My hubby and I have been spending a
lot of time riding our hybrid bikes since we purchased them for each other for
Christmas. We are exploring places we've never even heard of before. Did you
know there is a Rails to Trails in Poe Paddy State Park? This is a place where
I picnicked and camped as a child. Many years ago, there was a railroad that
hauled lumber out of this wooded area. A whole lumbering community of about 400
grew up around this railroad.
This is a short Rails to Trails of a
little over 3 miles. It's a little hard to find, but it's worth the drive and
the search. It's kind of a hidden gem if you like hiking or recreational
biking.
Poe Paddy is a small state park in
Centre County. It's a primitive campsite for tents and small campers. Park in
the Big Poe parking lot and walk or bike up through the camping area. You'll
need to ride on the camp road for about a half a mile. You'll then take a hard
right onto the actual trail.
The trail is gravel and packed
earth. It's not as smooth as some of the larger trails we have biked on, but
it' truly a path through the Pennsylvania mountains. Pens Creek, where some of
the best fly fishing in the country happens in the Spring, meanders below the
trail.
A special feature on this trail is
the tunnel that was blasted right through the mountain. It has had extensive
work done to it. The last time my husband had seen it, it was falling down and
caved in. We met a man who was camping nearby who told us the renovation was a
two million dollar operation. If you ride the trail, make sure you bring some
kind of flashlight. The tunnel is not lighted and even though it's short, it
gets pretty dark in there! Also make sure you talk or sing while inside it. The
acoustics are great!
The trail would be just the right
length for a hike. Since it was a pretty short bike ride, we explored a little
bit and found another short trail where we rode until we got to a washed out
bridged over Penns Creek. We also rode through the campsites to take a look
around.
To round out the day, we drove the
four miles to Poe Valley State Park, This is a bigger state park complete with
a bathhouse, lake, picnic and camping areas as well as a concession stand. We
took a short walk to the breast of the dam and had lunch at the concession
stand, then headed home. It was a great day to get out into the woods, explore
a new Rails to Trails (for us) and get a little fresh air and exercise.
If you go..
Take some sort of flash light
Use some bug spray
Take pictures
Talk and sing in the tunnel
