View Full Version : Info needed on Little Grand Canyon in Pennsylvania
I'm driving through Pa on the way to Chicago from NYC area and I've got about 4-5 hours allotted for a stop at the Little Grand Canyon.
Im looking for some advice on where exactly I could:
1- do a short hike to make the most of my short visit
2- any driving route to best see the gorge
3- any great place to eat
Thanks in advance!
Professor Paul
08-16-2017, 02:24
The West Rim Trail is nice. Its name is descriptive, too: it sidles right along the rim, sometimes uncomfortably so. It's a very nice spot in an all round beautiful area. NW Pennsylvania is severely underappreciated. It's surprisingly remote. There are places out that way that are even nicer than the Grand Canyon in my view, but you can't go wrong by sticking to your current destination. No need to seek out drives. Driving to there and away from there will be plenty scenic without needing to add weird little side roads. That said, roads that are pretty major and nice that come to mind offhand include US 6, Penn 120 (SW from where you'll be by a bit) and Penn 566 and 666.
Every place to eat I could find was a bar with burgers and beer; they were all fine. I found two steakhouses. One was good but expensive right on 6 near the Grand Canyon; I stuck with appetizers due to the price, but the food and atmosphere were worth a visit. I forget the name but it was hard to miss and all by itself; it had a biggish liquor store associated with it and I think they did cabin rentals. Everyone does up there, it seems. I found another steakhouse, I think in Dubois, where the steak was good but the wine list was Riunite and Sutter Home. I got a beer.
Professor Paul
08-16-2017, 02:25
Of course I now notice this question was asked 6 years ago...
Spirit Walker
08-16-2017, 10:59
How on earth did this thread resurrect itself? I've heard of zombie threads, but usually someone brings it up.
No, it was asked yesterday. He joined the forum 6 years ago, your advice is in fact timely!
Give these guys a call for some advise and a map for the area's hiking trails. www.pinecrk.com I've used them twice for shuttles and they seem like a good crew. The Professor is right the NW to N. Central areas of PA are beautiful with some of the states best trails. The Black Forest Trail being my favorite.
LittleTim
08-17-2017, 23:18
NYC to Chicago?
If you are taking I-80, it could possibly take you 4 hours just to get to Colton state park and back on the highway (going up rte 15 to wellsboro, then to astonia and back). The West Rim Trail offers several nice vistas from the park then headed south, you could do an easy out-and-back that way.
Another alternative that's in the same neighborhood is going north on 44, then 414 to blackwell and having the southern terminus of the West Rim Trail as well as The Mid-state Trail and a handful of others right there. Not exactly the little grand canyon, but very spectacular in its own way. And if you enjoy driving for the fun of driving, these side roads are great to cruise down.
Professor Paul
08-17-2017, 23:57
How on earth did this thread resurrect itself? I've heard of zombie threads, but usually someone brings it up.
That's what I get for typing at 2:30am...
cmoulder
08-28-2017, 07:45
If you can only do part of the WRT, do the NORTH end, for sure! :D
Wellsboro Diner is a must.
I'm driving through Pa on the way to Chicago from NYC area and I've got about 4-5 hours allotted for a stop at the Little Grand Canyon.
Im looking for some advice on where exactly I could:
1- do a short hike to make the most of my short visit
2- any driving route to best see the gorge
3- any great place to eat
Thanks in advance!
If you are willing to include the US 6/Wellsboro area corridor:
1. Barbour Rock is the finest single Pine Creek Gorge vista regardless of hike length. It's at the junction of the 1.5 mile handicapped-accessible (I know what you're thinking, it's not that bad) Barbour Rock trail (from Colton Road, note parking lot is on other wide of Colton Road from the trail) and West Rim Trail. To get on Colton Road (narrow paved), turn off of US 6 at the oil spot in the road called Ansonia which is west of Wellsboro. You could make that hike a 2.5 mile balloon with the "old" trail - when you go in, new hc trail turns sharp right, "old" trail continues straight, then turn right when you come out on orange blazed West Rim Trail. Also, you could do a circle hike of 4-ish miles using the yellow blazed nature trail from the back of the parking lot, turn left on West Rim Trail and watch the scenery build up to Barbour Rock and use the hc trail or the old trail to return to the car.
2. Continue on Colton Road into Colton Point State Park where the Rim Trail (even though it's on the west rim, this is not part of West Rim Trail which bypasses the state park entirely) circles around about 1.5 miles to all the overlooks, most of which you can also see from the car.
3. The choices in Wellsboro are basically burgers and beer or burgers and no beer. Yorkholo Brewing in Mansfield (right on Business US 15 a block north of US 6) gets a little more creative in what goes with your beer. Wellsboro Diner is IMHO overrated (the diner car is well located, that's about what I can say for it): more reliable choices for me are Timeless Destination (beer) also on Main St, Harland's local place (no beer, I think) on a side street. Wellsboro House brewpub on Charleston St is ok, though I prefer Yorkholo over in Mansfield.
Things not to do on an agenda like this: a. Go to Leonard Harrison State Park, the views are inferior from a lower point on the east rim, although it is next to a petting zoo. b. Don't be excessively tempted by forestry roads off of PA 414, those offer a lot of dust eating for not really any better views.
If you are sticking closer to I-80, note that I-180 and US 220 make a four-lane almost-but-not-yet-entirely expressway loop with I-80. Just west of the Pennsylvania town of Jersey Shore, PA Route 44 leaves the expressway at an interchange aptly labeled "Pine Creek."
1. A less well known hike by far would start from the Pine Creek rail trail (PCRT) parking lot at Ramsey on PA 44 (which is very small, overflow is south on 44 about a quarter-mile), follow PCRT (which here is also Mid State/Great Eastern Trail) south over the railroad bridge, either scramble up 1st trail to right or wait until the blazed turn a little further down around the rail-trail bend, right on Tiadaghton Trail to Kline Ridge 360 degree view of Pine Creek up, down, and around, and rimmed by high plateau all around. With less driving involved, you could extend your hike all the way up TiaT to Waterville, circle right to cross Pine Creek on road bridge and rejoin the rail trail for shorter return through Waterville itself.
2. PA 44, and PA 414 from Waterville to Blackwell lets you see it from below. The Bob Webber trail is short and steep to a good vista, Golden Eagle trail is a 9 mile classic circuit (I think it's most satisfying clockwise, leaving the iconic Ravenshorn to near the end, watch for rattlesnakes here)
3. Waterville is a 2.5 block rural crossroads hamlet but offers Waterville Tavern, a better burger than you can find in Wellsboro, and also beer. The Happy Acres restaurant next to the entrance to Little Pine State Park has surprisingly creative cuisine, they've embraced the gas fracking workers' Cajun and mixed it in with the usual standard burgers and such, also with beer.
If you stick to the south end of Pine Creek Gorge driving, instead of in and out on 414 you could make a balloon drive 44-414 to Blackwell-287 south to English Center-Little Pine Creek Rd back to 44 at Waterville. 287 is kinda boring but much more direct. The trailheads are off of 44, 414, or Little Pine.