Pine Creek Rail Trail, PA - Day 1

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Pine Creek Rail Trail - Pine Creek Valley

Pine Creek Rail Trail - Susquehanna Valley

Tiadaghton State Forest - Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 41.20178, -77.27938

Pine Creek Rail Trail Trailhead Parking in Jersey Shore, PA

TRAIL MAP: 

Pine Creek Rail Trail Map - Penn Wells

Bob Webber/Pine Cliff Trail Hike

DISTANCES: 

Day 1:

Shuttle:  Pine Creek Outfitters from Jersey Shore to Blackwell

Bike: Blackwell to Bob Weber Trail - 15 miles

Hike: Bob Weber Trail and Pine Cliff Trail Loop - 4.75 miles

Bike: Bob Weber Trail to Jersey Shore - 22.4 miles

Overnight: Gamble Farm Inn and Suites in Jersey Shore

Day 2:

Drive: Blackwell Trail Parking

Bike: Blackwell to Turkey Path - 12.7 miles 

Hike: Leonard Harrison State Park Turkey Path and Otter View - 3.2 miles

Bike: Turkey Path to Darling Run to Blackwell - 19.9 miles

The plan was to bike to the beginning of the Pine Creek Rail Trail in Wellsboro before heading back but because of incoming storms I had to cut it short - was almost there with just 9.5 miles to go.

THE BIKE AND HIKE: 

For my birthday weekend I decided to do something epic and epic it was.  

Pine Creek Outfitters Shuttle Pickup at the Jersey Shore Parking Lot

The shuttle dropped me off at Blackwell for the start of my southbound bike.

Coming out of the parking lot a right on the road comes to the trail crossing where to the left is north and to the right is south.

To the right heading south.

Once I was able to pass this large Mennonite family ...

... it was smooth sailing.

Pine Creek

The rail trail passes various hiking trails.  I had hiked the Golden Eagle Trail in 2019.

The trail crosses Route 414 several times.

But most crossings are just quiet access roads.

A great portion of the trail was in the shade with a few full sun sections here and there.

Passing by the Pine Cliff Trail where I would be coming from later during the hike.

A little over a mile ahead, right into the Ross Run parking area ...

... where I locked my bike to the kiosk because there were no bike racks.

Changed in to hiking shoes and off to the Bob Webber Trail across the street.

There is 1300 feet elevation gain over about 1.5 miles.  It is the sustained uphill that makes your heart pound in your ears.

Passing the Pine Cliff Trail that I would take on my way back down.

There is a bit of a flat stretch ...

... before the trail switchbacks up steeply.

Mountain laurel in bloom.

After a long flat section at the top to ...

Wolf Run Bald Vista

This overlooks the area where I had hiked the Golden Eagle Trail.

Heading back down is hard on the knees even with trekking poles.

Turning right on the Pine Cliff Trail.  The trail descends to a fork; the overlook is to the left.

This descends steeply and the trail is not very well maintained and is apparently not used much.  I was wondering if it was worth the descent to maybe find the overlook overgrown?

But the trees seemed to be thinning coming up on the rock formations so I kept going.

Oh yes, there is definitely something here.

Wow!  It is a shockingly gorgeous overlook.

I returned to the fork and instead of climbing back uphill and retracing on the Bob Webber Trail with that long steep section, I continued on the Pine Cliff Trail because the topo map showed a much smother switchback down to the rail trail.  But, it was really not maintained and there were some downed trees to navigate over.

The trail switchbacks to the left following at a higher level along Wolf Run with an old blue blaze still visible.

There are some eroded sections of trail that are a bit tricky but doable.

And then there is the Sea O' Stinging Nettle.  OUCH.  I keep witch hazel wipes in my backpack and once through the stinging nettle wiping down with one of those instantly stops the stinging.

Wolf Run

The trail opens back up and just after ducking under that downed tree up ahead ...

... a left on the Pine Creek Rail Trail.

Now it's a little over a mile of walking in full sunlight ...

... back to the bike to switch back in to biking gear.

So refreshing to get back on the bike after a hot and sweaty hike!

I stopped at the Wagon Wheel for a birthday glass of wine but they did not serve wine was there was not much call for it.

Well then, it will just have to be bourbon!  Funny how my knees no longer hurt when I got back on the bike afterwards.  So we'll just say this was for medicinal purposes.

I took the trail on the left just before the bridge ...

... to McConnell's Country Store.

I bought a cold drink and an ice cream sandwich.

Now on to Jersey Shore.

Cedar Waxwing

Back at the Jersey Shore parking lot.

I drove a few miles to Gamble Farm Inn and Suites where they had put me in a room ON THE THIRD FLOOR!!!!  There is no elevator.  It was multiple trips up three flights of steps with luggage and a heavy cooler, made even more exciting by the white pickup truck backed up almost completely to the door.  Then, of course, it all had to be hauled down in the morning.

The furnishings are old and worn but the room was nice enough and air conditioned.  The bathroom was modernized.  There was also a kitchenette with a fridge and microwave.