Submitted Article
After nearly two years, a collaborative effort between the Endless Mountains Heritage Region (EMHR), Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau (EMVB), Bradford County Tourism Promotion Agency (BCTPA), Northern Tier Regional Planning & Development Commission (NTRPDC) and some avid cyclists has led to the creation of a four-county cycling loop now known as the Endless Mountain Gravel Bikepacking Loop (EMGBL).
Using existing roads and trails throughout the region, this estimated 415-mile loop extends through the four counties of Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna and Wyoming and provides cyclists with the ultimate Endless Mountains experience complete with our quaint and historic downtowns, stunning scenic overlooks, museums and historical societies, breweries and wineries, award-winning trails, state and county parks, picturesque creeks and streams, and the majestic Susquehanna River. As part of this bikepacking loop project, the EMHR, EMVB and BCTPA also worked together with the PA Route 6 Alliance in creating a free-to-join Endless Mountains Bicycle Friendly Business Program that will encourage businesses, organizations and municipalities across the four counties to be more accommodating to cyclists using the EMGBL. As more visitors explore the Endless Mountains by bicycle; businesses throughout the region stand to benefit from increased tourism and spending at shops, restaurants, and overnight accommodations.
The Outdoor Industry Association recently found that outdoor recreation is an $11.8 billion industry in the state of Pennsylvania, generating over 145,000 jobs. Projects like the EMGBL ensure the growth and sustainability of outdoor recreation in the commonwealth, welcoming gravel cyclists of all experience levels and walks of life to NEPA. We invite you to come celebrate the completion of the EMGBL at a soft launch event with Dandy Mini Marts – the first official bicycle friendly business in the program! Dandy Mini Marts selected three of its locations in Bradford, Sullivan and Wyoming counties along the EMGBL for the installation of bicycle repair stations and bike racks for cyclists on the loop. Is it our hope that Dandy Mini Marts’ involvement will inspire other businesses to be a part of the program.
To learn more, interested readers can log on to https://www.emheritage.org/endless-mountains-gravel-bikepacking-loop/