Pennsylvania Greenways & Trails Summit

Scranton Iron Furnaces

Four massive stone blast furnaces, remnants of a Lackawanna Iron & Steel Company plant, create a dramatic industrial backdrop for the Sunday evening reception. The evening includes music from the Shützengiggles Oompah Band, an Oktoberfest-themed menu from Posh Events, and a specialty-themed trail ale by Groove Brewing.

Included in Sunday registration or available as an a la carte ticket.

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MOBILE SEMINARS

Eales Preserve at Moosic Mountain

Site of Sunday, September 17 mobile seminar, Hike & Bike Eales Preserve [see the  agenda ]

The Dick and Nancy Eales Preserve at Moosic Mountain provides sweeping views of Pennsylvania’s northeastern corner and represents one of the best locations in the northeastern U.S. for ridge-top heath barrens.

The preserve boasts a healthy mosaic of stunted pine and oak forest dominated by huckleberry, blueberry, rhodora, and other low-lying shrubs that attract a broad array of birds, butterflies, and moths.

Attendees on this mobile workshop can bike through the barrens or hike to the O’Connor Reservoir Dams with a tour guide; there you will learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s continuing restoration and establishment of the Reservoir as a new section of the Preserve.

Visitors will see the preservation of what remains of the 128-year-old dam structure as well as the beginnings of the ecosystems that will take over the area as the years progress.

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Vosburg Neck State Park

Site of Sunday, September 17 mobile seminar, Wyoming County Gets a Park! [see the  agenda ]

Join staff from DCNR, Friends of Howland Preserve, and North Branch Land Trust at the site of Wyoming County’s first State Park – Vosburg Neck. Presenters will highlight the history of the property and the importance of the acquisition which also provides access to the Susquehanna River.  Participants will also have the option to kayak the 2023 River of the Year – North Branch of the Susquehanna – or hike portions of the State Park. 

 Vosburg Neck: New State Park Highlights Project Partnership Between DCNR and North Branch Land Trust 

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Parkers Landing

Site of Sunday, September 17 mobile seminar, Parkers Landing Eco Restoration: Dual Benefits for Environmental Restoration [see the  agenda ]

Dickson City, a community of approximately 6,000 residents in the mid-valley region of the Lackawanna Valley, was categorized as distressed in 2015 by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

With help from an extremely pro-active and committed Borough Council, the municipality has worked to gain support from various state agencies and create market, revitalization, and strategic plans, all focused on recreation and the development of Dickson City as an “outdoor town”.

Join members of the Borough’s Planning team to view several recently funded trail and park projects, all at different construction phases, which seek to meet community needs in the next several years. Session speakers will share how interconnected projects can share resources and bridge funding gaps that exist when viewed independently. 

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D&H Rail Trail and Lackawanna River Heritage Trail

Site of Sunday, September 17 mobile seminar, It’s All Downhill: Biking the D&H Rail Trail & Lackawanna River Heritage Trail [see the  agenda ]

Join for a 12-mile group ride down parts of two premier rail-trail systems in Northeast Pennsylvania from Union-Dale to Carbondale. Riders will load up bikes at the Hilton in Scranton and be transported to the Union Dale Trailhead where participants will be greeted by the Rail-Trail Council of Northeast Pennsylvania. Following a brief discussion about the trail system, participants will join members of the Anthracite Bicycle Coalition for a 12-mile guided ride to Carbondale where lunch will be provided. After lunch, the bikes and participants will be bussed back to Scranton.

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 Guide Book to the D & H Rail-Trail 

Lackawanna River Heritage Trail - Depot Street Trailhead

The Lackawanna River Heritage Trail is a storied route that stretches more than 70 miles, passing through the heart of the Lackawanna Heritage Valley National and State Heritage Area.

The trail is an artery that connects more than 30 communities through Luzerne, Lackawanna, Susquehanna, and Wayne County.

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 LRHT - Trailheads and Parking 

Steamtown National Historic Site

EXPLORE ON YOUR OWN

The Steamtown Collection consists of locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, and maintenance-of-way equipment from several historic railroads.

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Anthracite Heritage Museum

EXPLORE ON YOUR OWN

Open Friday – Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm

The Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum and Iron Furnaces, administered by Bode Morin, are two of three sites that make up the Anthracite Museum Complex, which also includes Eckley Miner’s Village.

The Museum and Iron Furnaces are owned and operated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, PA.

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Lackawanna State Park

EXPLORE ON YOUR OWN

The centerpiece of the park, the 198-acre Lackawanna Lake, is surrounded by picnic areas and multi-use trails winding through forest. Boating, camping, fishing, mountain biking, and swimming are popular recreation activities.

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Archbald Pothole State Park

EXPLORE ON YOUR OWN

The park is named for Archbald Pothole, a geologic feature that formed during the Wisconsin Glacial Period, around 15,000 years ago.

The pothole is 38 feet deep and has an elliptical shape. The diameter of the pothole decreases downward. The largest diameter is 42 feet by 24 feet. At the bottom it is 17 feet by 14 feet. The pothole has a volume of about 18,600 cubic feet, so could hold about 140,000 gallons. It would take 35 fire truck tankers to fill the pothole.

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Frances Slocum State Park

EXPLORE ON YOUR OWN

The horseshoe-shaped 165-acre lake is famous for boating and fishing and is home to many species of birds, fish, and wildlife. Numerous hiking and mountain biking trails and the large day-use area attract visitors to picnic and explore the forests.

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