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Whitetail Recreational Parking Area reopens after renovations

By JON GERARDI jgerardi@sungazette.com 5 min read

JERSEY SHORE -- The heat was flirting with triple digits, and the fact there weren't many clouds in the sky didn't do those in attendance at the Whitetail Recreational Parking Area any favors in terms of getting shade.

But, despite the heat and sun, nothing was going to make Friday, June 21, a bad day for the numerous guests at the Whitetail Recreational Parking Area.

State representatives Joe Hamm, R-Hepburn Township, and Jamie Flick, R-South Williamsport, in addition to Matt Wise, district director for state senator Gene Yaw, R-Loyalsock, were on hand along with DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn to take part in a ceremonial ribbon cutting to reopen the parking area after being closed for renovations.

"I'd just like to mention the state forest is welcome to all and this access area is an example of how all Pennsylvanians can experience all DCNR has to offer," Tiadaghton District Forester Tom Casilio said.

This year, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro budgeted $8.5 million for investments in parks and forests to help make Pennsylvania a destination for people experiencing trails. In addition, that boost to hiking and coming to trails helps give a boost to local economies and communities as well.

That support for public forests and trails is something that Dunn is beyond happy to see from the governor.

"He believes in investing in public lands. … Oil and gas lease funds for the infrastructure and parks and forests of Pennsylvania," Dunn said. "This was supported by the legislature in a bipartisan manner. We were able to fix up infrastructure in our system.

"We have really evolved and grown, and we'll continue to with the help, guidance and support of our partners," Dunn added. "We can't do what we do without healthy investments in public lands."

Among those improvements included a parking area that accommodates 38 vehicles, lifting the parking site to mitigate flooding impacts, removal of an unused building, a new concrete restroom, a storage building for Pine Creek Rail Trail maintenance and a new trailhead information pavilion.

In addition, native plants and trees were added, which replaced invasive species.

"DCNR, you have stepped to the plate and have hit a home run with your management and funding of this rail trail. There's a lot of credit that needs to be given to the founding members of the Pine Creek Rail Trail board," Pine Creek Rail Trail advisory committee board member George Durrwachter said. "The board was legislatively created so there'd be representation from each county, Lycoming and Tioga, and one of the commissioners would be chair of the committee."

The new concrete restrooms were added to provide hikers and bikers a nice, cleaned rest stop to use throughout the trail.

Durrwachter noted that when he and the advisory committee originally went to petition for a rail trail, there was some hesitancy regarding possible issues it could bring in. Some were concerned about decreased property values. Others thought vandalism would be rampant.

Neither happened and instead, the trail brought in numerous people who love to take in nature and enjoy the scenic views and trail.

"It has been the greatest boost to our economy and businesses I've seen in my lifetime," Durrwachter said.

The Pine Creek Rail Trail is a 62-mile trail which extends from Jersey Shore to the Wellsboro Junction. And there's hopes in the near future to see it connect to Clinton County and Lock Haven, and also to Williamsport.

"DCNR, as a whole, thank you for investing in our community. Pennsylvania has world-renowned hunting and fishing, and we have some of the best trails in this nation. I'm a little partial, I believe Pine Creek Rail Trail is the best in this Commonwealth, and we continue to improve it," Hamm said. "From Jersey Shore to Wellsboro, soon we're going to be connected to Clinton County and Lock Haven and eventually we're going to see Williamsport connected all the way up through."

Hamm pointed out that it isn't simply those who live in and around Jersey Shore that enjoy the trail, but people from New York and all over the Commonwealth who walk, hike or bike the Pine Creek Rail Trail.

"This investment means so much for the Pine Creek Rail Trail, but it means a lot to us that DCNR really invested in the people of this Commonwealth and have given us the opportunity in northcentral Pennsylvania."

While individuals spoke at a podium for Friday's ribbon cutting, numerous people were seen biking or walking on the trail already. It's a credit to what the trail has to offer everyone.

"It's important that when we invest in things like this, we make it easy for people to access and hard for them to say no. You can see everything around here is very well built and very inviting. There's people here already, that's a testament to the use (of trail)," Wise said, who was in attendance on behalf of Yaw. "I pulled in and sent a text to my wife and said we should probably dig our bikes back out. We used to do it all the time, this is encouraging."

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