I've been reading some of the posts to rally routes and see there is quite a few riders fimiluar with Pa. roads. I have a small group leaving from Canton, Oh. and making a camp stop at Locust Lake State Park in Barnesville ( just south east of Bloomsburg ) on our way to NYC. We are looking for a route thats nice and leisurely thru good roads and maybe throw in a place or two to stop for a beer and burger. Also are there any points of intrest along the way, I know this sounds like I want you to plan my trip, but it seems like most of the roads run north and south. Any ideas ?
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Need route from Canton, Oh to Barnesville,Pa
- Thread starter 97095
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gardner17756
Guest
reply
Has anyone replied to your inquiry?
Has anyone replied to your inquiry?
Nope, I'm thinking that everyone see's this as a dumb question, kind of look on the map and find your own way. I was just looking to someone with some knowlege of the side roads in Penn. one that might be better or nicer that the other. I'll get there eather way.
testinglogin
Hogaan!
Many of the good roads run N-S it seems, due to topography. I have covered most of the roads north of I-80 from the Ohio border to just past the rally site.
It depends on how far off-course you want to go as far as what you want to do. An easy run across is to pick up 120 around St. Marys and just run that. It's not overly twisty but still a nice road. There is an alternative to that which cuts into 120 - route 555 (in PA, not the Ohio one), which you would pick up in "Weedville". Slightly west of those routes is 949 just north of Corsica, which runs to Ridgeway. That gets pretty nice as you get into the forest. If you want further north, 666 is a little rough in places but a nice road. I've also caught 6 from Ohio across most of the state. If you detour off 6 to 59 near Warren, PA, you can stop and check out the Kinzua Dam or take a short walk up to the Ridgerock overlook (google it - it's just past the dam on route 59).
Back to route 6 just out of the Allegheny Forest there is Kinzua Bridge State Park. After that, 6 is fine but nothing exciting (watch your speed as I got pulled over in May just past Coudersport, though he was nice enough to let me go - I think it was pity since it was raining pretty good and he had me waiting for a bit from running my plate wrong). Anyhow, if you are that far north, running 44 back south into 120 is nice, or stay on 6 to stop and check out the "Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania", which is the Pine Creek Gorge near Ansonia.
If you decided to run 44, you could go slightly backwards on 144 which is nice around Kettle Creek State Park (good road), or just stick to 44. Either way, you end up near Jersey Shore which is pretty far across. There are some roads in that area as well.
You didn't say if you were looking for paved or not, but if you want to stay on paved roads, AVOID the nice looking road near Emporium called "Steam Mill Rd." It is NOT paved. I rode through there solo (after a heavy rain) and although I found one section of slimy mud, it mostly was forest service/logging type roads (gravel at first, then more hard-packed dirt). Not too challenging, but if you were looking to avoid dirt, that would be one to avoid. It's a pretty long run through there and there are several smaller roads that cut in, so you could get yourself lost without a GPS and/or a good map and sense of direction.
Beyond that, check out some of the routes mentioned and if you are focusing in on a certain area, I'll try to chime in and give some additional suggestions. I'm useless for food stops through there as I've always had breakfast and then not stopped until I was to Jersey shore (or until I was past Clarion if heading home). As for hotels, I generally had left Toledo mid-day and was getting a hotel in eastern PA - I stayed in places like Warren, Oil City, St. Marys, and Clarion, so I can speak to those areas for lodging but they are probably too close for a group starting in Canton, OH.
Hope that helps a bit. I would have provided map links and things but I was hammering this out in a hurry after someone alerted me to your posting. Google is your friend but again, pick a general area and I'll see if I can be more help, and feel free to ask questions about what I typed out.
EDIT: forgot to mention, if you take 120, there is a nice little detour just west of Emporium (zoom in on google maps just west on 120 - it's right before 120 cuts back north to get into Emporium), look for Moore Hill Rd/ State Route 3001. It's a nice little curvy road that will only add about 10 minutes to your trip, but is totally worth it.
