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Chapter III Access and Trails |
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Chapter III Access and Trails |
Many miles of rail trail along the River have been traditionally used by local residents to access the River for walking, cycling, fishing or canoeing. The property owners are protected from liability under Public Law 1860, which limits liability when private property is open without charge for public recreational access.
Lower Corridor and Confluence Area
The confluence of the Lackawanna and Susquehanna rivers can be viewed from Susquehanna Avenue in West Pittston. Visible above the confluence is Campbell's Ledge, a scenic cliff cut away by the glaciers which carved the water gap in the West Mountain range. To reach the confluence itself, turn onto Coxton Road off Main Street between Duryea and Pittston junction. After passing under the railroad tracks and crossing the River on the Coxton Road bridge, turn left and follow the dirt road towards the Coxton rail yard s and park where the road bears left under the rail yard bridge. Walk along the footpath on the Lackawanna's west bank for a thousand feet to the confluence. Here you will encounter topsoil pits and a heavy stand of riparian forest with large river birch, maple and sycamore trees. Be careful during wet weather or high water flows! You may notice the orange coloration in the waters and shoreline of the Lackawanna River, this is the "yellow boy" or iron oxide staining from the mine discharge upstream. The orange plume follows the east bank of the Susquehanna down through the Nanticoke Gap.
Back at Coxton Road, the Duryea mine outfall is visible entering the Lackawanna on the east bank. Just up Coxton Road, you will see the Lower Lackawanna Sanitary treatment plant. Several hundred feet past the plant, Coxton Road turns left to follow the Susquehanna to Newton Township and Falls. To the north at this spot a reach of abandoned Lehigh Valley Railroad heads up through several hundred acres of flooded top s oil pits to Stevenson Street in Duryea and Connells Patch in Old Forge. There are numerous footpaths through this area known locally as the Duryea Swamps. While the River is not fishable, there are channel cats and other warm water species that have bee n stocked in the flooded topsoil pits. The Plan for the Lackawanna Heritage Valley envisioned a confluence park or a waterfowl/wildlife management area as a long term use of this region.
Heading upstream, turn west off Main Avenue at Union Street just north of the Old Forge\Duryea Borough line. (That is also the Lackawwanna\Luzerne County border.)
Park in the empty lot at Main and Union Streets next to the Popple Brothers Colliery sign. Walk over the Union Street bridge and look upstream. This reach of river exhibits numerous outcrops of the Moosic anticline, a folded geological structure which runs perpendicular to the Lackawanna Valley syncline.
The waters of the Lackawanna upstream are a crisp gray blue with froth and foam from the rapids as the River courses over the crest of the anticline. But, you will notice something else from the railing of the Union Street bridge. A concrete box culvert appears along the west bank. Just above the bridge abutment, the infamous Old Forge Bore Hole pours over one-hundred thirty million gallons of mine drainage a day into the Lackawanna.
While there are a dozen smaller tunnels draining mine water into the River from Peckville to Forest City, the Old Forge Bore Hole is the granddaddy of mine drains on the Lackawanna! The River and shoreline turn a bright orange, the coloration noticeable downstream. The Old Forge Bore Hole drains all of the flooded mine tunnels from Olyphant through Scranton and Taylor. The drain was installed by the Bureau of Mines in 1960 after the Glen Alden, Moffat, and Hudson Coal companies turned off their pumps and underground mining ended.
From Old Forge and Moosic to Taylor, the Lackawanna River is bordered by two active railroads. On the west, the Pocono Northeast line runs from Taylor to Pittston on the former DL&W Bloomsburg Branch. On the east, the Delaware and Hudson/Canadian Pacific runs from the Taylor yards, crosses the River on an old Central Railroad of New Jersey truss bridge and runs through Moosic. Due to the active nature of these rail lines, only the adventurous walker or cyclist should venture through this reach of river corridor.
There are extensive flood control levees in Moosic near the confluence of Springbrook. Footpaths along the Moosic levee can be accessed near the Little League field off Dupont Street, turn west off Main Street. There are two river corridor access areas in Taylor. The first is from the cemetery below East Atherton Street, three blocks east of Main Street. This access to the Taylor - Old Forge river corridor offers several views of the Lower Lackawanna Gorge. High hillsides, active rail lines, and abandoned mine lands present hazards to be considered before venturing into this area - but the views, solitude and wildlife observation opportunities can reward the cautious day hiker.
