The Pine Creek Rail Trail is a rail trail in the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...

of north-central

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. The trail begins just north of Wellsboro, runs south through

Pine Creek Gorge Pine Creek Gorge, sometimes called The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, is a gorge carved into the Allegheny Plateau by Pine Creek in north-central Pennsylvania. It sits in about of the Tioga State Forest. The canyon begins south of Ansonia, nea ...

(also known as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania) and ends at Jersey Shore. A 2001 article in ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgi ...

'' named the trail one of the "10 great places to take a bike tour" in the world.

Route

The Pine Creek Rail Trail is approximately from end to end, and it generally follows a north–south orientation. The trail is located wholly within Tioga and Lycoming Counties. The trail carries a section of BicyclePA Route G. The trail's northern terminus is near the intersection of

U.S. Route 6 U.S. Route 6 (US 6), also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, honoring the American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system. While it currently runs east-northeast from Bishop, California, to P ...

and

Pennsylvania Route 287 Pennsylvania Route 287 (PA 287) is a state highway in the Tioga Valley of Pennsylvania, United States. Route 287 runs from an intersection with U.S. Route 220 (US 220) in the community of Larrys Creek in Piatt Township, Lycoming County, no ...

, about north of Wellsboro (parking is located at the southernmost end of Butler Road). The trail parallels Route 6 in a southwesterly direction for about until it reaches the village of Ansonia. South of Ansonia, the trail parallels Pine Creek as it goes south along the floor of Pine Creek Gorge. It passes through Leonard Harrison State Park and the

Tioga State Forest Tioga State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in District #16, in the Allegheny Plateau region within Tioga County, Pennsylvania. The main offices are located in Wellsboro in Tioga County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The state fore ...

. Approximately south of Ansonia, the trail passes through the village of Blackwell. The section between Ansonia and Blackwell is very remote, and much of the trail is inaccessible by road. South of Blackwell, the trail enters Lycoming County and the

Tiadaghton State Forest Tiadaghton State Forest (; ) is a Pennsylvania State Forest (Forest District #12) in the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry. The forest is primarily in western and southern Lycoming County, with small ...

. It parallels

Pennsylvania Route 414 Pennsylvania Route 414 (PA 414) is a state highway located in Lycoming, Tioga, and Bradford Counties in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at PA 44 in Waterville. The eastern terminus is at US 220 in Monroe. The first leg of the highw ...

for about . Pennsylvania Route 414 ends near the unincorporated village of Waterville. South of Waterville, the trail parallels

Pennsylvania Route 44 Pennsylvania Route 44 (PA 44) is a -long state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route, which is signed north-south, is designated from Interstate 80 (I-80) and PA 42 in Buckhorn northwest to the New York state line near New York ...

for approximately until the trail reaches its southern terminus in Jersey Shore. (Parking at Railroad St. and Humes St.) Between Blackwell and Jersey Shore, the trail crosses the highway and Pine Creek several times, and it is almost always within sight of both the road and the creek. Boroughs, villages, and attractions located along or near the trail (from north to south): * Wellsboro is located about from the trail's northern terminus. * Asaph * Ansonia * Leonard Harrison State Park * Colton Point State Park is located on the western side of Pine Creek, but no public bridges span the creek between Ansonia and Blackwell. *

* Tiadaghton * Blackwell ( Morris Township) *

* Cedar Run ( Brown Township) *

Slate Run Slate Run is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 8, 2011 tributary of Pine Creek in Tioga and Lycoming counties, Pennsylvania in the United States.Gertler, Edward. ...

( Brown Township) * Cammal ( McHenry Township) * Jersey Mills ( McHenry Township) * Waterville ( Cummings Township) * Little Pine State Park is located about north of Waterville. * Watson Township * Porter Township * Jersey Shore

History

The Native American Pine Creek Path followed Pine Creek from Jersey Shore to Ansonia and beyond. The earliest industry in the region was logging. In the years between 1820 and 1883, trees were floated down the creek to

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...

s in Jersey Shore and Williamsport. In 1883, the Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Railway opened. Sawmills were constructed in several communities along the creek, and finished products were carried out by train. Coal mining was another important industry, and coal was also shipped along the railroad. After a series of reorganizations, the railroad along Pine Creek became a part of the

New York Central Railroad The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected greater New York and Boston in the east with Chicago and St. Louis in the Mid ...

and eventually Conrail. Freight and passenger service continued until 1988, when Conrail ended rail service. The tracks were removed, and the first section of the Pine Creek Rail Trail opened in 1996. The trail opened in stages with the most recent section (from Ansonia to just north of Wellsboro) being completed in 2007. The trail is operated by the

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), established on July 1, 1995, is the agency in the U.S. State of Pennsylvania responsible for maintaining and preserving the state's 124 state parks and 20 state forests; ...