It depends on how far off-course you want to go as far as what you want to do. An easy run across is to pick up 120 around St. Marys and just run that. It's not overly twisty but still a nice road. There is an alternative to that which cuts into 120 - route 555 (in PA, not the Ohio one), which you would pick up in "Weedville". Slightly west of those routes is 949 just north of Corsica, which runs to Ridgeway. That gets pretty nice as you get into the forest. If you want further north, 666 is a little rough in places but a nice road. I've also caught 6 from Ohio across most of the state. If you detour off 6 to 59 near Warren, PA, you can stop and check out the Kinzua Dam or take a short walk up to the Ridgerock overlook (google it - it's just past the dam on route 59).
Back to route 6 just out of the Allegheny Forest there is Kinzua Bridge State Park. After that, 6 is fine but nothing exciting (watch your speed as I got pulled over in May just past Coudersport, though he was nice enough to let me go - I think it was pity since it was raining pretty good and he had me waiting for a bit from running my plate wrong). Anyhow, if you are that far north, running 44 back south into 120 is nice, or stay on 6 to stop and check out the "Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania", which is the Pine Creek Gorge near Ansonia.
If you decided to run 44, you could go slightly backwards on 144 which is nice around Kettle Creek State Park (good road), or just stick to 44. Either way, you end up near Jersey Shore which is pretty far across. There are some roads in that area as well.
You didn't say if you were looking for paved or not, but if you want to stay on paved roads, AVOID the nice looking road near Emporium called "Steam Mill Rd." It is NOT paved. I rode through there solo (after a heavy rain) and although I found one section of slimy mud, it mostly was forest service/logging type roads (gravel at first, then more hard-packed dirt). Not too challenging, but if you were looking to avoid dirt, that would be one to avoid. It's a pretty long run through there and there are several smaller roads that cut in, so you could get yourself lost without a GPS and/or a good map and sense of direction.
Beyond that, check out some of the routes mentioned and if you are focusing in on a certain area, I'll try to chime in and give some additional suggestions. I'm useless for food stops through there as I've always had breakfast and then not stopped until I was to Jersey shore (or until I was past Clarion if heading home). As for hotels, I generally had left Toledo mid-day and was getting a hotel in eastern PA - I stayed in places like Warren, Oil City, St. Marys, and Clarion, so I can speak to those areas for lodging but they are probably too close for a group starting in Canton, OH.
Hope that helps a bit. I would have provided map links and things but I was hammering this out in a hurry after someone alerted me to your posting. Google is your friend but again, pick a general area and I'll see if I can be more help, and feel free to ask questions about what I typed out.
EDIT: forgot to mention, if you take 120, there is a nice little detour just west of Emporium (zoom in on google maps just west on 120 - it's right before 120 cuts back north to get into Emporium), look for Moore Hill Rd/ State Route 3001. It's a nice little curvy road that will only add about 10 minutes to your trip, but is totally worth it.
Thanks so much Josh I owe you a beer at the rally, I was giveing up hope on the forum guys. We were looking at a more southern route, we took 6 across Penn last year on our way to the RA rally in Vermont. Like you said nothing exceptional, this in short is what I was thinking. Take 30 out of Canton to 271 out of Ligonier up 53 over to 22 to Mt. Union. 22 up to Lewiston down 74 to the harrisburg area, than 422 up to 222 and stay the night in Kutztown. Just looking at the map there is really no easy west to east route, what do you think ? something in that area, we're leaving a few days early so we can meet up with my neice who lives in Hoboken N.J. the next day. Thanks again for taking some time out of your day.
statdawg
High & Dry
Bloomsburg to NYC ....... Twisted Tourist
<iframe src="http://ridewithgps.com/routes/508084/embed" height="500px" width="100%" frameborder="0"></iframe>
From Bloomsburg you want to take 339 east to Mahanoy City, the intersection is a coal town, but its known for two things. A site where Cable TV began according to a historical marker. The Cable TV Station is a right turn at the light and down a few blocks on your right. Across the street from that is the Molly Maquire Monument, nothing like it any where. When you go east your will go through the towns the Mollies ruled or were ruled but they were part of our nations labor movemnet.
