Pine Creek Valley Early Action Recommendations Prepared for the Pennsylvania FERMATA Department of Conservation Prepared by Fermata, Inc. and Natural Resources August 2005 of Austin, Texas Ted Lee Eubanks/FERMATA, Inc. Front and back cover photos by Ted Lee Eubanks/FERMATA, Inc. Background ` arly Implementation Projects allow DCNR to begin acting Contents on exceptional recreational opportunities and bring new E products and programs to the market before the comple- Background 3 tion of the overall DCNR Outdoor Recreation Plan. FERMATA staff toured the Pine Creek Valley with Joe Fiedor, Jeff Prowant, and Inventory and Assessment 5 Roy Siefert in August and October of 2004. Further information was gathered during interviews with the Tiadaghton and Tioga District Recreation Trends and Markets 11 Foresters and their staffs in September and October of 2004. Recommendations 16 For the purposes of this report, we defi ne the Pine Creek Valley as extending from the intersection of Pine Creek and US Route 6 at Priorities for Implementation 30 Ansonia, south to Route 220 and Jersey Shore. Although the Pine Appendix A Creek Valley proper is limited to that area extending from rim to 33 rim, we also included tributaries such as Slate Run in our consid- Appendix B 36 erations. The Pine Creek Gorge, also known as the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, is defi ned for this report as extending from Ansonia south to Blackwell. Pine Creek Valley - Early Action Recommendations 3 Ted Lee Eubanks/FERMATA, Inc. During the month of March 2005, Ted counties. The meetings were held in Wells- Eubanks and Brenda Adams-Weyant met boro, Slate Run, and Jersey Shore, and were with recreation stakeholders, business well attended by a diversity of interests. We We overwhelmingly heard that protection of the character of owners, and local offi cials in the Pine overwhelmingly heard that protection of the Pine Creek is critical. The people Creek Valley to update them on the prog- character of Pine Creek is critical. The people that live and work here want to ress of the Pennsylvania Wilds Project and that live and work here want to keep it a spe- keep it a special place, where small, charming businesses are solicit their comments regarding the Pine cial place, where small, charming businesses more appropriate than large Creek Early Implementation Project. The are more appropriate than large chain fran- chain franchises. meetings were sponsored and hosted by chises. The comments received from these DCNR and the Tourism Promotion Agen- meetings informed the recommendations cies (TPAs) from Tioga and Lycoming that follow. 4 FERMATA, Inc. Inventory & Assessment ecreation Resources gorge owes its character to glacial events As stated above, the Pine Creek that scoured and deepened Pine Creek. The R Valley extends from Ansonia at US canyon section is the most dramatic rep- Route 6 to Jersey Shore, where the creek resentation of these events, but the whole empties into the West Branch of the Susque- length was subjected to these forces. Leon- hanna River. In this 68-mile section of Pine ard Harrison and Colton Point State Parks Creek, a majority of the land is publicly are located on the rim of the gorge and owned and managed by the DCNR and the provide stunning overlooks, picnic areas, Pennsylvania Game Commission. and campgrounds for area recreationists. The rest of the area is managed by the Tioga The fi rst 17 miles of Pine Creek Valley is State Forest. Road access to this section is Ted Lee Eubanks/FERMATA, Inc. known as the “Pennsylvania Grand Canyon” limited to each end (Ansonia and Blackwell) and is contained within the Pine Creek Gorge and to a primitive township road that ends at State Natural Area (12,123 acres). A portion Pine Creek in the historic town of Tiadaghton of the State Natural Area is designated as a (about halfway between Ansonia and Black- National Natural Landmark (699 acres). The well). Between Ansonia and the Tioga/ Pine Creek Valley - Early Action Recommendations 5 Table 1: Special Area Designations in the Pine Creek Valley Lycoming county line, Pine Creek and portions Name Designation DCNR Unit Miles Acres of some of its larger tributaries have been Name designated as a state scenic river (23 miles). State Natural Area & National Algerine Swamp Natural Landmark Tiadaghton SF 84 Bark Cabin State Natural Area Tiadaghton SF 73 South of Blackwell the Pine Creek Valley wid- Lebo Red Pine State Natural Area Tiadaghton SF 124 Miller Run State Natural Area Tiadaghton SF 4987 ens, yet still retains its deep valley character. Torbert Island State Natural Area Tiadaghton SF 18 A greater portion of this area is private land, Algerine State Wild Area Tiadaghton SF 3700 Wolf Run State Wild Area Tiadaghton SF 6900 which has a pastoral character and is dot- Pine Creek Gorge State Forests, ted with several small communities along its Natural Area Important Bird Area Parks* 12600 State Forests, length. Most public land in this area is man- Pine Creek Gorge National Natural Landmark Parks* 699 State Forests, aged by the Tiadaghton State Forest, with a Pine Creek Gorge State Natural Area Parks* 12163 smaller amount managed by the Pennsylvania State Natural Area & National Reynolds Spring Natural Landmark Tioga SF 1302 Game Commission. The eight State Wild and Pine Creek State Scenic River Tioga SF 23 Natural Areas located along this stretch of * Tioga State Forest, Colton Point State Park, Leonard Harrison State Park Pine Creek offer unique habitats and scenery (17,188 acres). 