Sunday, February 9, 2014
Linesville Spillway (where the ducks walk on the fish)
Here are some photos from the famous "spillway".
Rainbow Lake
Rainbow Lake is formed by a dam on Mill Run. It is in Shady Grove Park. The dam includes an impressive concrete spillway with a mural and much graffiti.
This is the outfall of the dam on a rainy day in the wet Spring of 2011.
Here is a view of Shady Grove Park from the top of the dam.
This is the outfall of the dam on a rainy day in the wet Spring of 2011.
Here is a view of Shady Grove Park from the top of the dam.
Woodcock Creek Lake
Woodcock Creek Lake is a fun place for boating, picnicking, hiking, running, and mountain biking. While most of it is pretty straightforward, I would like to showcase some of the hidden highlights in this post.
On the north side of the lake there is a large culvert under Route 198. In the summer when the water is at its normal level, it is possible to paddle a small boat halfway through the tunnel. Due to the slope of the tunnel, it is not possible to navigate all the way through. The upper end of the tunnel can be reached by hiking down on a nature trail from a parking lot on the north side of Route 198.
In the fall when water levels are lower, there is a rocky and at times muddy shoreline which can greatly aid exploration.
The spillway is south of the dam. A short access road leads from the south end of the dam to a viewpoint.
This is the view looking east from the spillway viewpoint. If the reservoir ever reached maximum capacity a lot of trees would be underwater.
The dam itself is almost a mile long and has a paved road on the top. It can be accessed via a parking lot on Route 198. There is also a trail that goes from the boat launch parking lot at Woodcock Park to the south end of the dam. From Stainbrook Park at the base of the dam there are trails that reach both the northern and southern ends of the dam, or else you can just walk straight up it in the middle!
North of Route 198 across from the dam there is a nature trail that takes you down into a small canyon. There used to be bridges across the creek in a couple places but they have been washed out.
Once you take the nature trail down to the creek, hike downstream and you will soon reach the tunnel under Route 198 which I described previously.
On the north side of the lake there is a large culvert under Route 198. In the summer when the water is at its normal level, it is possible to paddle a small boat halfway through the tunnel. Due to the slope of the tunnel, it is not possible to navigate all the way through. The upper end of the tunnel can be reached by hiking down on a nature trail from a parking lot on the north side of Route 198.
In the fall when water levels are lower, there is a rocky and at times muddy shoreline which can greatly aid exploration.
The spillway is south of the dam. A short access road leads from the south end of the dam to a viewpoint.
This is the view looking east from the spillway viewpoint. If the reservoir ever reached maximum capacity a lot of trees would be underwater.
The dam itself is almost a mile long and has a paved road on the top. It can be accessed via a parking lot on Route 198. There is also a trail that goes from the boat launch parking lot at Woodcock Park to the south end of the dam. From Stainbrook Park at the base of the dam there are trails that reach both the northern and southern ends of the dam, or else you can just walk straight up it in the middle!
North of Route 198 across from the dam there is a nature trail that takes you down into a small canyon. There used to be bridges across the creek in a couple places but they have been washed out.
Once you take the nature trail down to the creek, hike downstream and you will soon reach the tunnel under Route 198 which I described previously.
Ernst Bike Trail
The Ernst Trail is a rail trail built on the roadbed of a railroad which connected Meadville to Conneaut Lake. It is seven miles long, five of which are paved. The non-paved portion is between Route 19 and Bailey Road.
The trail is scenic and flat, passing over small creeks, through farm fields, and along French Creek. There is a portion which parallels the Norfolk Southern line that runs from Meadville to Greenville, although it sees very few trains.
The trail begins between Home Depot and Beans Auto on Route 322 in Vernon Township. It goes south along French Creek and then turns west near Wilson Chute. At Mercer Pike there is another parking lot. After crossing Mercer Pike, it goes under I-79 and then continues on another mile or so until it reaches Route 19. At this point it becomes packed gravel. The trail goes through a trailer park driveway and on to Johnson Road. At Johnson Road the rail bed merges with the route of the old French Creek Feeder Canal. A little bit further west the trail leaves the rail bed and passes along a cornfield and around a pond to the Bailey Road parking lot.
Near Bailey road the trail had to be routed away from the railroad bed thanks to uncooperative property owners in this area who were only interested in riding their ATV's on the rail bed and didn't want to share it with others. Needless to say, there is a fence separating the trail area from the ATV area. Please respect their property and stay on the trail here.