From there I have you on some more twisty roads then you can travel towards Tamaqua and see the old railroad station.
Further east is an interesting coal mine tour in Lansford.
Next is the town of Jim Thorpe and I hope the day is clear from Flagstaff Park, from here you can see the nice town, mountains and the Lehigh Gap. The resort was a popular park for the Dorsey Brothers.
Lots to do in Jim Thorpe just walk around, see the old jail, the train station, the Mansion, rent a mountain bike or do some white water rafting.
Jim Thorpe is a scenic ride from Bloomsburg. It is always featured as one of the best mountain bike places in North America. From the many summit trails one can see the Lehigh Gorge that offers white water rafting, bicycling paths, flyfishing and a train excursion. The town is situated in a tight river valley and was dubbed Little Switzerland of America long before North Caroline and Colorado resorts took the same name. Its the former home of the Packer family, industrialist that owned the Lehigh Canal, Bethlelem Steel, Lehigh Valley Railroad and descendants stretched their reach into health care, and they founded Lehigh University.
The original town was named Mauch Chunk and was later renamed when the destitute wife of Olympic athlete Jim Thorpe was looking for a proper burial place for her husband. The town raised money and he is entombed on a hill not far from village center. The main reason to get Jim Thorpes body to town was the draw to create a major sports complex on the flats of the Leigh River, a grand football stadium and baseball field would attract teams and boost the declining town as king coal was fading as residents were switching to cleaner fuel oil. Thankfully someone remembered the terrible flood that destroyed the canal docks and locks in the late 1800's and thought it wasn't a very good idea. However today the warehouse industry is attempting fate. And the son of Jim Thorpe was trying to have his fathers remains returned to Native American land in Oklahoma for a proper burial but he was buried before it happened. http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=5323950 So I am not sure if this outdoor adventure town will be renamed Mauch Chunk once again. But regardless of coal, sports, historical imporatnce the people here are innovative and will always prosper with the change of fate.
The Packer mansion is worth seeing and the village streets offer many eating and shopping opportunities among its eight national historic buildiings. Race Street looks old world with its many stone townhouses built for the craftsmen that the Packer family employed. There is an attempt to bring back the gravity switchback railroad, Americas first rollercoaster that was once used to bring coal down the mountain from Summit Hill to the Lehigh Canal and later thrill early American tourist before the seat belt era.
Another interesting stop is the old Jail, a few Molley Maquires were hang there, some may have been innocent. For those enjoying the paranormal the place is haunted. Many people catch orbs on their photographs and staff feel being watched and others get touched. For those that don't believe in such things there is a feeling of reverance in the place. The famous hand print that doesn't exist can be seen, the reproduction gallows sit at one end of the block add to the attraction as if the ghost do not wish to be forgotten.
The ghosts of the Molly Maguires are all through the coal region. There is even one warning people in Centralia to stay away from the toxic fumes, another haunts the Bloomsburg Jail and Court House. To learn more of their history read their account. Matter of fact if it were not for their struggle to improve conditions in the mines, the recession of the 1870's, the Latimar Massacre where protesters were killed by Luzerne County Sheriffs and add the mining strike of the early part of the twentieth century our entire national labor enviroment would be differant today. For those that believe in fair wages, benfits and job security ought to thank the coal region of Pennsylvania. All I ask is at least ride our roads.
More info
http://mauchchunkhistory.com/historical.html
<iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3WBapwu_wmc" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen></iframe>
From there I took you on some nice twisty roads. Buck Mountain is used as a Hill Climb event so you can pretend you are in the Alps for a few minutes and the twisties from Weatherly to Bear Creek are fun then RT 115 links you with nice twisty paths to RT 380 slab.
