Pine Creek Rail Trail - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Pine Creek Rail Trail is a rail trail

Rail trail

A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...

in the Appalachian Mountains

Appalachian Mountains

The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...

of north-central Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

.

The trail begins just north of Wellsboro

Wellsboro, Pennsylvania

Wellsboro is a borough in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, 52 miles northwest of Williamsport. Early in the twentieth century, Wellsboro was the shipping point and trade center for a large area...

, runs south through Pine Creek Gorge

Pine Creek Gorge

Pine Creek Gorge, also known as, The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, is situated in approximately 160,000 acres of the Tioga State Forest in the U.S. State of Pennsylvania along Pine Creek. The Canyon begins south of Ansonia, near Wellsboro, along U.S. Route 6 and continues for approximately...

(also known as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania), and ends in Jersey Shore

Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania

Jersey Shore is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is on the West Branch Susquehanna River, west by south of Williamsport. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. In the past, Jersey Shore held farms, railroad shops, cigar factories, a...

. A 2001 article in USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...

named the 65 miles (104.6 km) long trail one of "10 great places to take a bike tour" in the world.

Route

The Pine Creek Rail Trail is approximately 65 miles (104.6 km) from end to end, and it generally follows a north-south orientation. The trail is located wholly within Tioga

Tioga County, Pennsylvania

Tioga County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,981. Tioga County was created on March 26, 1804, from part of Lycoming County and named for the Tioga River. Its county seat is Wellsboro....

and Lycoming

Lycoming County, Pennsylvania

-Appalachian Mountains and Allegheny Plateau:Lycoming County is divided between the Appalachian Mountains in the south, the dissected Allegheny Plateau in the north and east, and the valley of the West Branch Susquehanna River between these.-West Branch Susquehanna River:The West Branch of the...

Counties.

The trail's northern terminus is near the intersection of U.S. Route 6

U.S. Route 6

U.S. Route 6 , also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, a name that honors an American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system, running east-northeast from Bishop, California to Provincetown, Massachusetts. Until 1964, it continued south from Bishop to...

and Pennsylvania Route 287

Pennsylvania Route 287

Pennsylvania Route 287 is a long state highway in the Tioga Valley of Pennsylvania. Route 287 begins at an intersection with U.S. Route 220 in the community of Larrys Creek in Piatt Township, Lycoming County to an intersection with Pennsylvania Route 49 just south of the New York state line...

, about 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Wellsboro. (Parking is located at the southernmost end of Butler Road). The trail parallels Route 6 in a southwesterly direction for about 6 miles (9.7 km) until it reaches the village of Ansonia. South of Ansonia, the trail parallels Pine Creek

Pine Creek (Pennsylvania)

Pine Creek is a tributary of the West Branch Susquehanna River in Potter, Tioga, Lycoming, and Clinton counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. The creek is long...

as it goes south along the floor of Pine Creek Gorge. It passes through Leonard Harrison State Park

Leonard Harrison State Park

Leonard Harrison State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is on the east rim of the Pine Creek Gorge, also known as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, which is deep and nearly across here. It also serves as headquarters for the adjoining...

and the Tioga State Forest

Tioga State Forest

Tioga State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in District #16. The main offices are located in Wellsboro in Tioga County, Pennsylvania in the United States....

. Approximately 17 miles (27.4 km) 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

Tiadaghton State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #12. The forest is chiefly in western and southern Lycoming County, with small portions in Clinton, Potter, Tioga, and Union counties....

. It parallels Pennsylvania Route 414

Pennsylvania Route 414

Pennsylvania Route 414 is an long state highway located in Lycoming, Tioga, and Bradford counties in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at PA 44 in Waterville...

for about 25 miles (40.2 km). Pennsylvania Route 414 ends near the unincorporated village of Waterville. South of Waterville, the trail parallels Pennsylvania Route 44

Pennsylvania Route 44

Pennsylvania Route 44 is a -long state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route is designated from Interstate 80 and Pennsylvania Route 42 in Buckhorn to the New York state line near New York State Route 417 in Ceres Township....

for approximately 17 miles (27.4 km) 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
Wellsboro, Pennsylvania
Wellsboro is a borough in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, 52 miles northwest of Williamsport. Early in the twentieth century, Wellsboro was the shipping point and trade center for a large area...

is located about 3 miles (4.8 km) from the trail's northern terminus.
Asaph
Ansonia
Leonard Harrison State Park
Leonard Harrison State Park
Leonard Harrison State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is on the east rim of the Pine Creek Gorge, also known as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, which is deep and nearly across here. It also serves as headquarters for the adjoining...
Colton Point State Park
Colton Point State Park
Colton Point State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is on the west side of the Pine Creek Gorge, also known as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, which is deep and nearly across at this location. The park extends from the creek in the...

is located on the western side of Pine Creek, but no public bridges span the creek between Ansonia and Blackwell.
Tioga State Forest
Tioga State Forest
Tioga State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in District #16. The main offices are located in Wellsboro in Tioga County, Pennsylvania in the United States....
Tiadaghton
Blackwell
Tiadaghton State Forest
Tiadaghton State Forest
Tiadaghton State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #12. The forest is chiefly in western and southern Lycoming County, with small portions in Clinton, Potter, Tioga, and Union counties....
Cedar Run (Brown Township
Brown Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Brown Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 111 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...