. In 2001, an article in the ''

'' newspaper named the Pine Creek Rail Trail one of "10 great places to take a bike tour" in the world. It was one of only five places in the continental United States on the list, which was compiled by Patricia Vance, author of

bicycle touring Bicycle touring is the taking of self-contained cycling trips for pleasure, adventure or autonomy rather than sport, commuting or exercise. Bicycle touring can range from single-day trips to extended travels spanning weeks or months. Tours may be ...

guides. The article cited the "Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania" as "idyllic in fall" and mentioned the "gorge with views of the cliffs and mixed hardwood forest". During the Great Depression, the

Civilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was a major part of ...

built numerous roads, bridges, and trails through the area. Evidence of their work is still visible and is commemorated with a sign near the Darling Run trail access area.

Activities

The trail is relatively flat with only gentle grades. It is topped with crushed

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

. The trail is used for

bicycling Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from two ...

and

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

during the spring, summer and fall, and the trail is used for cross-country skiing during the winter. Between Ansonia and Tiadaghton,

horseback riding Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...

is permitted on the trail. The trail intersects with several hiking trails, including the Pennsylvania Mid State Trail. During some parts of the year, people can be found

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

, canoeing, and kayaking when the weather is warm. The water level in the creek varies significantly, and it is sometimes too shallow for boating.

Hawks Hawks are birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are widely distributed and are found on all continents except Antarctica. * The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks and others. This subfamily ...

and other large birds have been said to be seen by viewers along the trail, along with

Canada geese The Canada goose (''Branta canadensis''), or Canadian goose, is a large wild goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America, and it is o ...

duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form ...

s, and occasionally bald eagles.

Bears Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Nor ...

and

white-tailed deer The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced t ...

live in the wooded areas and are seen along the trail. Without a written permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, motorized vehicles are strictly forbidden from using the trail. This ban includes

motorcycles A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...

snowmobiles A snowmobile, also known as a Ski-Doo, snowmachine, sled, motor sled, motor sledge, skimobile, or snow scooter, is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow. It is designed to be operated on snow and ice and does not ...

and all-terrain vehicles.

Camping Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more na ...

is allowed only in certain areas such as Bonell Flats and Black Walnut Bottom along the trail, and permits for these locations must be obtained in advance from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Several private campgrounds are located near the trail. Numerous lodging establishments are available in Wellsboro and Jersey Shore. There are also small lodging establishments located in Blackwell and Cedar Run, and private cabin rentals are available along the trail. Parking areas and

composting toilets A composting toilet is a type of dry toilet that treats human waste by a biological process called composting. This process leads to the decomposition of organic matter and turns human waste into compost-like material. Composting is carried ou ...

are available at regular intervals along the entire length of the trail. Several water pumps are provided along the trail, but trail users should carry enough water to last for the duration of their trips. The boroughs of Wellsboro and Jersey Shore offer a full array of services and supplies. Restaurants are located in Blackwell, Cedar Run, Slate Run, Waterville and Jersey Shore, while gasoline and other supplies are available at general stores located in Ansonia, Slate Run and Waterville.

Future expansion

The final section of the trail opened in 2007, and there are no immediate plans to expand the trail at this time. Several groups have proposed expanding the trail into the borough of Wellsboro or building a trail along the

West Branch Susquehanna River The West Branch Susquehanna River is one of the two principal branches, along with the North Branch, of the Susquehanna River in the Northeastern United States. The North Branch, which rises in upstate New York, is generally regarded as the exten ...

between Jersey Shore and Williamsport.

References

External links

PAcanyon.com - Mile by mile guide to the Pine Creek Rail TrailLeonard Harrison State ParkHistory of the Tioga State Foresttrail map with business list
(their trail map lacks business list)
Blackwell Hotel & Restaurant
(located on the trail)
Cedar Run Inn
(located on the trail)

{{PennsylvaniaRailtrails Rail trails in Pennsylvania Protected areas of Tioga County, Pennsylvania Protected areas of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania 1996 establishments in Pennsylvania