I have you directed around Stroudsburg and into the Delaware Water Gap to see Dingmans Falls. Then on to Milford to eat at the Milford dinner, a famous celebrity hangout as they escape NYC. You can sit in the same spot Josh and Bill Clinton sat in the first booth to your left as you enter.... Bills photo is on the wall but so are many others.
Then its off to see Grey Towers so you can thank the place for saving Americas woods especially the twisted ones you rode through.
From there is been a while I went to NYC from here but I think I liked the way I sent you.
Enjoy !
<iframe src="http://ridewithgps.com/routes/508084/embed" height="500px" width="100%" frameborder="0"></iframe>
From Bloomsburg you want to take 339 east to Mahanoy City, the intersection is a coal town, but its known for two things. A site where Cable TV began according to a historical marker. The Cable TV Station is a right turn at the light and down a few blocks on your right. Across the street from that is the Molly Maquire Monument, nothing like it any where. When you go east your will go through the towns the Mollies ruled or were ruled but they were part of our nations labor movemnet.
From there I have you on some more twisty roads then you can travel towards Tamaqua and see the old railroad station.
Further east is an interesting coal mine tour in Lansford.
Next is the town of Jim Thorpe and I hope the day is clear from Flagstaff Park, from here you can see the nice town, mountains and the Lehigh Gap. The resort was a popular park for the Dorsey Brothers.
Lots to do in Jim Thorpe just walk around, see the old jail, the train station, the Mansion, rent a mountain bike or do some white water rafting.
Jim Thorpe is a scenic ride from Bloomsburg. It is always featured as one of the best mountain bike places in North America. From the many summit trails one can see the Lehigh Gorge that offers white water rafting, bicycling paths, flyfishing and a train excursion. The town is situated in a tight river valley and was dubbed Little Switzerland of America long before North Caroline and Colorado resorts took the same name. Its the former home of the Packer family, industrialist that owned the Lehigh Canal, Bethlelem Steel, Lehigh Valley Railroad and descendants stretched their reach into health care, and they founded Lehigh University.
The original town was named Mauch Chunk and was later renamed when the destitute wife of Olympic athlete Jim Thorpe was looking for a proper burial place for her husband. The town raised money and he is entombed on a hill not far from village center. The main reason to get Jim Thorpes body to town was the draw to create a major sports complex on the flats of the Leigh River, a grand football stadium and baseball field would attract teams and boost the declining town as king coal was fading as residents were switching to cleaner fuel oil. Thankfully someone remembered the terrible flood that destroyed the canal docks and locks in the late 1800's and thought it wasn't a very good idea. However today the warehouse industry is attempting fate. And the son of Jim Thorpe was trying to have his fathers remains returned to Native American land in Oklahoma for a proper burial but he was buried before it happened. http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=5323950 So I am not sure if this outdoor adventure town will be renamed Mauch Chunk once again. But regardless of coal, sports, historical imporatnce the people here are innovative and will always prosper with the change of fate.
The Packer mansion is worth seeing and the village streets offer many eating and shopping opportunities among its eight national historic buildiings. Race Street looks old world with its many stone townhouses built for the craftsmen that the Packer family employed. There is an attempt to bring back the gravity switchback railroad, Americas first rollercoaster that was once used to bring coal down the mountain from Summit Hill to the Lehigh Canal and later thrill early American tourist before the seat belt era.
Another interesting stop is the old Jail, a few Molley Maquires were hang there, some may have been innocent. For those enjoying the paranormal the place is haunted. Many people catch orbs on their photographs and staff feel being watched and others get touched. For those that don't believe in such things there is a feeling of reverance in the place. The famous hand print that doesn't exist can be seen, the reproduction gallows sit at one end of the block add to the attraction as if the ghost do not wish to be forgotten.