Plans are currently in progress to construct a "Meadville Connector" which will make the trail more accessible from downtown. Currently the trail starts on the outskirts of Meadville and is only accessible by car except for any hardy cyclist who is willing to ride on Mercer Pike (since the sidewalk on the Smock Bridge is indefinitely closed thanks to PennDOT).
The trail is scenic and flat, passing over small creeks, through farm fields, and along French Creek. There is a portion which parallels the Norfolk Southern line that runs from Meadville to Greenville, although it sees very few trains.
The trail begins between Home Depot and Beans Auto on Route 322 in Vernon Township. It goes south along French Creek and then turns west near Wilson Chute. At Mercer Pike there is another parking lot. After crossing Mercer Pike, it goes under I-79 and then continues on another mile or so until it reaches Route 19. At this point it becomes packed gravel. The trail goes through a trailer park driveway and on to Johnson Road. At Johnson Road the rail bed merges with the route of the old French Creek Feeder Canal. A little bit further west the trail leaves the rail bed and passes along a cornfield and around a pond to the Bailey Road parking lot.
Near Bailey road the trail had to be routed away from the railroad bed thanks to uncooperative property owners in this area who were only interested in riding their ATV's on the rail bed and didn't want to share it with others. Needless to say, there is a fence separating the trail area from the ATV area. Please respect their property and stay on the trail here.
Plans are currently in progress to construct a "Meadville Connector" which will make the trail more accessible from downtown. Currently the trail starts on the outskirts of Meadville and is only accessible by car except for any hardy cyclist who is willing to ride on Mercer Pike (since the sidewalk on the Smock Bridge is indefinitely closed thanks to PennDOT).
Bemustown Dam
Bemustown Dam was located on French Creek a couple miles north of Meadville. Originally built in 1830 to power a mill, it later supplied water to the French Creek Feeder Canal which originated here and ran through Meadville and on to Conneaut Lake to supply water to highest portion of the Beaver and Erie Canal. It fell into disrepair after the abandonment of the canal and at the present day is nothing more than a mess of rubble in French Creek.
It is safe to pass by in a canoe or kayak. At high water levels you won't see much but in the late summer the rocks will be evident.
I believe that the feeder canal paralleled the line of trees visible in the satellite image to the northeast of the dam.
It is safe to pass by in a canoe or kayak. At high water levels you won't see much but in the late summer the rocks will be evident.
I believe that the feeder canal paralleled the line of trees visible in the satellite image to the northeast of the dam.
Ellsworth Park
This park was originally called Waterworks Park because of its location behind the city waterworks. In 1942 it was renamed Ellsworth Park in honor of F. Harry Ellsworth who was the superintendent of Meadville's water and light department. Source: Meadville: A Postcard History by William Bruce Moore and Elizabeth H. Rekas
Today it is an abandoned park bounded by the Meadville Area Water Authority headquarters and Rogers Ferry Rd. It is still called Ellsworth Park on the Vernon Township Zoning Map, a part of which is reproduced below:
There are a couple abandoned picnic pavilions just northwest of the Meadville Area Water Authority headquarters.
Here a couple photos that I took in September 2010:
This is a swamp pit with some trash.
Here is where Meadville's yard waste is apparently dumped. A squash took root in the pile of clippings.
As of January 2014 there are "No Trespassing" signs posted along Rogers Ferry Rd.
I have a suspicion that Meadville Police Department maintains a shooting range on or near this property, so exercise extreme caution!
Today it is an abandoned park bounded by the Meadville Area Water Authority headquarters and Rogers Ferry Rd. It is still called Ellsworth Park on the Vernon Township Zoning Map, a part of which is reproduced below:
There are a couple abandoned picnic pavilions just northwest of the Meadville Area Water Authority headquarters.
Here a couple photos that I took in September 2010:
As of January 2014 there are "No Trespassing" signs posted along Rogers Ferry Rd.
I have a suspicion that Meadville Police Department maintains a shooting range on or near this property, so exercise extreme caution!
Sunday, June 9, 2013
French Creek Outdoor Learning Center (Avtex superfund site)
The French Creek Outdoor Learning Center (FCOLC) encompasses the west bank of French Creek where it passes by the old Avtex plant. It is a secluded area because the FCOLC appears to be permanently closed due to budget cuts. The FCOLC itself is a couple trailers located at the NE corner of the parking lot surrounding the Avtex buildings. However, the gate has always been locked when I have been there. There is only one way in: through the Lincoln Avenue Sports Complex.
