Tag: hiking

Gassaway, West Virginia

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

The U.S. state of West Virginia is a state that has so much natural beauty.  It has famous sites like the New River Gorge and the New River Gorge Bridge, the Glade Creek Grist Mill at Babcock State Park, one of the most photographed mills in the United States of America, the natural spas in Berkeley Springs to include George Washington’s Bathtub where George Washington, well… you probably figured it out what he did here, plus the town of Harpers Ferry, and so much more.  It has its cities like the capital city of Charleston, Beckley, and Morgantown, and its many small towns.  One of these small towns located northeast of Charleston is the town of Gassaway.

Some of you are saying, “Interesting.  I bet the town got its name from the fact that somebody was getting gasoline, but the gasoline got away.”

You are very wrong.  The small town, established in 1905, is named after Henry Gassaway Davis, a West Virginia politician who was nominated for the Vice President of the United States of America in 1904.

Some of you are saying, “It is nice that they named a town after a politician.  There is a very big problem.  This is just a small town that has no railroad.  Therefore, I will not be taking these country roads to this town.”

If you were to ask people if they had ever heard of the town of Gassaway, West Virginia, you would get many strange looks.  The town is often overshadowed by the town of Sutton which is east of Gassaway and is famous for it Bigfoot Festival and museum.

As you approach the town of Gassaway, the very first thing you see it the ‘Welcome to Gassaway’ sign.  Many towns have a welcome sign to greet you as you enter, but you see something interesting.  What do you see?  You see a steam locomotive on the sign.  You continue to drive into the town, and you see an old railroad bridge.  You drive further into the town, and you see an old train station.  You drive to the old train station, and you see a mural with a steam train.  What you do not see is a railroad line.  Well, the railroad line is now a railroad trail.  How did the train station get here?  Today, the town of Gassaway, West Virginia does not look like much, but that was not always the case.

The town of Gassaway, West Virginia was a town built by the railroad.  The Coal and Coke Railway, which ran between Charleston and Elkins, ran through the town of Gassaway, and, in 1914, they built the train station giving passenger train service to the town.  There was also a railroad yard in the town as they changed locomotives in the town as more powerful locomotives were needed to pull the trains to Elkins while locomotives with less power could be used for trains to Charleston.  During its heyday, the town had two hotels, a bank, retail stores, office buildings, and, schools, and churches.  When the railroad went into decline, so did the town.  Railroad service ended and was eventually converted into a rail trail.

As for the train station, it was abandoned for many years, but it was then restored and was put on National Register of Historic Places, and it now serves as an event and meeting space for the town.

The town of Gassaway, West Virginia is four miles west of Interstate 79 on West Virginia Route 4.  The old train station is located on 4th Street one block west of West Virginia Route 4.  It is open available for events like weddings and parties.

The small town of Gassaway may no longer be a railroad town, but the ghosts and the legacy of the railroad remain.

Mammoth Cave National Park, Cave City, Kentucky

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

There are many great things about the U.S. state of Kentucky.  Many people think about Kentucky Fried Chicken, a fast food restaurant chain.  You have the bourbon distilleries.  You have the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, the longest continuously running sporting event in the world and the first race of what is known as the Triple Crown.  Louisville is also the home of the Louisville Slugger, a company that makes baseball bats.  How about my Old Kentucky Home in Bardstown?  Then you have Mammoth Cave National Park, the home of Mammoth Cave, the largest known cave system in the entire world.  How big is the cave?  Let us say that you cannot do the entire cave in one tour.  There are many tours involved here.  How does it get the name ‘Mammoth Cave’?

Some of you are saying, “Well, duh, it was the home of a mammoth.  A mammoth lived in the cave.”

It is unclear if that is the answer but being the largest known cave system in the world, it is truly mammoth in size.  It is truly a natural marvel that you will truly want to see.  If you are ever in the south central region of Kentucky, you will want to visit Mammoth Cave.

