Davis Crossing Preserve (above) in Overfield Township, the Howland Preserve in Washington Township (top), and Little Rocky Glenn in Clinton Township (below) are just three of many Wyoming County Parks, Trails and Waterways that will be depicted in a new brochure and featured in a series of programs sponsored by the Wyoming County Cultural Center throughout 2018.
Unlike its neighbors, Wyoming County has the unusual distinction of not having a county nor state park within its borders. State Game Lands 57 makes up a great portion of its southwest corner, and there are numerous trails, municipal parks and other publicly accessible green spaces and waterways for recreation. But there has never been a single source to which residents and visitors can turn to provide an overview of everything that is available.
A new group has formed to change that. The Explore Wyoming County’s Parks & Trails project is the latest effort by the Wyoming County Cultural Center to enhance recreational opportunities in the county by providing access to information in a simple and tangible way. In 2016, the Culture Center initiated the development of the Historic Tunkhannock Walking Tour.
The new Parks & Trails committee is tasked with developing a map and brochure that will detail as many recreation points in the county as possible. Completion of the hand-held guide will coincide with a live presentation at the Dietrich Theater in the Spring and the announcement of five public events at different locations throughout the county to showcase parks and trails with which people may not be familiar and to highlight various forms of outdoor recreation.
Some ideas for the public outings discussed in the first two meetings include guided hikes in the State Game lands and Little Rocky Glen Park, a family-friendly gathering at the Endless Mountains Nature Center on Vosburg Neck, and a winter hike on the Iroquois Trail adjacent to Tunkhannock.
Committee members are first tasked with identifying a contact/point person for each site on the map to provide and verify details such as handicap accessibility, dates and hours of operation, GPS coordinates, pet-friendly status, and what types of recreation are permitted there.
Committee members and contributors so far include Rebecca Lesko, Rick Hiduk, Bill Kern, Jeff Mitchell, Erica Rogler, Jean Ruhf, Lynnelle Welch, Maureen Whipple, and Margie Young. The project is made possible via funding from the Endless Mountains Heritage Region and PA DCNR, The Wyoming County Room Tax Committee and the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau.
Managers and overseers of publicly accessible parks, trails and fishing access points that might be eligible for the brochure and who have not been contacted by a group member should call Erica Rogler at the Wyoming County Cultural Center at 570-996-1509.