The upper Taylor access area is located at Depot Street, an eastern turn off Main near the old Moffat breaker. Depot Street crosses the very active D&H/CP Railroad yard at the Taylor station. Watch out for the locomotive! Switching operations may delay your crossing of the tracks. Follow the dirt surfaced roadway passing to the left of the station building and you will encounter the abandoned Central Railroad of New Jersey and the Lackawanna River. Parking space is available at this location. To the south, the rail bed ends at a junction with the active D&H/CP tracks as they pass under the Taylor - Minooka bridge.
The Scranton Reach
Looking north you will see a metal gate and three small girder bridges spanning Keyser Creek which flows into the River at this spot. The CNJ rail trail follows the River for three miles to Lackawanna Avenue in Scranton. The trail is open and passable by foot or bicycle. The trail passes a recently abandoned strip mine site. A climb to the top of the mine site will open a vista looking upstream into South Scranton. The Scranton Sewer Authority treatment plant is visible across the River.
For the next mile and a half, the trail passes below the Baker Colliery, a large red ash processing site. The Elliot plant occupies the eastern bank of the River here. This industrial complex sits on the old Scranton Steel Mill site dating back to the 1870's. Some of the slag piles from the steel works are encountered along the CNJ Trail. The Elliot plant itself was built by the Scranton Plan project of the Chamber of Commerce in 1943. Financed through the War Production Board, the plant produced wings for Boeing B-29 superfortresses that helped end the war in the Pacific.
When Elm Street in South Scranton is approached, the access to the trail is blocked by junked cars at Danny's Garage. There are also guard dogs here so be careful! The acquisition of the CNJ property for the Heritage Trail occurred in 1998, opening the right-of-way at this location. The Pennsylvania Power and Light Company is installing the new Hoffman - Minooka high voltage line along 1,600 feet of CNJ in the vicinity of Elm Street. The CNJ trail is now open from Elm Street north to 7th Avenue.
From Elm Street the CNJ passes north along a ledge above the River. The ledge is an outcrop of sandstone and shale of the Llewellyn formation. Watch out for poison ivy along this area. The William T. Schmidt Recreation Complex, also known as the Southside ball fields, lies at the upper end of this CNJ Trail segment along Broadway Street. The ball field was once the site of the CNJ roundhouse and engine yard.
Roaring Brook, the largest tributary to the Lackawanna, joins the river to the south of the ball field on the east bank. Roaring Brook and the River itself are encased in concrete and riprapped levees through the South Scranton area. These flood works were built in the 1960's in response to the Hurricane Diane floods in 1955.
You can see the levees and flood walls up close. They are easily accessed to the rear of the Southside Shopping Plaza. Cross the Elm Street bridge to the CNJ to view the graffiti murals painted on the flood walls recently.
Going north across Broadway Street, the tennis courts and swing sets of the Schmidt Recreation site lay to the riverside of the trail and to the west is the Lower Bellevue neighborhood. Past this area the trail becomes rugged and a cliff rises to the Bellevue neighborhood. Across the River is the old Scranton Gas Works.
The CNJ trail terminates between Bridge 60 and Lackawanna Avenue in Scranton. Bridge 60 is the large railroad bridge crossing the River at Steamtown. Do not cross this bridge, access is restricted. The city recently removed the old Cliff Street bridge nearby. Much of the river corridor through the central Scranton area has limited access due to steep slopes, retaining walls and active rail lines.
The river corridor is accessible along Love Road on the west bank off Olive Street near the new Mulberry Street Bridge. In 1997-98, the Corps of Engineers will be constructing a levee from the new bridge upstream to North Scranton near Diamond Avenue and Wood Street. The levee will have a trail on it to facilitate an important link in the Lackawanna River Greenway.
The LRCA and LVC have developed a half mile of the Trail on the O&W Railway from Market Street (next to Rudy's Junkyard) to Depot Street and Dean Street in the Plot. Access this beautiful reach of River Trail from Depot Street or from the LRCA office in the Silkman House, the Providence Branch of the Scranton Public Library, 2006 North Main Avenue.