)
Slate Run
Cammal (McHenry Township
McHenry Township, Pennsylvania
McHenry Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 145 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...

)
Jersey Mills
Waterville (Cummings Township
Cummings Township, Pennsylvania
Cummings Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 355 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area...

)
Little Pine State Park
Little Pine State Park
Little Pine State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Cummings Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Little Pine State park is along of Little Pine Creek, a tributary of Pine Creek, in the midst of the Tiadaghton State Forest. A dam on the creek has created a lake...

is located about 8 miles (12.9 km) north of Waterville.
Watson Township
Watson Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Watson Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 550 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
Porter Township
Porter Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Porter Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 1,633 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:Porter Township, named for David R...
Jersey Shore
Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania
Jersey Shore is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is on the West Branch Susquehanna River, west by south of Williamsport. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. In the past, Jersey Shore held farms, railroad shops, cigar factories, a...

History

The Native American

Native Americans in the United States

Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...

Pine Creek Path

The Pine Creek Path was a major Native American trail in the U.S. State of Pennsylvania that ran north along Pine Creek from the West Branch Susquehanna River near Long Island to the headwaters of the Genesee River .-Course:At the southern end of the trail there was a Native American village at...

followed Pine Creek from Jersey Shore to Ansonia and beyond. The earliest industry in the region was logging

Logging

Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...

. In the years between 1820 and 1883, trees were floated down the creek to sawmills

Sawmill

A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....

in Jersey Shore and Williamsport

Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...

. In 1883, the Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Railway

Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Railway

The Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Railway was a railroad built in the early 1880s to give the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad access to the coal regions around Clearfield, Pennsylvania, USA...

opened. Sawmills were constructed in several communities along the creek, and finished products were carried out by train. Coal mining

Coal mining

The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...

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

New York Central Railroad

The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...

and eventually Conrail

Consolidated Rail Corporation

The Consolidated Rail Corporation, commonly known as Conrail , was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeast U.S. between 1976 and 1999. The federal government created it to take over the potentially profitable lines of bankrupt carriers, including the Penn Central Transportation Company and...

. Freight and passenger service continued for many years. In 1988, 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

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources , established on July 1, 1995, is the agency in the U.S. State of Pennsylvania responsible for maintaining and preserving the state's 117 state parks and 20 state forests; providing information on the state's natural resources; and...

.

In 2001, an article in the USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...

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

Bicycle touring is cycling over long distances – prioritizing pleasure and endurance over utility or speed. Touring can range from single day 'supported' rides — e.g., rides to benefit charities — where provisions are available to riders at stops along the route, to multi-day...

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

Great Depression

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...

, the Civilian Conservation Corps

Civilian Conservation Corps

The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...

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

Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....

. Bicycling

Cycling

Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...

and hiking

Hiking

Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...

are extremely popular during the spring, summer, and fall. The trail provides opportunities for cross-country skiing

Cross-country skiing

Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...

during the winter. Between Ansonia and Tiadaghton, horseback riding is permitted on the trail.

The trail intersects with several hiking trails, including the Pennsylvania Mid State Trail

Pennsylvania Mid State Trail

The Mid State Trail is a long main trail network with many side trails located in the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians and Allegheny Plateau of Central Pennsylvania. It is known as "The Wildest Trail in Pennsylvania"...

. During some parts of the year, Pine Creek provides excellent opportunities for fishing

Fishing

Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....

, canoeing

Canoeing

Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....

, and kayaking

Kayaking

Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...

. However, the water level in the creek varies significantly, and it is sometimes too shallow for boating.

Wildlife viewing is also popular. Hawks and other large birds are commonly seen along the trail. Canada geese

Canada Goose

The Canada Goose is a wild goose belonging to the genus Branta, which is native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, having a black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brownish-gray body....

and ducks

Duck

Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...

are also common. Bald Eagles

Bald Eagle

The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...

are occasionally seen in the area. Bears

American black bear

The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...

and white-tailed deer

White-tailed Deer

The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...

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, snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles.

Camping

Camping

Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...

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 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 and Waterville. 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

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 extension of the main branch, with the shorter West Branch...

between Jersey Shore and Williamsport