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WELLSBORO -- Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources secretary Cindy Adams Dunn joined the Tioga County Planning Department to recognize the Pine Creek Rail Trail -- a 65‑mile scenic route through the Appalachian Mountains in Lycoming and Tioga counties -- which has been named Pennsylvania's 2026 Trail of the Year.
"We're honored to celebrate the Pine Creek Rail Trail as Pennsylvania's 2026 Trail of the Year and to stand with the community leaders whose vision and commitment have shaped the trail into the remarkable destination it is today," said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. "This recognition elevates the exceptional outdoor experiences found along this trail throughout the Pennsylvania Wilds, and helps bolster local businesses while delivering meaningful economic, environmental, and recreational benefits across the region."
The Pine Creek Rail Trail traces a historic corridor first used by the Iroquois Nation and later developed as a railroad in the late 19th century. After rail service ended in 1988, the corridor was transformed into a 62-mile non-motorized trail completed between 1995 and 2007, stretching from Jersey Shore to Wellsboro Junction. Today, the nationally recognized trail attracts more than 44,000 users annually and generates more than $5 million in local economic impact. It serves as a major recreational and tourism asset within the Pennsylvania Wilds, Route 6 Heritage Corridor, and the Lumber Heritage Region.
Building on that success, the Pine Creek Rail Trail Extension, also known as the Marsh Creek Greenway, closed a critical 3.2-mile gap by connecting the trail's former northern terminus directly to downtown Wellsboro. DCNR, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Tioga County, and volunteers worked together to complete the project, supported by $3.1 million from DCNR and $2.5 million from PennDOT.
The extension includes a new trailhead with a visitor center and amenities, as well as a safe downtown connector for pedestrians and cyclists, fully integrating Wellsboro into the statewide trail network and the Pennsylvania Wilds system. The Shapiro Administration marked the extension's completion, which closed the fifth Top 10 Trail Gap under Governor Josh Shapiro's leadership.
"PennDOT's mission to maintain and grow a transportation system that serves all Pennsylvanians includes making critical connections among communities," said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. "Every day, the Shapiro Administration is collaborating on and investing in projects like this - expanding transportation options and improving quality of life."
PennDOT's investment came from the state Multimodal Transportation Fund and awarding federal Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside funding. Since taking office, the Shapiro Administration has delivered $197 million to local communities through the MTF, which provides financial assistance to municipalities, councils of governments, businesses, economic development organizations, public transportation agencies, and ports and rail freight entities to strengthen communities, pedestrian safety, and transit revitalization.
"On behalf of the Tioga County Board of Commissioners, it is an honor to come together today and celebrate this incredible recognition and the hard work of the many organizations, partners and individuals who made it possible," said Tioga County Commissioners Marc Rice, Sam VanLoon, and Shane Nickerson.
"Being named Pennsylvania's Trail of the Year puts Tioga County on the map and gives us an exciting opportunity to showcase our community, grow tourism and bring new economic activity to our local businesses. Outdoor recreation is quickly becoming a new front door to Tioga County, connecting visitors to our downtowns, businesses and everything that makes this such a special place to live and visit. We are proud of how far our trail community has come, but we are even more excited about what comes next. Working together through the Tioga County Trail Authority and with our many community partners, we look forward to building on this momentum and continuing to expand outdoor recreation opportunities throughout Tioga County."