Some of you are saying, “Wow!  That is one big cave.  However, there is one big problem.  As you can see, this is a cave.  This is not a railroad site.  Therefore, I will not be exploring this place.”

You are right.  This is not a railroad site.  Why visit Mammoth Cave National Park?

Mammoth Cave National Park, as mentioned, is centered around Mammoth Cave.  Hence the name.  It is located near Cave City, which is about eight miles from the park.

Some of you are saying, “Well, duh!  Cave City is an obvious name of a town erected around a cave.”

You are absolutely right, but this is where the story begins.  Cave City was not always called Cave City.  It was originally called Glasgow Junction.  If you are thinking of a railroad junction, you are thinking correctly.  The Louisville and Nashville Railroad brought people to Glasgow Junction.  Then they were brought to Mammoth Cave by a horse drawn carriage to the cave.

Some of you are saying, “It is nice that they were able to ride the train to Cave City, but then they had to take a carriage about eight miles to the cave.  That means that Mammoth Cave has nothing to do with the railroad.  This mean that there is no reason to visit this cave.”

Ladies and Gentlemen, there is more to the story.

In an automobile, eight miles is a short distance.  In a horse drawn carriage, it is a long distance.  The owners of the horse drawn carriages saw that it took time to get tourists from the train station to the cave.  They came up with an idea.  What was that idea?  In 1874, they started the Mammoth Cave Railroad, and the first train ran in 1886.  Instead of riding the train to Glasgow Junction and taking a horse and carriage to the cave, they could now ride the train to the cave.

The railroad, sadly, was only profitable in the first six years.  As more people were able to afford an automobile, fewer people took advantage of the train ride.  The last train ride to the park took place on August 31, 1931.

Now the Mammoth Cave Railroad is gone… but not forgotten.

As you enter Mammoth Cave National Park, you can see the old railroad bed that the Mammoth Cave Railroad once ran on, and it is a rail trail that you can hike and bike today.  Once you arrive at the Visitor Center, you are just a short walk from Mammoth Cave Railroad Locomotive Number 4 and Mammoth Cave Railroad Car Number 2.  These two pieces of rolling stock that are covered and surrounded by a steel fence rest at the site of the terminus of the Mammoth Cave Railroad.

As you can see, Mammoth Cave it not just a big cave.  It is a big cave with railroad history.  You can hike on the original railroad bed in the park.  Along with the many cave tours and rail trail, there are also numerous trails you can tread upon.

Mammoth Cave National Park is located at 1 Mammoth Cave Parkway in Mammoth Cave, Kentucky.  It is near Interstate 65 and U.S. Routes 31W and 31E.  Please note that Mammoth Cave is not wheelchair accessible.  You will also be making a descent into the cave with no elevator and escalator.  You will need to climb steps out of the cave.  The rail trail is dirt but is wheelchair accessible.  You can get more information on directions, cave tours, the history of the cave and the Mammoth Cave Railroad at https://www.nps.gov/maca/index.htm.  (Please note that the National Park Service recommends that you do not use GPS in the area and that you follow the directions on the website.)

The next time you think about Mammoth Cave and Mammoth Cave National Park, think about a big cave that has a mammoth history with the railroad.

Williamsburg, Indiana

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

Welcome to Williamsburg, Indiana.

Some of you are saying, “You got it wrong.  You meant to say, ‘Welcome to Williamsburg, Virginia’.”

No.  This is the small town of Williamsburg in the U.S. state of Indiana.  It is not like its Virginia counterpart of Colonial Williamsburg but a small town in the eastern part of the state just west of the U.S. state of Ohio.  When you visit the town, you will pretty much see a ghost town… but it was not always that way.

The town was named after William Johnson, the man who settled the town in 1830.  Like many small towns, it flourished, but something happened in 1901.  What happened?  The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway came to town.  Connecting the Indiana cities of Richmond to the south with Muncie, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway brought massive growth of business and population to the town.  The town had its own train station.  Like many small towns in the United States of America, Williamsburg went into a decline and began beginning to be the ghost town it is today.

