine flood zones, current reservoir operations, water depth, or water quality.
Elevation ranges from about 239 to 730 meters
The elevation map displays an actual range of roughly 239 to 730 meters and a mean near 501 meters. The lowest green terrain follows the West Branch Susquehanna River, Curwensville Lake, and the central valley toward Clearfield. Broad brown uplands cover much of the northern and north-central county, producing a substantial elevation contrast within the boundary.
The north-central uplands are deeply dissected by short tributary valleys. Green drainage lines cut into wide brown areas, and the eastern side shows a similar pattern around Deer Creek and Sandy Creek. This terrain helps explain why local roads often curve through hollows and lower passes instead of crossing the highest ground directly.
Clearfield and Curwensville occupy a broader low corridor, but the surrounding land is still hilly. Moving west toward DuBois, small ridges and creek valleys remain common. In the southeast, Osceola Mills, Houtzdale, and Chester Hill occupy low passages between longer uplands, making their positions especially easy to recognize on the elevation map.
The elevation surface is designed for county-wide comparison rather than survey-grade measurement. A specific property, bridge, building site, or engineering project requires authoritative elevation data or professional surveying.
Curwensville Lake and Clearfield share the county’s clearest low corridor
Curwensville Lake is one of the strongest geographic anchors in the central-southwestern county. The West Branch Susquehanna River leaves the reservoir and continues toward Clearfield, producing a continuous low valley that stands out on both the water and elevation maps. Curwensville sits between the lake and the downstream Clearfield area.
Clearfield occupies the lower river corridor while also serving as the county seat and a major road center. Clearfield County’s official history notes that the county seat is Clearfield and that I-80 runs directly through the county. The modern reference map shows how U.S. 322, PA 879, interstate access, and the river make the borough a practical central anchor.
The road and river do not follow identical lines everywhere. Short ridges, tributaries, and side valleys force some roads away from the main channel, especially west of Curwensville. For that reason, the general, water, and elevation maps are most useful when compared rather than viewed independently.
DuBois is a separate western center built around U.S. 219, U.S. 322, and PA 255
DuBois sits close to the western county boundary and has a different orientation from central Clearfield. U.S. 219 provides a north-south route, PA 255 approaches from the north and west, and U.S. 322 connects the area eastward. The general map therefore shows a clear western road hub separated from the county-seat corridor.
Du Bois Reservoir, Treasure Lake, Bimini Lake, and Lake Sabula provide useful water references in the surrounding uplands. These are much smaller than Curwensville Lake, but they help distinguish individual western valleys and communities. The elevation map also shows a mixture of moderate lowlands and rolling uplands rather than one flat urban basin.
DuBois ranks first on the supplied community map even though Clearfield remains the county seat. Keeping those two roles separate is useful when reading the map: DuBois is the largest ranked settlement and western road center, while Clearfield is the administrative and central transportation reference.
Osceola Mills, Houtzdale, and Chester Hill follow southeastern mountain passages
The southeastern county contains a tighter group of smaller communities, including Osceola Mills, Houtzdale, and Chester Hill. PA 53, PA 970, PA 153, and PA 453 provide the main route references. Long hills separate several of the valleys, so the communities appear close on the ranked map but are connected by winding roads.
Chester Hill lies near the eastern boundary, Osceola Mills sits to the southwest, and Houtzdale, Brisbin, and Ramey extend farther south. Glen Hope, Irvona, and Westover continue the pattern of small settlements distributed through low gaps and creek corridors rather than across a broad plain.
The elevation map makes this structure clear. Elongated uplands alternate with narrow green valleys, while the water map shows Little Laurel Run and numerous smaller tributaries using the same low terrain. The settlement pattern is therefore closely tied to the available mountain passages.
Deer Creek and Sandy Creek cut through the high northeastern uplands
Northeastern Clearfield County has few large communities, making drainage and elevation more useful orientation tools than town names. Deer Creek follows a long valley through the uplands, and Sandy Creek and its tributaries divide the eastern interior into additional narrow corridors.