6 FERMATA, Inc. The Pine Creek Valley offers a variety of rec- reational experiences: canoeing and kayak- ing (mid-March thru May), bicycling, hiking, backpacking, quality trout fi shing, camping, sightseeing, horseback riding, and picnick- ing. Little Pine, Leonard Harrison, and Colton Point State Parks provide a combined total of 159 campsites and 3 camping cottages. The rustic developed campgrounds offered at Tiadaghton, Hoffman, Black Walnut Bot- Ted Lee Eubanks/FERMATA, Inc. tom, and Bonnell Flats provide 46 campsites The Pine Creek Valley has been recognized in USA Today voted the Rail Trail in accessible by canoe, hike, or bike along Pine many national publications. USA Today rated the gorge as one of top 10 places Creek. The Pine Creek Rail-Trail provides 54 in the world to take a bike tour in the Pine Creek Rail-Trail as one of the 10 miles (another 8.5 miles is still in develop- July 2001. Includes Lycoming Co. Great Bike Tours in the world in 2001. Wells- (Sandi Spencer) ment) of hiking, bicycling, and cross-country boro was named the “Top Paddling Town” skiing. Eighteen access areas provide parking by Canoe & Kayak Magazine, and the “Best and direct access to the Pine Creek Rail-Trail Sports Town” by Sports Afi eld Magazine. The and Pine Creek. Over 100 miles of hiking West Rim Trail was named the “Top Hike in trails traverse the region, including the West PA” by Outdoor Magazine. Rim, Black Forest, and Mid-State Trails. Pine Creek Valley - Early Action Recommendations 7 Cultural & Historic Resources The Pine Creek Valley has a rich cultural heritage. The Pine Creek Indian Path linked the Genesee Valley in New York State with a web of other trails through Pennsylvania ultimately connecting Canada and Florida. These ancient routes penetrated the Penn- Elk County Historical Society sylvania Wilds area and provided routes for Community Resources hunting, gathering of wild plants, trading, Limited visitor services are available in the and military activities. The use of these trails Pine Creek Valley. A handful of small inns continued into the lumber era when the fi rst provide overnight rooms, and the same can loggers arrived in the Pine Creek Valley. be said of restaurants. A larger and wider variety of lodging and restaurants can be In the mid-1800s loggers in the region fl oat- found in Wellsboro, and to a lesser degree ed large white pine logs down Pine Creek to Jersey Shore. Outfi tters and guides in the Williamsport for use as ship masts. In the Wellsboro and Jersey Shore areas provide 1880s with the invention of the logging rail- rafting, canoeing, fi shing, and equestrian road, technology allowed woodhicks to reach experiences, equipment sales and rentals, farther into the “Black Forest” to harvest its and shuttle services. rich resources. 8 FERMATA, Inc. By the 1920s most of this area had been cut scaping and picture taking tips. The Environ- over and the land sold at cut rate prices to mental Education Specialists at Little Pine the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Heroic and Leonard Harrison State Parks provide efforts were undertaken to arrest the con- interpretive programs and impromptu inter- fl agrations that raged over the tinderbox of pretation at their parks and along the Pine slash and brush that covered the hillsides. In Creek Rail-Trail. A PowerPoint presentation the 1930’s, the Civilian Conservation Corps on Pine Creek is available for viewing at the assisted in this fi re fi ghting effort and helped Leonard Harrison State Park Visitor Center. reclaim the land by planting millions of trees, Tioga State Forest rangers carry a wildlife- stabilizing soil erosion, and building many watching kit in their vehicles for impromptu miles of roads and recreation areas. interpretation. The visitor contact station at Darling Run displays some old photographs Interpretation of Tiadaghton that date to the early 1900s. Seven low profi le signs interpret different aspects of the Pine Creek Gorge at Leonard Visitation Harrison State Park. The signs cover the fol- Visitor attendance fi gures are not collected lowing subjects: Civilian Conservation Corps, on State Forest land. Many access areas Bald Eagles, Pine Creek geology, seasonal along Pine Creek are fi lled to capacity on changes, Pine Creek landmarks, natural land- summer weekends.