The ghosts of the Molly Maguires are all through the coal region. There is even one warning people in Centralia to stay away from the toxic fumes, another haunts the Bloomsburg Jail and Court House. To learn more of their history read their account. Matter of fact if it were not for their struggle to improve conditions in the mines, the recession of the 1870's, the Latimar Massacre where protesters were killed by Luzerne County Sheriffs and add the mining strike of the early part of the twentieth century our entire national labor enviroment would be differant today. For those that believe in fair wages, benfits and job security ought to thank the coal region of Pennsylvania. All I ask is at least ride our roads.
More info
http://mauchchunkhistory.com/historical.html
<iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3WBapwu_wmc" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen></iframe>
From there I took you on some nice twisty roads. Buck Mountain is used as a Hill Climb event so you can pretend you are in the Alps for a few minutes and the twisties from Weatherly to Bear Creek are fun then RT 115 links you with nice twisty paths to RT 380 slab.
I have you directed around Stroudsburg and into the Delaware Water Gap to see Dingmans Falls. Then on to Milford to eat at the Milford dinner, a famous celebrity hangout as they escape NYC. You can sit in the same spot Josh and Bill Clinton sat in the first booth to your left as you enter.... Bills photo is on the wall but so are many others.
Then its off to see Grey Towers so you can thank the place for saving Americas woods especially the twisted ones you rode through.
From there is been a while I went to NYC from here but I think I liked the way I sent you.
Enjoy !
G
gardner17756
Guest
Thank you Statdawg
You did a better a job of replying than what I could have. And on top of that you gave me some destination ride ideas!
You did a better a job of replying than what I could have. And on top of that you gave me some destination ride ideas!
If I owe Josh a beer, I owe you Statdawg two, thanks for all the good ideas. We can take that route in reverce when we leave NYC on wednesday morning, thanks for your time. Dennis
testinglogin
Hogaan!
Thanks so much Josh I owe you a beer at the rally, I was giveing up hope on the forum guys. We were looking at a more southern route, we took 6 across Penn last year on our way to the RA rally in Vermont. Like you said nothing exceptional, this in short is what I was thinking. Take 30 out of Canton to 271 out of Ligonier up 53 over to 22 to Mt. Union. 22 up to Lewiston down 74 to the harrisburg area, than 422 up to 222 and stay the night in Kutztown. Just looking at the map there is really no easy west to east route, what do you think ? something in that area, we're leaving a few days early so we can meet up with my neice who lives in Hoboken N.J. the next day. Thanks again for taking some time out of your day.
I haven't been no the exact roads you're talking about, but I have been through the area before - 220 around Altoona and so on. It looked like a nice area to ride in and I made a mental note to head back and check it out sometime. I was in a hurry to get into Pittsburgh, which is why I didn't venture off the slab. Anyhow, the land to each side of the route looked like what a rider wants to see - hilly. I'm sure you'll have a good ride!
statdawg
High & Dry
If I owe Josh a beer, I owe you Statdawg two, thanks for all the good ideas. We can take that route in reverce when we leave NYC on wednesday morning, thanks for your time. Dennis
Dennis which route are you taking across Pennsylvania the southern or northern ? If you near Harrisburg you ought to go a tad north on Route 11 and take the Millersburg Ferry. This gets you to Rt 209 ......can get you east into the coal region OR take Rt 125 from Hegins to Shamokin ( they say its a great road but locals near me like 339 out of Bloomsburg better ).
http://www.millersburg.com/attractions/ferry.html You can reach it on the west side of Susquehanna River at the Ferryboat Campsite.......its a clean campsite if you need to stay there. http://www.ferryboatcampsites.com/
Rt 125 http://www.motorcycleroads.us/roads/pa125.html
If you like weird Pennsylvania this is a great site to find moto photo ops.
http://outtaway.blogspot.com/
If you are coming the southern route RT 30 is not bad.
GS Jay knows the southwest part of Pa if you need a local.
