BIKING THE GRAND CANYON

PINE CREEK GORGE

Our recent trip to North Central Pennsylvania was a rustic adventure, but without all that camping nonsense. We stayed in a hotel in Coudersport for the first part of the week and then stayed at Le Belle Auberge, a boutique bed and breakfast in Wellsboro. Planning the trip, we did not even consider camping and this proved to be the correct decision because it rained nearly the entire week. Getting drenched while living in a tent is not fun. especially when there are no hot showers and no respite from the bad weather. All you can do is sit in your tent and molder.

Despite the inclement weather we did spend a goodly amount of time outdoors. Though our stargazing efforts were “clouded” over, the rain abated enough during the day for us to see the Kinzua Bridge and at the Lumber Museum we were able to explore the outdoor replication of a timber harvesting camp without getting too "waterlogged". 

 

The Pine Creek Rail Trail can
be seen on the lower right

A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT

We had traveled to this “neck of the woods” for stargazing at Cherry Springs State Park the only dark sky park on the east coast and that was a bust. I had never seen the Milky Way before and had the weather cooperated I would have been blessed by this galactic vision. Thankfully the second half of our trip was more successful.

For years Janet had talked about the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, a 47-mile cut through the Allegheny Mountains formed by the Pine Creek, a tributary of the mighty Susquehanna River. She had never seen this natural treasure before and was anxious to show me what was perhaps the best part of Pennsylvania. The canyon is impressive when seen from any angle. On the floor the steep canyon walls dwarf you, from the edge the vistas reveal unsettling expanses of air. At its deepest the canyon is 1,500 feet and at one point is nearly a mile wide. It starts in Ansonia near Wellsboro and ends in Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania. 

Pine Creek Rail Trail

Once denuded of trees because of an aggressive timber industry 100 years ago, the splendor of these woodlands is back and can be appreciated many different ways any time of the year. Hiking trails course the gorge and there is a scenic overlook at Leonard Harrison State Park Visitor Center that rewards a casual stroller with a spectacular view of the canyon. Cascading waterfalls all along the gorge cool the air in the summer heat. There is canoeing and kayaking on the Pine Creek, swollen from the steady rains, but the most popular pastime is the Pine Creek Rail Trail; a converted railway bed that was once used in the lumber industry along the canyon floor and following the creek. Excellent for biking with just a gentle grade we rented bikes and pedaled through the canyon for 28 miles!

PENNSYLVANIA GRAND CANYON 

 

Pine Creek Rail Trail

RAIL TO TRAIL

There is a movement nationwide to take disused train beds and form trails. Usually flat, long and at times running through historical areas abandoned rail beds make for great trails. The rail system through the Pine Creek Gorge was first used for transporting timber and coal then freight and passengers, the tracks following the creek along the floor of the Grand Canyon. The trains ran until 1988 when they were abandoned by Conrail. The tracks were eventually removed and the Pine Creek Rail Trail opened in 1996. It’s possible to travel the entire 47 miles of the Grand Canyon by this trail. 

RAILS TO TRAILS

 

One of the many falls

Because it is relatively flat and the views are strikingly beautiful, the Pine Creek Rail Trail is perhaps one of the greatest places to take a bike tour. Though it is possible to travel the entire 47 miles from Ansonia to Jersey Shore via the trail, but we stopped at State Run. 

Thankfully the day was bright and sunny. It was hot in the sun, but much of the trail is shaded and whenever we passed a waterfall running fiercely with all the rain, the air cooled dramatically. The Pine Creek was running muddy and quick and we didn't see any canoes kayaks or rafts, but there were a lot of bikers along the trail.

Every few miles there are rest stations and several wells to pump water. The wells unfortunately carried the caveat that the water was not tested for purity. Still they were convenient to wet a cloth to cool our heads. In Blackwell, the first stop there is a small delicatessen where we got some much-deserved ice cream.

Janet waiting for me, again 

By the end of our excursion I was bushed. Janet would have gone all the way to Jersey Shore... in NEW JERSEY... but after 28 miles on a bike my butt was hurting. We waited for our pick-up ride at the Hotel Manor & Bar in State Run and sat on deck with a beer admiring the river. The day was a success!

HOTEL MANOR & BAR

OUTFITTERS

We rented our bikes at PINE CREEK OUTFITTERS on Route 6 in Ansonia, a short drive west from Wellsboro. They also offer canoe and kayak rentals and guided rafting trips down the Pine Creek and they will even provide shuttle service with your own bikes, at a cost. We had to meet them at an appointed time for either a pick up in Blackwell, or State Run. A friendly staff, offering good equipment and encouragement. When we told them we were taking the longer trek to State Run they seemed genuinely pleased.  

At the end of the ride

I’d do it again, evidently the fall foliage is glorious. But, next time I’ll bring a pillow for the bike!

Thanks for reading!