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 Reporter |
Summary: Hard to imagine but a little over a centuryago these hills were a desolate, oil-coated wasteland. Nature has reclaimed Oil Creek and it now has thickly wooded hillsides, cascading streams and all the wildlife one would expect. The Gerard Trail (follow the yellow blazes) covers a 36 mile circut of Oil Creek State Park. This review covers an 11 mile loop from the Drake Well to the Miller Farm and back. One could cut the loop in half by taking the white-blazed connector trail to Boughton Falls. There are plenty of switchbacks and climbs and when the weather is wet the trail can become quite mucky in places. Should the hills become too much you could take to the paved bike path that runs the length of the park but, in all honesty, walking the asphault can be equally tough on legs and feet that have already been working the hills. I have only covered a third of the Girard Trail and fully intend to come back again and survey the entire circut. Trailhead: The Northern terminus of the Gerard Trail is at the Drake Oil Well, turning East off of Route 8 in Titusville onto Bloss St. If traveling North on Rt. 8, this is the first light just as you enter Titusville. The parking lot is just before the bridge.One trailhead is just to the East side of the bridge and across the railroad tracks. (the profile assumes this is the start) The other is near the bank of Oil Creek, just downstream from the parking lot. (Lat:41.61547 Lon:-79.65854) Trail Guides for Oil Creek S.P. - Gerard Trail (North): 50 Hikes in Western Pennsylvania by Tom Thwaites (Backcountry Guides) Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Summer, User Groups: Hikers, Ranger Contact: Oil Creek State Park 814-676-5915 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Kevin Geiselman, who has posted 96 other hikes on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here. Trail Reviews Submit your own review Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: Pennsylvania Hiking, Pennsylvania Trails, Pennsylvania Hikes, Crawford County Hiking, Crawford County Trails, Crawford County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