The Mid-Valley to Carbondale
For many years Dickson City residents have enjoyed some measure of flood protection and a recreational trail along a levee constructed by the state after the 1942 floods. This trail is easily accessible along Boulevard Avenue from the Elm Street Park near where Boulevard Avenue crosses the River from lower Throop or from Palonia Park closer to Dickson City corners. The Marjol superfund site and remnants of the Eddy Creek Colliery present hazards and restrict access on the east bank of the River from Throop to Olyphant.
The next easily accessed section of the River is at the Lackawanna Avenue bridge by the Anchor, at Blakely Corners where the borough boundaries of Olyphant, Dickson City and Blakely meet. Hulls Creek, which rises in Scott Township enters the River here.
Blakely and Olyphant enjoy some of the most accessible reaches of river in the valley. Philip Condella Park in Olyphant has a recently improved trail which passes along the river corridor through a successional riparian forest. At the northern end of Condella Park the trail crosses the River to Robert Mellow Park in Blakely.
The Heritage Valley Crossing bridges the River to join the parks and is the first official link in the Heritage trail. When you cross the bridge notice that each of the three-hundred native oak planks has a memorial plaque. The plaques recognize the many individual s, businesses or families who have helped to fund the bridge.
Robert Mellow Park is easily accessible off Main Street and Pa Route 247 just beyond Valley View Cougars Stadium. North of Mellow Park the River is accessible from upper Peckville to the Winton section of Jessup on the abandoned Ontario and Western Railroad. The Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority worked with local municipalities and the LRCA to develop the Heritage Trail from Blakely to Archbald along the River. This reach of trail opened in October 1999.
The O&W trail is encountered at the intersection of Hill Street, Jessup and North Main Street, Peckville where "Deckers Bridge" crosses the River. After a brief walk north to the vicinity of a PP&L substation you will notice a beaver dam along the river bank. The orange coloration of mine drainage is evident in the wetland. Walk over the power line right of way towards the east at the upper end of the wetland and you will see the Gravity Slope acid mine drainage outfall, source of the orange water.
The O&W continues on to Winton Street, to the rear of the Riverside Estates subdivision. The Heritage Trail will follow Winton Street across the River to River Street. Follow River Street to the end of pavement and you will find "Dark Valley Road", a dirt path running on high ground between the River and the Lackawanna County Rail Authority's main line. Here the trail follows along Dark Valley passing below the Archbald Co-gen plant before arriving at the dead-end of Laurel Street in Archbald.
The David Maslyar Park on Laurel Street in Archbald is an excellent river access and trail head location for a variety of recreational activities. The Lackawanna River fourteen-mile Canoe-a-thon run starts at Maslyar Park. There is plenty of white water in the four miles down to Peckville. This reach of river is the heart of Class "A" Trophy Trout waters.
Maslyar Park is also reached by turning east off Main Street, crossing the Monroe Street bridge and turning right on Laurel. The park is one block south.
The Heritage Trail passes through Maslyar Park and back onto the O&W rail bed by an old bridge abutment. The trail is open except for one block near the new borough building.
After passing Gilmartin Street the O&W/Heritage Trail is open al l the way to Delaware Street in Jermyn. Watch out for the puddles! This reach of trail passes the LRBSA Archbald plant, the confluence of Aylesworth Creek, and the remains of Powder Mill Dam. River access is spotty through Jermyn and Mayfield. Flood control channelization and a drop structure a concrete waterfall) are an impediment to canoe or kayak passage at Poplar Street in Mayfield. Both sides of the River are accessible from just above Poplar Street. A trail runs on the east bank levee from the borough hall to the Valley View Elementary Center. The O&W rail bed runs along the west bank to the National Institute for Environmental Renewal near Route 6.
The O&W rail bed has been sold off and built upon through Childs into Carbondale on the west. The east bank has remnants of coal mine rock dumps. It is steep and inaccessible to Cottage Avenue.
The River is easily accessed at many points through downtown Carbondale. We can pick up the O&W again behind the Ben Mar Restaurant along North Main Street. Racket Brook enters the River here. This was the location of the D&H Gravity Railroad's shops in 1829. John Street follows the D&H along the River to a bridge crossing to the west bank at the D&H yards. The O&W passes parallel to the River here, running for one mile to Belmont Street and Route 171 near the Gentex Plant in Simpson.