The Lincoln Avenue Sports Complex is located on the outskirts of Meadville in Vernon Township. To get there from Meadville, take Spring Street west across French Creek and turn right on Lincoln Avenue. Drive through the Fifth Ward and when you get to the end of the road, turn right on Rogers Ferry Rd. Immediately turn left and you will be in the parking lot where there is ample parking.
Refer to the map below for this stage of the hike. There are several ways to go, but the most scenic is to go northeast from the parking lot and hike along French Creek past the swimming hole, through some beaver territory, to the viewpoint, and then on to "More Hiking." As of July 2013 there is a "no swimming" sign posted on a power pole on the trail to the swimming hole. If you are in a rush there is an obviously shorter route that will get you through this section faster. These trails were improved in 2010 with crushed rock and are suitable for strollers. The swimming area is popular in the summer.
Continuing north, we move on to the second map. Here is where you will notice a locked gate (the gate is indicated by the yellow dot in the lower right hand corner) with a building beyond it. This is the abandoned wastewater treatment plant. If you are limber enough you can slip under the gate or climb over. However, if you don't feel like getting through this gate, you can just walk right in to the Crawford County Industrial Park via the main entrance on Dunham Rd and make your way over to the treatment plant without having to jump any gates. The treatment plant is quite exciting so it will have to be the subject of another post.
Leaving the gate behind, the trail changes from a gravel path to an old dirt road. It can be rather overgrown in places in the summer because it is no longer maintained. I've tried to show the approximate location of the trails but there are also other trails besides what is shown. In various places you will see remnants from when this was part of the Avtex site. It was designated a superfund site a couple decades ago and was cleaned up and now nature is reclaiming it. There are still some well heads, drainage channels, and small buildings scattered about. The fly ash hill is pretty boring; I just marked it so you know what you are getting into if you hike that way. I recommend hiking to the "Creek Access" point. Also, on the northernmost trail there is some nice scenery and an oxbow lake where the trail dead ends at a fence at the property line. When you have seen enough, the only way out of here is to either jump the fence into the industrial park or hike back out through Lincoln Park.
Here is the official map which is posted near the FCOLC trailers. Good luck trying to find all those little trails that branch off. They are long overgrown since FCOLC probably has not seen school kids for a couple years.
The Lincoln Avenue Sports Complex is located on the outskirts of Meadville in Vernon Township. To get there from Meadville, take Spring Street west across French Creek and turn right on Lincoln Avenue. Drive through the Fifth Ward and when you get to the end of the road, turn right on Rogers Ferry Rd. Immediately turn left and you will be in the parking lot where there is ample parking.
Refer to the map below for this stage of the hike. There are several ways to go, but the most scenic is to go northeast from the parking lot and hike along French Creek past the swimming hole, through some beaver territory, to the viewpoint, and then on to "More Hiking." As of July 2013 there is a "no swimming" sign posted on a power pole on the trail to the swimming hole. If you are in a rush there is an obviously shorter route that will get you through this section faster. These trails were improved in 2010 with crushed rock and are suitable for strollers. The swimming area is popular in the summer.
Continuing north, we move on to the second map. Here is where you will notice a locked gate (the gate is indicated by the yellow dot in the lower right hand corner) with a building beyond it. This is the abandoned wastewater treatment plant. If you are limber enough you can slip under the gate or climb over. However, if you don't feel like getting through this gate, you can just walk right in to the Crawford County Industrial Park via the main entrance on Dunham Rd and make your way over to the treatment plant without having to jump any gates. The treatment plant is quite exciting so it will have to be the subject of another post.
Leaving the gate behind, the trail changes from a gravel path to an old dirt road. It can be rather overgrown in places in the summer because it is no longer maintained. I've tried to show the approximate location of the trails but there are also other trails besides what is shown. In various places you will see remnants from when this was part of the Avtex site. It was designated a superfund site a couple decades ago and was cleaned up and now nature is reclaiming it. There are still some well heads, drainage channels, and small buildings scattered about. The fly ash hill is pretty boring; I just marked it so you know what you are getting into if you hike that way. I recommend hiking to the "Creek Access" point. Also, on the northernmost trail there is some nice scenery and an oxbow lake where the trail dead ends at a fence at the property line. When you have seen enough, the only way out of here is to either jump the fence into the industrial park or hike back out through Lincoln Park.
Here is the official map which is posted near the FCOLC trailers. Good luck trying to find all those little trails that branch off. They are long overgrown since FCOLC probably has not seen school kids for a couple years.
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