The elevation map shows broad high terrain across the north and northeast, interrupted by thin green creek valleys. Along the eastern edge, the county boundary becomes irregular where the terrain remains strongly dissected toward Centre and Clinton counties. Major road options are more limited than they are around Clearfield or DuBois.
Looking at Deer Creek and Sandy Creek on the water map, then checking the same corridors on the elevation map, makes the northeast much easier to understand. The streams occupy the lower ground while ridges rise sharply between them, leaving little room for continuous settlement.
Clearfield County was created in 1804 and developed along rivers, roads, timber, and coal
Clearfield County’s official history states that the county was created in 1804 from parts of Huntingdon and Lycoming counties and was fully organized for judicial purposes in 1822. The county name is linked to the clear fields associated with Clearfield Creek, and the Borough of Clearfield became the county seat.
The same county history identifies lumber and coal among the area’s important early industries and notes that timber was floated down the West Branch Susquehanna River. That history fits the modern water map: the river and its valleys provided a natural route through otherwise hilly terrain, while later roads and rail connections developed around the same broader corridors.
Modern Clearfield County combines the western DuBois center, the Clearfield–Curwensville river corridor, small southeastern mountain communities, and broad high terrain across the north and east. Comparing the road, community, water, and elevation maps makes those regional differences much clearer than the county outline alone.
Choose the map according to the information you need
For roads and place names, the general reference map is the best starting point. It combines DuBois, Clearfield, Curwensville, Osceola Mills, Houtzdale, I-80, U.S. 322, U.S. 219, PA 53, and PA 255 in one view. The ranked community map is cleaner when the goal is to compare settlement size and see the separation between the western, central, and southeastern centers.
For rivers, reservoirs, and valley terrain, the water map provides more detail. The West Branch Susquehanna River, Curwensville Lake, Clearfield Reservoir, Du Bois Reservoir, Anderson Creek, and Deer Creek can be compared directly with shaded relief. The elevation map removes many labels and makes the low central corridor and high northern uplands especially easy to distinguish.
For printed handouts, classroom use, regional reference notes, or presentation slides, the A3 high-resolution JPG files in the download archive will remain sharper than enlarged web previews. Pairing the general and elevation maps works well for roads and relief, while the community and water maps show how settlements relate to river valleys and reservoirs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use DuBois or Clearfield as the main reference point for Clearfield County?
Both are useful for different parts of the county. DuBois is the western road hub around U.S. 219, U.S. 322, and PA 255, while Clearfield is the county seat near I-80, U.S. 322, and the West Branch Susquehanna River. Linking the two along U.S. 322 provides a simple west-to-central framework.
How are Curwensville Lake and the West Branch Susquehanna River connected?
Curwensville Lake lies directly on the West Branch Susquehanna system in the central-southwestern county. The river continues downstream from the reservoir toward Clearfield, and both the water and elevation maps show this lake-and-river corridor as one of the county’s strongest lowland features.
Can the 239–730 meter elevation range be used for an exact property elevation?
No. The range summarizes county-wide terrain and is useful for comparing the central river valley with the higher northern and interior uplands. Parcel, construction, or engineering work requires authoritative source elevation data or professional surveying.
Map File Information
The download ZIP contains four A3 high-resolution JPG files: the Clearfield County general reference map, ranked community map, terrain-and-water map, and elevation map. The original files are larger than the web previews and are better suited to printing, classroom handouts, regional reference work, and presentation slides.
- Included Files: Use only the versions confirmed in the article and supplied images
- File Type: Use the confirmed download contents
- Intended Use: Printing, education, presentations, and map-based projects
Related Maps
Sources and References
- Clearfield County official history: county formation, county-seat background, county name, and early industry.
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Curwensville Lake: official reservoir and water-level information.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefiles: county boundary and transportation geography.
- USGS National Hydrography: rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoir data.
- USGS 3D Elevation Program: elevation data and 3DEP documentation.
Green Map creates custom-edited map images using open geographic data sources such as geoBoundaries, Natural Earth, OpenStreetMap, and government open data. These maps are edited visual materials, not raw data files, and are provided for education, documents, presentations, and graphic reference.