Today, the railroad line that passed through the town of Williamsburg, Indiana became a rail trail known as the Cardinal Greenway, the longest rail trail in the U.S. state of Indiana running to Richmond to the south and Marion to the north.  As you visit the rail trail, you will not notice that this was once a busy place.  Located north of the town center just a short drive of U.S. Route 35, you will experience a quiet place at a place that was once the centerpiece of the town.

Welcome to Williamsburg, Indiana.  You will not see people dress in colonial attire, but you will be in a small town where a railroad made history.

The White Oak Rail Trail, Oak Hill, West Virginia

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

In the heyday of America railroading, the railroad connected the small towns with the major cities.  As many railroad lines were no longer used, many of the railroad tracks and the railroad ties were taken up while some rails and ties were left to decay.  Some of the railroad beds were left to erode over time while some were covered into rail trails.  (A rail trail is a trail designed on an old railroad bed to be used for hiking, biking, horseback riding, or just plain walking.)  Many of the trails are paved while some remain dirt or have gravel.

In the U.S. state of West Virginia in the metropolitan region of Beckley, you will find the town of Oak Hill.  The town is not very famous although it is said the country music singer Hank Williams may have died at a gas station in this town while on route from Bristol, Virginia to Canton, Ohio.  (The story has not been confirmed.)  The only thing most people know about Oak Hill is that most people drive by the town on U.S. Route 19 while traveling from Beckley to the World Famous New River Gorge Bridge which is just north of the town.  One thing that is confirmed is that the town of Oak Hill was served by the railroad.

The White Oak Rail Trail is a rail trail that is slightly under eight miles that passes through the town.  Much of it is paved, but there are portions of the trail that are not paved.  The railroad line was owned by the White Oak Railway, and the rail line was later taken over by the Virginian Railway.  The main center point of the trail is the old train station.

What is special about the old train station?  It is one of the oldest structures in Oak Hill.  It is a passenger and a freight depot.  It was built by the White Oak Railway in 1903, and it was later taken over by the Virginian Railway.  Like many small towns, the railroad was a major contributor to the town’s economy.  The depot was also used by the Norfolk and Western Railway and the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway.  The train depot remained in service until 1983.  The rail line later became the rail trail it is today.

The train depot is now an art store selling locally made at.  An old railroad line that passes by the old train station is the only reminder of Oak Hill being a railroad town today.

The Oak Hill Train Depot is on the National Register of Historic Places.  It is located at the intersection of Virginia Street and Central Avenue.  The trail goes north from the depot to the community of Summerlee and south to the community of Carlisle.  Much of the trail is wheelchair accessible.

When you think of the New River Gorge region of West Virginia, think of the small town of Oak Hill.  It was once a railroad town, and an old train depot remains.

Hawks Nest State Park, Ansted, West Virginia

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

Some of you may have heard of a place called Hawks Nest State Park in the U.S. state of West Virginia.  What is Hawks Nest State Park?

Some of you are saying, “Well, it is a nest that was created by a hawk, and the great people of West Virginia made a state park out of it.”

How the park got the name is unknown at this point, and there may be a hawks nest here, but when you come here, you get a hawk’s view into the New River Gorge.  You stand at the overlook and lookout over the gorge and see an amazing view.  A visit to Hawks Nest State Park is a place you will want to see again and again.

Some of you are saying, “That is nice.  I have heard great things about the state of West Virginia, and I am aware of the natural beauty of this state.  I am pretty sure that there is a lot of beauty here, but because this park has no railroad, I will not be making my nest here.”

Why visit Hawks Nest State Park?

