The Pine Creek Gorge; The Pennsylvania Grand Canyon

The Pine Creek Gorge, aka the PA Grand Canyon, is located in north-central Pennsylvania. Being one of Pennsylvania’s top attractions, the canyon draws thousands of visitors every year and does not disappoint. From the quaint, Victorian town of Wellsboro, it spans 45 miles to the south and reaches depths of 1,500 ft in Waterville which is closer to the southern end of the canyon.

Historically, continental glaciers from the north moved rocks and earth that created a dam and as the glacier melted, it created a lake that later transformed into Pine Creek that has been flowing for thousands of years. The Pine Creek carves through the bottom of the Appalachian Mountains to create the gorge with picturesque views, rolling hills, and magnificent waterfalls. As part of the Tioga State Forest, the canyon covers 160,000 acres. It may not be as big as the more notable canyon in Arizona but just as breath-taking.

Activities in the PA Grand Canyon are not in short supply. Wagon ride tours through the canyon, white-water rafting, wineries, theatre, music, and museums are just a few but the number one attraction is the Pine Creek Rail Trail. With biking, hiking, walking/running, skiing, and even horseback riding in some sections on the converted railroad bed, the minimal grade, 62-mile trail offers lots of options. The trail runs from Wellsboro to the north along the Pine Creek at the bottom of the PA Canyon and ends in the Jersey Shore area to the south. At the northern Darling Run access point, the trail enters the PA Grand Canyon and is a popular starting point. From Darling Run to Blackwell, PA, the 16-miles of the trail have no intersecting roads and takes you directly through the secluded canyon.

When I found out that Pennsylvania had its own Grand Canyon, I had to go check it out…it was practically in our backyard since we live in Ohio. As we didn’t hike the whole trail, Herb, I, and Sherman did get a chance to enjoy both ends of the trail and then we drove the middle section. We headed to the canyon for a two-day getaway and planned to cover the whole trail.

Day one, we got a hotel room in Williamsport, PA which is located on the south end of the trail. We started our hike near Jersey Shore at Torbert and headed north. The wide trail, the warm sun, and gorgeous views were more than we expected. Family farms, small acreages, and vast rolling hills lined the trail. We hiked six miles out and back and fell in love with the tranquil beauty around us. The blue sky, lush green foliage, and the Pine Creek running alongside our path made us want more.

Day two, we continued along the Pine Creek as we drove from Williamsport to the PA Grand Canyon just south of Wellsboro. The scenic drive started on Hwy 44 which transitioned to Hwy 414 as we continued north. The day started out foggy but gave way to the sun as the day progressed. We stopped along the creek and watched the sun rise above us and shimmered across the water.

We continued to Waterville and walked across the 221-ft lenticular truss bridge which was built in 1890 for the railroad. Its unique curved top and bottom chords result in a lens-like design that distributes the stress evenly. The iron bridge crosses the Little Pine Creek and is part of the Pine Creek Rail Trail.

At Blackwell, we stopped to stretch our legs and let Sherman put his paws in the creek. At the lower end of the canyon, Blackwell access is a great location to either head north or south on the Pine Creek Rail Trail. A number of bikers and hikers were parking their vehicles for the day and hitting the trail. We also saw a number of people getting out their fishing poles to fish along the creekside.

Once we entered Leonard Harrison State Park entrance, we knew we were in heaven as we were in the center of the PA Grand Canyon. It was beyond our expectations. Located on the east rim of the canyon, the Visitor Center gives way to the platform overlooking the canyon. Its counterpart on the west rim is the Colton Point State Park with just as majestic views of this vast gorge. As we walked the platform, we took our time to take in the beauty around us, the deep cliffs, and the creek below. From left to right, we could see for miles, and it took our breath away. Green lush evergreens lined the walls and hills of the canyon, and we could hear the creek running below us.

We hiked two popular trails in the Leonard Harrison State Park. Open year round, neither trail disappointed. We started from the top of the platform on the 1.0-mile Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania Overlook Trail. The loop trail is considered an easy route that runs along the ridge but has some rough terrain. The trail leads to an overlook to the canyon below and is a great photo opportunity. It then continues inward and winds through nature and layers of moss that makes my heart skip a beat whenever I see it. It only took about 35 minutes to complete the hike, and we were ready for more.

The second trail is the Turkey Path. Rated as moderate, the 1.8 mile out and back trail took us a little over an hour to hike. A very popular trail that is a combination of stunning views and several waterfalls. The trail descends 750 ft to the Pine Creek and the Pine Creek Rail Trail below. The hike is steep but is manageable as it winds back and forth along the hillside. The beautiful waterfalls tucked in along the hillside were show stoppers. As we enjoyed the view from afar, a number of teenagers had made their way to the bottom of the falls to get a closer look. We didn’t think we could make it down to get a closer look so we observed from a distance. Unfortunately, this is as far as we got on the trail. The lowest portion of the trail was blocked so we were not able to continue to the floor of the canyon. On the hike back up the hill, we did have to allow ourselves a couple of stops to catch our breath but we made it. We met a number of friendly people and dogs along the way going up and down which was nice.

With our trip being so quick, we didn’t get to enjoy all that the PA Grand Canyon has to offer. A return trip is definitely on the table…maybe in the Fall.