Penns Creek Trail - with Vehicles on it?

skeeter

skeeter

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I fished Penns for the first time on Saturday and we parked near the old bridge along Tunnel Drive, (Poe Paddy St Park Area) to access the Penns Creek trail. We hiked over the mountain since the tunnel was closed and started fishing just down from the old white house, right around the start of the C&R section. About an hour later, I look up from the stream and I see two vehicles parked there on the trail with guys suiting up to fish. I was under the impression from Cherry Run area there was a parking lot with only access by foot beyond, I guess this is not the case. Is the trail accessible by "all" vehicles, i.e. me?
 
I too have seen vehicles there after the tunnel closing. I don't know if it's "legal" for all to do, if some guys maybe have special circumstances, etc.
 
I was there on Sat and saw three or four trucks driving toward the tunnel on the midstate trail as well. The first one I saw looked to be a white DCNR truck, so I didn't think much of it.

I have always wondered if the owners of the cabin below the tunnel have permission to drive on the trail to access the property. I would assume that they would have to walk in over the foot bridge and through the tunnell if not. Perhaps with the tunnel closure making the hike much more significant they are now allowed to drive in from the other end.

What an awesome spot for a cabin by the way - would love to own that.
 
I've met the guys in the white cabin a couple of times. They have permission to drive to the cabin due to the tunnel closure. Normally they would park on the other side of the tunnel and cross the footbridge to access it.
 
Well I don't think it was the owners of the white cabin because where I was fishing from and seen them from was immediately in front of the white cabin. I would think if it were the owners they could pull down to the cabin and park. These guys were in front of the old rail house-like building near the tunnel. The one truck was white and big like DCNR but I was thinking why would someone from fisheries be working on a Saturday ;). I am not trying to make a big deal out of this, just more curious than anything. It did kinda of affect the "remote" feel to the area but it is what it is. I hope they fix that tunnel soon, I wanted to just see what it was like in there in the worst way, what cool architect. Regardless, I fully enjoyed Penns and I can't wait to get back.
 
Old rail house like building? Don't know what you mean by that. I'm referring to the little white cabin on the left as you come out of the tunnel. The windows are usually shuttered when no one is there. It's so far above the creek at that point I'm not sure you can see it while you're fishing. I suppose if those guys have vehicle access to their cabin the people who have the larger cabins down the hill closer to the creek do too.

On a nice spring day I wouldn't be surprised if some DCNR employee was out and about. By the way, DCNR is not fisheries. That would be the PA Fish and Boat Commission and they would certainly be out on a Saturday at the height of trout season. DCNR or PAF&BC would have a logo on their truck door.

One day I was fishing around the middle of the C&R stretch and a whole bunch of vehicles came up the trail. Just when I thought there was going to be a stampede of fishermen to the creek it turned out it was a group, probably TU, doing a stream clean up. Obviously they had access to drive in and haul out what they collected.

Like you, I hope they resolve the tunnel situation. I have gone through it even though it is "closed."
 
Sorry for the confusion. Not sure what the color of the cabins or buildings were but the cabin I was fishing near was here (https://www.google.com/maps/place/40%C2%B050'00.4%22N+77%C2%B024'24.6%22W/@40.833445,-77.406845,2758m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0)

and the old rail house structure by the trail and where the guys parked was here (https://www.google.com/maps/place/40%C2%B050'06.5%22N+77%C2%B024'17.0%22W/@40.835138,-77.404732,2758m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0)

Good catch on the PAFBC. I was thinking DCNR because they were driving the state park.
 
I noticed one truck, a private truck, running that road a couple weeks ago. I figured it was someone from the "Trail's End" camp.
 
First, that cabin does not have a drive going to it's door. There is a pretty good foot path, which comes out right at the mouth of the tunnel. So that tunnel entrance is as close as a vehicle could get to the cabin.

I understood what he meant by the "rail cabin". Not sure why he called it that, but I knew which one it was. I was thinking it was green, or maybe just had a green porch. When you'd go through the tunnel and start walking the trail downstream, it's on your left right next to the trail.
 
The "Trail's End" cabin does not have a drive going right to it's door. That doesn't mean someone can't park near the tunnel and walk the ~100 yards down.
Especially when there was a big tree, felled, and a few pieces cut off the butt log, on said walking trail to the cabin. Who's going to want to carry a chain saw all the way back there? Especially the size of the one used on said tree.

The other cabin, along the railroad bed/road, is all white and recently sided.
 
Like I said, it was my first time there so knowing those details didn't record in my memory all to well. I do recall where I do need to fish again. What was amazing to me about Penns was fishing in really fishy water and not having a single pass or take, then fishing in similar fishy water and catching numerous fish out of one single spot no larger than 4 to 6 square foot seam. It was crazy. I wish I lived closer - so much new water to explore. :)

 
skeeter wrote:
catching numerous fish out of one single spot no large than 4 to 6 square foot seam. It was crazy.

Aw crap! I think you found my secret spot.
 
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