The 100-foot, flat fishing platform at the campground near Cammal in the Tiadaghton State Forest, was recently unveiled. The platform’s construction is part of the state DCNR’s “Forests for all — a plan for Pennsylvania’s forests and people” initiative.

“This new accessible fishing pier is an important step in creating new opportunities for anglers of all ability levels and can serve as a model for communities across the Commonwealth,” said Cindy Adams Dunn, state DCNR secretary, during a visit to Tomb Flats.

The Tomb Flats ADA access area allows people who need ADA access to be able to take advantage of the wonderful fishing opportunities on Pine Creek, shared Seth Cassell, director of the state DCNR Bureau of Forestry.

The project had been in the works for a few years and presented some challenges.

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) walk along Pine Creek on a new accessible fishing platform in the Tiadaghton State Forest. The new accessible platform was made so that people of all ability levels can fish on Pine Creek. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“How could we do this in a way where it’d be resilient to the flood and the high water and so we have really good engineers and landscape architects and forestry personnel who helped design it, also help from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, so it was really a collaborative effort to envision this site and then design it so we can open up access to more people,” said Cassell.

The campground land at Tomb Flats had become public land about 20 years ago and since then the state had been wanting to make it more accessible to all people, according to Dunn.

“We had a ramp here, which is nice but we decided that we needed to make it more available, more accessible and safer to people in wheelchairs, for people who are just learning fishing or really just want to get close to the creek and are a little less certain about their footing,” said Dunn.

Dunn hopes the improved area will attract people who haven’t been on the creek in a while, she added.

Other improvements of the project include an extension at the existing concrete boat launch, paved accessible parking spaces, a native meadow, trees, riparian buffer plantings and climate mitigation measures, according to the state.

“Spending time in nature is beneficial to everyone’s health, and we are proud to support efforts like this that create avenues to get more people fishing,” said Tim Schaeffer, state Fish and Boat Commission executive director.

“They’ll learn the joy of being close to Pine Creek, maybe fishing the Pine Creek and get to know what’s so special about it that people who love it know all about,” said Dunn.