ECO CHALLENGES

38 miles

• Simpson or Forest City Trailhead to Starucca (or New York State Line)

Trail roughly parallels Bicycle PA Route L.

Traces the former corridor of the Delaware & Hudson Railway, a line that primarily carried anthracite coal out of the Lackawanna Valley in the second half of the 19th century.

Heading north on the D&H on an improved crushed-stone surface, the trail follows the Lackawanna River, crossing it four times in the first few miles.

The scars of coal mining are evident in the beginning, but after passing Forest City, about 5 miles along the route, the trail passes into the scenic Endless Mountains Region, known for farmlands, stone walls, and forests.

Sandpipe Outfall: Notice the rusty pipe in the stream bed. It discharges cold water from a closed mine. Known as the Sandpipe Outfall, it is a source of acid mine drainage (AMD) into the Lackawanna River.