As you arrive and walk to the overlook and look down into the New River Gorge, you see the great gorge with the New River flowing through the bottom.  You see a dam of which, sadly, was a site of the worst industrial disaster in the state’s history during the construction of a water tunnel.  As you look into the New River Gorge, you see a railroad line.  The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway built the railroad through the gorge to mainly transport coal from the coal mines to the ports of Norfolk in the U.S. state of Virginia, but that is not that main reason for visiting the park.  The main thing you will see has been the number one view in the park.  As you look into the gorge, the number one view is the view of the railroad bridge crossing the New River.  Originally built by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway and now owned by the Chessie Seaboard Transportation Company (commonly known as CSX), it is still in use today.

Now you have a reason to visit Hawks Next State Park.  When you come here, you may have a problem leaving.

Hawks Nest State Park is located in Ansted, West Virginia on U.S. Route 60 ten miles west of U.S. Route 19 and the World Famous New River Gorge Bridge and the New River Gorge National Park.  The overlook is open from sunrise to sunset, and it is completely wheelchair accessible.

Hawks Nest State Park in Ansted, West Virginia is a great park to visit.  You may not see any hawks or hawk’s nest, but you will get a great view of the New River Gorge and a railroad bridge crossing the New River in the gorge below.

The Cumberland Valley Rail Trail, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

The town of Chambersburg in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania was a town that was established and named after Benjamin Chambers.  The town has man historic sites and has a history that is older than the United States of America.  Even though a railroad line passes through the town today and there were railroad structures in the town, the town has no real history with the railroad and was never a railroad town.  As you walk through the downtown area, the one thing you will see is the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail.

What is the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail?  It is a trail under two miles that runs through the heart of the town of Chambersburg.  It was built on the railroad bed of the Cumberland Valley Railroad which ran through much of the south central part of Pennsylvania and into the U.S. state of Maryland connecting Chambersburg with the rest of the nation.  The main line, owned by the Norfolk Southern Railway today, continues to serve the town.  The rail trail parallels the Conococheague Creek and is next to the Fort Chambers Park.

The Cumberland Valley Rail Trail in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania is located on the west side of downtown and U.S. Route 11 crossing U.S. Route 30.  It is completely paved making it easy for those in wheelchairs.  Only street parking is available.  It is mainly flat, and it is accessible from sunrise to sunset.

Chambersburg, Pennsylvania may not be a famous railroad town, but it does preserve a piece of railroad history for hikers, bikers, walkers, and many people for many years to come.

‘Bridge of Dreams’, Brinkhaven, Ohio

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

The U.S. state of Ohio has so many great sites throughout the state.  It has great historic houses, museums, and parks.  The state is also known for its covered bridges.  One of these covered bridges is known as the ‘Bridge of Dreams’ in the small town of Brinkhaven.  Unlike most covered bridges, this particular covered bridge was not an automobile bridge but is part of a hiking trail.  Why is it called the ‘Bridge of Dreams’?  The answer is that the bridge that crossed the Mohican River was considered to expensive to build, but money was raised, and it was built.  Today, the ‘Bridge of Dreams’ is the second longest covered bridge in the state of Ohio and the third longest covered bridge in the United States of America.  If you love covered bridges, you will wanted to see the ‘Bridge of Dreams’ in Brinkhaven, Ohio.

Some of you are saying, “This is nice.  I love covered bridges.  It is a great thing about the United States of America.  The sad thing is that with this being a covered bridge, it has nothing to do with the railroad.  Therefore, I will not be dreaming of seeing this covered bridge.”

What is special about the ‘Bridge of Dreams’?  Yes, it is the second longest covered bridge in the state and the third longest covered bridge in the nation, but there is more to the story.

You will just see a long covered bridge if you hike, or bike, the trail.  It you approach the bridge from the road, you will notice something.  What do you notice from the road?

The ‘Bridge of Dreams’ is a covered bridge today, but it was not always a covered bridge.

Some of you are saying, “Wait a minute, are you saying that this was not always a covered bridge?”