Simpson to Stillwater
The River is accessible in Simpson at the upper end of the Carbondale yards where Morse Avenue crosses to the west just off Route 171. This leads to the upper end of the Lackawanna County main line and the beginning of the thirty-one mile
D&H rail trail to Forest City, Union Dale, Thompson and Starucca.The O&W follows the east bank of the Lackawanna from Simpson to Stillwater. It is used to access the River and adjacent private hunting tracts in the vicinity of Panthers Bluff Creek. To access the O&W from Route 171 north, turn right on Reservoir Road immediately before the Simpson viaduct and turn left immediately onto Homestead Street. Drive 300 feet and look for the O&W trailhead access to the left by the sign. The O&W is accessible as part of the Rail Trail Council's thirty-two-mile D&H Trail from Simpson through Forest City Lanesboro on the Upper Susquehanna River.
The hiker or cyclist will encounter Panthers Bluff Creek about two miles north of the trailhead at Simpson. The Creek falls down a steep ravine from Moosic Mountain. Hemlock and rhododendron overhang the creek as it cascades down the mountain. For the adventurous there is a remnant of Shepards Crook turn on the D&H Gravity on the mountain above.
Just to the west of Panthers Bluff, along the D&H, there is a scenic double waterfall on the River. A large outcrop of sandstone splits the River in two; below the falls is a deep pool. Unfortunately, this spot has become popular with the party crowd. Watch out for litter and broken glass.
The D&H and O&W run parallel to Forest City. There is a lot to explore in this area. The D&H crosses the River back and forth several times and the bridges are dangerous. Access to this remote area is restricted. Be careful.
The rail trails cross PA 247 on either side of the River between Forest City and Browndale. The Rail Trail Council of Northeast Pennsylvania (RTC) now owns the D&H. The D&H and portions of the O&W are open for mixed recreational trail use. Call the RTC office at (570) 785-7245 for updated information and a map.
Above Forest City, PA Route 171 follows the River through the "Lackawanna Water Gap" at Stillwater Cliffs. Some of this area is accessible from the O&W trail where it intersects Route 171 one and a half mile north of Forest City. Again, you should respect posted private property. However, some of the rail bed is in common local usage.
The "Lackawanna Water Gap" is the passage the River takes off the Allegheny\Pocono plateau where it rises. The gap was carved by glaciers during several ice ages is the passage the River takes off the Allegheny\Pocono plateau where it rises. The gap was carved by glaciers during several ice ages. The River follows its course into the great valley beyond. Old Stillwater Lake, part of the water supply of Forest City, lies to the north of Stillwater Cliffs where Route 171 crosses to the east side of the River. This lake was reduced in size when Stillwater Dam was built one mile north in 1960. The Stillwater Lake area is prime waterfowl habitat.
Follow 171 north to reach Stillwater Dam. There are parking areas, picnic tables and pedestrian access at the dam. The east and west branches of the Lackawanna join at Stillwater. The dam carries a shallow pool which floods the confluence. During the snow melt from the Blizzard of the Century in 1993, Stillwater was filled to the brim showing that even the best flood control dam has an upper limit of effectiveness.
The village of Union Dale is located at the tail waters of the dam. The upper watershed spreads over eastern Susquehanna and northern Wayne County. Elk Mountain with its well known ski area raises to the west at 2,684 feet above sea level. It is the highest point in Pennsylvania between the Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers. The headwaters plateau area is one of the more scenic areas of Pennsylvania with numerous glacial lakes, ponds and wetlands, small village crossroad s and bucolic farmsteads scattered among wooded hillsides. All season recreational opportunities abound.
A final note on accessing the Lackawanna River corridor. Forty miles of river offer a variety of recreational and aesthetic experiences, many areas are open for common local usage.
The LRCA encourages responsible and discrete use of the River and its corridor. Please respect private property and The LRCA encourages responsible and discrete use of the River and its corridor. Please respect private property and use caution in remote areas. During the next several years as the Heritage Trail and D&H Trail are developed, access to the river corridor will be greatly improved.
