Although I still have plenty of things to write about our time in Pennsylvania, I want to be sure to include the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon: Pine Creek Gorge. I know you were waiting on the edge of your seats for this one!
Tom and I visited the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, Pine Creek Gorge, in 2007. We did not get there this summer, because it is north of the I-80, close to the New York border. We did not travel that far north in Pennsylvania this year. But the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, Pine Creek Gorge, is well worth a visit.
Pine Creek Gorge is a 47 mile long gorge, cut into the Allegheny Plateau by Pine Creek. The gorge sits in about 160,000 acres of the Tioga State Forest. The canyon begins south of Ansonia, along U.S. Route 6 and continues south. Its deepest point is 1,450 feet at Waterville, near the southern end. At Leonard Harrison and Colton Point State Parks, the gorge is more than 800 feet deep and the distance rim-to-rim is about 4,000 feet. Pine Creek Gorge is a great place for leaf peepers in the fall, because it has a lot of wonderful overlooks.
If you venture into the gorge, a 62 mile long rail-trail runs along Pine Creek. There is white-water rafting and lots of hiking available in the state natural areas, forests, and parks along the creek. You can ride through the gorge in style on the Tioga Central Railroad. In the winter there is cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Something for every heat or cold tolerance!
You can camp in the state parks and private campgrounds sprinkled around the gorge. If you prefer less rustic accommodations, there are places to stay in Mansfield, Wellsboro, and Williamsport. Local hotels range from chains to historic hotels, such as the City Hall Grand Hotel in Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania.
Like the Laurel Highlands, this scenic part of Pennsylvania offers enough to do for a day, a week, or a month. Check out the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, Pine Creek Gorge, and discover this natural beauty for yourself. If you have been there, let me know what you thought and what you did.