West Rim Trail

Infobox Hiking trail
Name= West Rim Trail
Photo=Pine Creek Gorge Panorama Crop.jpg
Caption=Pine Creek Gorge looking south from a West Rim Trail vista
Location=Lycoming and Tioga Counties, Pennsylvania, United States
Length=convert|30.5|mi|km|1|lk=on
Start/End Points=North: On Colton Road convert|0.5|mi|km|1 south of U.S. Route 6, near the village of Ansonia
South: Pennsylvania Route 414, convert|1.8|mi|km|1 south of the village of Blackwellcite web| url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/Forestry/hiking/westrimmap.aspx |title = West Rim Trail Map |publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources | accessdate = 2008-03-30]
Use=Hiking
ElevChange=
HighPoint= convert|2080|ft|mcite book | title = Guide to the West Rim Trail | edition= 3rd Edition |first = Chuck |last= Dillon |date = 1999 | publisher = Pine Creek Press |location = Wellsboro, Pennsylvania ]
LowPoint= convert|850|ft|m
Difficulty=Moderate
Season=Spring to Fall
Sights=Vistas, Pine Creek Gorge
Hazards=Severe Weather, Poison ivy, BearsThe West Rim Trail is a convert|30.5|mi|km|1 hiking trail along Pine Creek in Lycoming and Tioga Counties in north central Pennsylvania in the United States. The trail runs long the Pine Creek Gorge, also known as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, which is convert|800|ft|m deep and about convert|2000|ft|m wide from rim to rim in its northern end.cite web| url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/hiking/westrim.aspx | title = West Rim Trail | publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources | accessdate = 2008-03-31] The trail is entirely within the Tioga State Forest and is known for its large number of vistas overlooking the gorge, which is a National Natural Landmark. The West Rim Trail was chosen by "Outside Magazine" as its "Best Hike in Pennsylvania" in April, 1996.cite web | url = http://www.wellsboropa.com/pages/welcome/pa_grand_canyon.php | title = The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania | publisher = Wellsboro Chamber of Commerce | accessdate = 2008-03-31]

Geography

The northern terminus of the trail is on Colton Road, convert|0.5|mi|km|1 south of U.S. Route 6, near the village of Ansonia. Ansonia is about convert|6|mi|km|0 west of Wellsboro, the county seat of Tioga County. The northern trailhead is at an elevation of convert|850|ft|m and the trail climbs convert|700|ft|m in convert|2.6|mi|km|1 as it heads south.

The West Rim Trail has many climbs and offers many vistas. It runs generally north-south along the west rim of the Pine Creek Gorge, hence the name. The trail is entirely on Pennsylvania State Forest lands, in the Tioga State Forest. It passes just west of Colton Point State Park, and is across the gorge from Leonard Harrison State Park. The trail runs parallel to the Pine Creek Rail Trail which follows the east bank of Pine Creek, but is some convert|800|ft|m above it at the state parks.

The highest elevation on the West Rim Trail is at convert|2080|ft|m, south of Gundigut Hollow. The trail is on the Allegheny Plateau and is generally at an elevation between convert|1600|ft|m and convert|1700|ft|m. The steepest portion is along Lloyd Run near the southern terminus, where the elevation changes convert|300|ft|m in just convert|0.25|mi|km|2.

Heading south, the trail drops convert|1040|ft|m in the last convert|2.0|mi|km|1 (this includes the steepest portion of the trail). Because of this, most hikers choose to hike from the north to the south. The southern terminus is at Rattlesnake Rocks on Pennsylvania Route 414, where Lloyd Run joins Pine Creek, convert|1.8|mi|km|1 south of the village of Blackwell. The total length of the West Rim Trail is convert|30.46|mi|km|2.

History

The Pine Creek Gorge is believed to have been formed at the end of the Wisconsin glaciation, when retreating glaciers provided large amounts of water and dammed Pine Creek's northward flow. The creek flowed south instead, carving the gorge in a few thousand years.cite book | last = Owlett | first = Steven E. | title = Seasons Along The Tiadaghton: An Environmental History of the Pine Creek Gorge | date = 1993 | edition = 1st Edition | publisher = Interprint | location = Petaluma, CA | id = ISBN 0-9635905-0-2 ]

Portions of the trail follow old abandoned logging roads and railroad grades. These are left over from the 19th and early 20th century when the lumber industry cut down almost all the trees in the area. The state of Pennsylvania purchased the land, often at tax sales after it was abandoned and clear-cut. In the 1930s, some Civilian Conservation Corps work was done in the state forest and state parks, building recreational facilities and making roads.

The Pine Creek Gorge Natural Area was originally convert|8153|acre|ha and extended from Ansonia south to Jerry Run, and from rim to rim of the canyon, plus convert|300|ft|m on each side. In 1968 the Pine Creek Gorge Natural Area was designated a National Natural Landmark. This was expanded to convert|13100|acre|ha in 1993, to include land up to Claymine Road on the east rim and West Rim, Paiter-Leetonia, and Colton Roads on the West Rim. The natural area extends convert|18|mi|km along Pine Creek.

The West Rim Trail opened in 1982, originally as a convert|21|mi|km long trail from the current southern terminus at Lloyd Run and Rattlesnake Rocks to the Refuge Trail. The final convert|9|mi|km of the trail were completed in 1985, extending it to the current northern terminus near Ansonia.

Blazes

The trail is blazed using orange blazes.

References

External links