Pine Creek Rail Trail and the Pine Creek GorgeWhere: Wellsboro to Jersey Shore, the entire trail
When: September 2017
Joël and I do much of our riding with racing in mind. We are logging miles, watching our heart rates, checking elevation. This ride was not about any of that, it was about a family event. Riding with friends and family while enjoying the day and helping others meet their goals. By far, one of the best rides I have ever been on.
To set the stage, what is a rail trail. A rail trail is an old railroad bed that has been converted into a walking/biking/maybe horseback riding path. Usually the surface is crushed and packed cinders or may be paved. There are no climbs, just a gentle low grade (a few percent) one way or the other.
A few of my family members and family friends are rail trail junkies. They travel all over the East Coast to ride different rail trails. My mom, Uncle Bart, and family friend Jayne made it their goal this year to ride the entire Pine Creek trail, from North to South, covering the entire 63 miles in one day. A family adventure weekend was set in motion and off we went to ride.
To do the trail one way we needed to shuttle vehicles. One vehicle was left at the southern end in Jersey Shore. The other vehicle, the van Joël and I have, then transported everyone and their bikes to the northern end where we were starting. But...Joël and I opted NOT to be driven back to our van after reaching Jersey Shore. Since everyone else was heading straight home after the ride, Joël and I opted to save them time and effort and just ride back up to our van. That would mean a 126 mile ride for us. Hey, it's good training.
I will note, if you want to do the trail and not drive your own vehicles around like this, there is a local outfitters that will shuttle your vehicles for you (for a fee of course).
This weekend was not only about riding, it was also about fun times with friends and family. The night before the ride we visited Colton Point to check out the views of the Pine Creek Gorge and then had dinner at Burnin Barrel Bar just outside Wellsboro. Super good food, great beer selection, and just a unique place to hangout and eat. Recommended by all of us I am sure.
Ride morning started with nice temps (low 60s) but was foggy. The first eight or so miles are along swampy, wet farmland which created fog in that area both in the morning and during the night ride on the way back. Cows, goats, and serene fields dotted the landscape.
The Pine Creek Gorge was the geographical highlight of the trip. It is commonly known as "The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania". Steep slopes and rock outcroppings line both sides of the trail. Not uncommon to see Bald Eagles in this area, which we did. Through this section there is a horse and wagon ride that parallels the trail and whitewater rapids occur on the Pine Creek. If one is only going to ride a small section of the rail trail this would be my top recommendation.
After this the trail meanders slightly away from being directly on the bank of the Pine Creek as it passe through quaint, charming towns. In one of these areas is where we stopped for lunch at Wolfe's General Store. The sandwiches are amazing! The country store has all the supplies needed to continue the ride and lots of knick knacks and souvenir type items. Good place to refuel and fill bottle. After a relaxing lunch sitting outside stuffing our bellies, we were ready to continue onward.From here on south we hit a few more little villages. There were impressive rails bridges that the trail went over with a few great views of the Pine Creek. But in general, we were now away from the river and just on what one may consider a typical "rail trail". Along with the villages, houses skirted the trails along with the occasional farm and even roadway. We could tell we were getting close to Jersey Shore.
Just before Jersey Shore the trail becomes paved and all of sudden there is a major highway to cross. Just after that the final kicker of a small incline and then the parking lot at the end looms in the distance. For many of our group that signaled the end...for Joël and I it was just the midpoint.
Besides the great views, tasty lunch stops, and nicely graded surface, there are many other great attributes of the Pine Creek Trail that make it worth riding. Clean bathrooms are located at numerous locations directly along the trail. Potable water pumps are far and few between, but at least they are present. We were fine since it was cool but on a hot day staying hydrated well enough may have been an issue. For those that want to bike pack or backpack along this trail, there are numerous camping areas along right on the trail; most (if not all) require a permit or reservation of some sort. To us, the trail appeared safe, I never got the feeling of being in a sketchy area.
So how was the ride back for Joël and I? It was a fun 63 more miles. As dusk and dark hit, all the animals came out. We saw an Bald Eagle, rattlesnake, toads and frogs, skunk, raccoon, deer, opossum, and I am sure I am forgetting some. During our last few miles up near Wellsboro the fog settled in again which was eerie and surreal at the same time. Our ride ended with dinner in the van comprised of left overs and pre-made pasta salads along with a celebratory beer for a long day on the bike.And what a great day on the bike it was. I'm so proud of my family and friends for accomplishing their goals, Joël and I got in a good day of base miles; and it was all accomplished while have fun with family. Happiness all around.
-Jess