Dogs Leashed
Features
Commonly Bikepacked · Views
ADA Accessible
Easy grade, smooth surface, frequent parking lots, well-placed ADA restrooms (some being permanent structures).
Family Friendly
Educational signage, campgrounds, safety gates at crossings, well-maintained surface, regular patrols by PA DCNR, well-spaced restrooms (often stone, which makes a handy shelter in thunderstorms).
A permit is required to camp along the trail.
Need to Know
Observe details of PA laws on electric bikes. Cell phone service is spotty in Pine Creek Gorge.
Description
The Pine Creek Rail Trail is a trail that runs through Pine Creek Gorge aka the "Grand Canyon of PA." The region certainly lives up to its name, as Pine Creek has carved steep slopes from the Pennsylvania landscape over millennia. Today, the gorge is a beautiful and scenic locale.
A long logging history once stripped this beautiful area of the ancient hardwood and pine forests that had thrived for centuries, though more recent protections from the National Parks Service and the Pennsylvania State Forest Service have made a great impact on the damage of the area. Today, 100 year old trees and a variety of local fauna have returned to the gorge, providing for scenic company to any taking the rail trail. The recovery of the area is a testament to the resiliency of our natural world.
The trail itself is well maintained, and is composed of crushed limestone. One of the reasons for the high quality of its surface is that the trail does double duty as a major corridor in the PennDOT Bicycle Route system.
While most visitors use one of two main trailheads, there are many access points on this trail, making it easy to plan an outing of almost any distance. For those seeking a longer outing, there are many places to camp along the trail and the scenery is amazing. You won't be disappointed by taking this great trail!
Shared By:
Jeffrey Go
with improvements
by Allen Kerkeslager
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