Does anyone have info on Penns Creek Poe Paddy Tunnel

[LBCaddis]

Just wondering if anyone has information on the old railway tunnel at Poe Paddy that was closed last year. Last year I talked with some DNR guys who said it was a priority project. The temporary Billy Goat trail over the top was not that easy.

 

[pcray1231]

Nothing since early fall, but it was still closed then.

It wasn't really that hard. A minor annoyance. I kind of hoped the trade off would be lower pressure on the other side, but can't really say that I saw much difference.

Not many crossed the trail, but a fair number came down from the Swift Run access, and more came from below (yes, they drove up).

 

[MrMustard]

pcray1231 wrote:
Nothing since early fall, but it was still closed then.

Just out of curiosity, was the tunnel blocked off when you were last there? Last time I saw it, which was early June of last year, there was nothing blocking access to the tunnel and people were using it freely. I had assumed at the time that if it was blocked at one point, the barrier had been removed by some unhappy fisherpeople.

 

[pcray1231]

I was there the last week of May, and again in the early fall. Both times the tunnel was shut off. There was evidence that someone cut a man-sized hole in the blockade, and then it was re-sealed.

And that someone may have been someone at the jam (no, not me).

Throughout the summer, there were news stories about the DCNR trying to get funding to restore the tunnel, but they all stated that it would not be done last summer. I also have friends who were there in June and it was CLOSED.

I think you must be thinking of a different tunnel. We're talking about the one at Poe Paddy. Where you park at the Lykens Valley camp, cross the walking bridge, and the tunnel is ahead. It is part of the mid-state trail.

 

[MrMustard]

Interesting. Yeah, I'm thinking of the same tunnel. I was camping at Poe Paddy at the time and walked down. There was nothing blocking the entrance of either side of the tunnel while I was there. This was probably right at the height of the drake-circus, so that may have had something to do with it.

That's actually why I was asking. I was surprised they had not physically blocked it off because I knew it had been closed. But it looks like that may have only been a temporary scenario.

 

[pcray1231]

Pic on the link below. This is the backside of the tunnel, i.e. the opposite side of the bridge. Note date of article, which was late June. Looked the same in mid-late May.

http://www.rockthecapital.com/06/26/mid-state-trail-tunnel-remains-closed-dcnr-searches-funds-fix/

 

[McSneek]

I last fished Penns Creek on 10/18/13. The tunnel had barricades at both entrances however they were not as substantial as earlier ones and I easily walked past them and through the tunnel. Earlier in the year the barricades were larger and heavier but on one of my trips the barricade on the downstream side was completely removed and tossed down the bank.

I suspect so many people were cutting the fencing, moving the barricades, tearing them down or just flat out ignoring them that DCNR (or whoever) put smaller barricades up, kept the warning signs in place and instructions to go up and over on the trail in place for liability purposes and decided that was the extent of trying to keep people out of the tunnel.

I was wondering about this same thing and hope someone might have more up to date information. While I can certainly go up and over going through the tunnel is a lot easier and much less time consuming.

 

[strap44]

I was out in june and there was an orange road cone with a pic pipe in it with a laminated letter on it stating DCNR had the tunnel closed until further notice due to falling rock. I should add that this was on the side that has the "storm drain pipe" entrance and that someone tossed the sign off the path down into a bed of weeds. Ill post a pic if I can. Doubt this helps but I do hope they fix and reopen it as soon as possible