Forest Service Accepting Public Comments on North Country National Scenic Trail Projects

Release Date: 

Contact(s): Christopher Leeser


Bradford, PA, June 6, 2024 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service is accepting public comments on a proposal to realign two short sections of the North Country National Scenic Trail. One section is near Pell Run in Sheffield Township, Warren County. The other section is near Williams Brook, traversing the county line in both Mead Township, Warren County, and Corydon Township, McKean County. 

The reroutes will include marking trees with painted blazes, clearing vegetation, and leveling the trail surface within a three-foot-wide corridor. The project is driven by efforts to improve visitor experience and drainage along the trail. 

Pell Run: This section of the established trail is along an old railroad grade with failed drainage. Student Conservation Association trail crews rerouted two sections of the trail in this area over a decade ago. The proposed realignment would connect these two sections and move an additional 0.1 miles of trail upslope to avoid the wet railroad grade and two failing bridges. In all, both realignments total 0.25 miles.  

Williams Brook: This section of the established trail is just south of Williams Brook in the Tracy Ridge area of the forest. It is flat and wet with clay soils. The proposed realignment is 0.17 miles long and would move the trail upslope to drier ground.  

Comments on our proposals for these trail realignments are welcomed and would be most helpful if received by July 15, 2024. Comments may be submitted in the following ways: 

  • Email. Click on “Comment/Object on Project,” located on the right side of the webpage under the “Get Connected” sidebar. If uploading attachments, please use file formats compatible with Microsoft Office or Adobe Acrobat. 
  • Mail: Richard Hatfield, 29 Forest Service Drive, Bradford, PA 16701 
  • Phone: (814) 363-6000 during business hours.  

 

 

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