Penns Creek Access at Coburn

[Hook_Jaw]

TYoung good luck with that lol Go tell him that and see how it goes.

 

[PENZZZ]

I agree with Hook. Over the years I've gotten to know a lot of great people in western Union County and in the Coburn area. But one thing is always understood - land ownership has great meaning.

Jeff

 

[troutbert]

LimestoneSpecial wrote:
The area where the cabins are, on the same side of the creek continuing past the parking area is all state ground. Correct me if I'm wrong but, there is no way they can legally keep you from accessing that area. They most likely all have state lease cabins. They may not like you walking through, but you have every right to.

It's not state land. Those are not state lease cabins. It's private property.

If you download the Bald Eagle State Forest map, and zoom in, you will see the correct boundaries.

The boundaries are incorrectly shown on Google Maps and AcmeMapper.

Even the little parking area is privately owned, not state land.

Regarding the other post saying that the railroad grade is open to the public. That would be a matter for a judge to decide.

It is not the case that in general the public has a right of access to abandoned rr grades. Each case is different, and if you don't know the details, you should not advise people that they have a legal right to walk through there.

It depends on the original legal agreements made back in the day. In many cases when a rr grade is no longer used by a rr company, all rights revert to the landowner, per the original contract.

I'm not a lawyer and haven't researched the deeds, legal agreements, etc. but based on what I read in a newspaper article in the local paper, I think it is very likely that the public does NOT have a legal right to go through there.

It is best not to cross through the no trespassing signs. Because trespassing might lead to other landowners posting, and make it difficult for the state to try to reach access easement agreements etc. in the future. There is nothing to be gained by mistreating private landowners in this area, and much to be lost.

 

[csoult]

There are tags on the trees that show the boundaries

 

[troutbert]

Another thing. During Green Drake madness, that little parking area often fills up. If you get there and it's filled up, do NOT park on the grass nearby. Whether there are signs there or not.

That is private property and the owner does not appreciate people parking on his lawn. If the parking lot is full, turn around and drive away.

 

[LimestoneSpecial]

Thanks for clearing the state boundary lines up for me. Yes, I was guilty of looking at Google Maps. So I stand corrected.

 

[wgmiller]

We actually had a conversation with the owner of that property (next to the small parking area) when we were up last weekend. He doesn't live down there, but lives up above. He expressed concerns about that lot getting parked up and the ability of emergency vehicles to get back into the houses that are below the parking area. He said he also had people parking in that yard which was destroying the grass, etc.

I can only imagine the madness that occurs during the green drakes and how frustrating it is for some of the property owners.

 

[McSneek]

Every year at this time I think i should give the green drake hatch on Penns a go than I read comments like "green drake madness" and decide it's best to just go somewhere else.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I think if I was a land owner and people parked in my yard, there'd be a lot of "loose screws" making their way into tires.

 

[tomitrout]

or maybe put up a small fence?

or drag some large-ish rocks down off the hill or out of the tunnel for a prohibitive border?

if the landowners are getting that upset, there seems to be a simple solution...

 

[JackM]

I think when you open your land to recreational use, you should expect some ignorant users. But that shouldn't take away from all the other courteous users with whom you have no problem. As a landowner generously giving access across or on private property, you have a basic choice: either tolerate and try to control or educate the ignorant while providing access to the courteous, or post it against any encroachment. The choice is that of the landowner, solely.

 

[TimRobinsin]

I love this spot and I love the GD madness. I hope people can be courteous and respectful but your always gonna have a few bad apples.

On a not so completely separate note:

Does anyone know about the rail tunnel being closed? I remember reading something about it earlier in the season. I'll be up there tues/weds and I am bringing the bike along. thanks for the heads up and if your gonna be up that way then shoot me a PM!

 

[afishinado]

The tunnel is closed. When we were at the Jam, the word was out that it was open. I talked to Jonas and he told me someone broke through the barrier to access the tunnel, but it was sealed up the next day.

 

[midnightangler]

Lol, those buyers are gonna be real mislead if they think those Pa properties are idyllic cabin sites..gonna be staring at rig lights in the night sky.

The marcellus shale formation does not go that far south. The gas companies maybe interested in the water, but they won't be drilling gas wells near penns anytime soon.

 

[BeastBrown]

midnightangler wrote:

Lol, those buyers are gonna be real mislead if they think those Pa properties are idyllic cabin sites..gonna be staring at rig lights in the night sky.

The marcellus shale formation does not go that far south. The gas companies maybe interested in the water, but they won't be drilling gas wells near penns anytime soon.

I was talking about all the PA listings on that site, more specifically the Home Waters Club in Columbia on Fishing Creek as the one the site would be interested in(it sold), but my gas comments were towards the Bradford, Sullivan, Lycoming, Tioga, Clinton properties.

 

[PENZZZ]

Yesterday I heard back from the realtor for the Cabelas listing and learned the property closed around a year ago. So the information I provided by link doesn't mean the property is changing hands. Sorry if I misled.

 

[JeffK]

Over in NJ the old rail and canal right of ways can go either to the landowners or revert back to the state. Up to the early 30's it was more typical for the property to be transferred to the adjacent landowners because it was easier for the state to do that than to maintain the property. Over time the value of fishing access and rail trails became more important and now it is most common for the state to get the land (especially if it was a 99 year lease from the state). However, there doesn't seem to be a standard answer. If it is a state park access is pretty clear, but even some trails on private land change when property owners change or get fed up with troubles. The parts of the Appalachian Trail on private property have changed quite a bit over time, but the changes have been getting fewer as more of the trail is routed to public property or the right of ways on private land are getting better established.

 

[troutbert]

For ownership to "revert back" to the state, the state must have had prior ownership. That was probably not the case here.

 

[pcray1231]

The rail tunnel at POE PADDY is the one that's closed. Where you go over the walking bridge and through the tunnel, to pop out on the other side of the big U and access the C&R water. Can't go through that tunnel.

If you go up into the camp yard to the left, there is a marked trail which goes over. I did it. It's not that much of a butt kicker, not really that high, and didn't add more than 10-15 minutes to our hike. It is steep and rocky, though, and a little tricky to do by flashlight at night on the hike out. Also a little dangerous, as there are spots if you slip, you take a slide, and then a straight down drop with a hard landing in front of the tunnel entrance!

You could also get to that area from below, or by finding a place to park near the mouth of Swift Run and walking down. But with a bike, from below is probably your only option, and that's a LONG drive around.

 

[LimestoneSpecial]

So to be clear, the tunnel is not closed at Coburn. Correct?