You have read correctly.  It was originally a railroad bridge.  The trail, known as the Mohican Valley Trail, was built on an old railroad line of the Pennsylvania Railroad.  What is now the ‘Bridge of Dreams’ was originally built by the Pennsylvania Railroad in the 1920’s.  It was a railroad bridge until the 1990’s when the railroad line was abandoned, and it was made into a rail trail.  There was an idea to convert the old railroad bridge into a covered bridge.  Fighting against the skeptics, the bridge became a covered bridge, and it was dedicated in 1999.

Today, you can take a walk across a bridge that was once traversed by the railroad.  The bridge is a short drive from U.S. Route 62 south of Brinkhaven.  You can park next to the trail and take a quarter mile walk on a paved trail that is easily accessible by wheelchairs.  If you have enough energy, you can go ahead and walk the entire four and a half mile trail to the nearby town of Danville.

The next time you hear about the ‘Bridge of Dreams’, you can dream about the days when the railroad traversed the Mohican River.  The railroad is long gone, but the dream still remains.

The Falls Park, Pendleton, Indiana

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

Oh the U.S. state of Indiana is a state famous for the Indianapolis 500 in the capital city of Indianapolis, The University of Notre Dame in South Bend, and for basketball which inspired the movie ‘Hoosiers’ starring Gene Hackman.  Like other states in the United States of America, Indiana has great hidden treasures.  One of these treasures is the town of Pendleton, a suburb of Indianapolis.  What is the town of Pendleton, Indiana famous for?  Well, unlike Indianapolis, South Bend, Fort Wayne, and Elkhart, there is not much fame in the town of Pendleton.

Some of you are saying, “Well, it looks like I am not going to visit this town.”

Well, this town has a great treasure.  What is this great treasure?  Welcome to Falls Park in Pendleton, Indiana.  What is great about Falls Park?  Well, it does have a waterfall.  It may not be as grand as Niagara Falls or Iguazu Falls or Victoria Falls, but just like most waterfalls, it is a beauty to see.  Now you have a great reason to visit Falls Park in Pendleton, Indiana.

Some of you are saying, “Oh, I love waterfalls.  They are such a beautiful thing to see.  I also enjoy parks.  There is a big problem.  This park is not a railroad park.  Therefore, I will not ‘fall’ in love with the town of Pendleton, Indiana.”

So why visit Falls Park in Pendleton, Indiana?

The park itself has a deep history that goes deep.  As you enter the park, you will notice what appears to be railroad bridge abutments.  Why are they there?  Pendleton is not a railroad town nor was it ever a railroad town even though a railroad line does pass through the town.  The old abutments are from a railroad line that did cross over the falls.  The ‘Bee Line’ passed through the park.  Originally part of the ‘Big 4 Railway’ which came through the park in 1851.  One of the trails follows the old railroad bed.  Like many unused railroad lines, they were abandoned, and the rails were taken up leaving the remnants of the railroad today.

Falls Park is located at 460 Falls Park Drive in Pendleton, Indiana just north of Indiana Route 38 and minutes from Interstate 69 and U.S. Route 36.  The park also has a museum and a veterans memorial.  The park is open sunrise to sunset, and access to see the waterfalls is available for wheelchairs.

You now have a reason to visit Falls Park in Pendleton, Indiana.  Be warned.  You will fall in love with this place.

The Cumberland Valley Rail Trail, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

In the heyday of the railroad, there were railroad lines all over the United States of America.  As the railroad declined, less used railroad lines were abandoned.  Although many of these railroad lines are lost forever to time, many were preserved as rail trails.  Among these rail trails is the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail that runs between the towns of Newville to Shippensburg in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the U.S. state that produced the Penn Central Transportation Company (simply known as the Penn Central) and the world famous Pennsylvania Railroad of which, sadly, neither of them exist today.

Why is it called the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail?  Although Conrail was the last owner of the railroad line who took over the line from the Penn Central Transportation Company, the railroad line was originally owned by the Cumberland Valley Railroad that ran railroad service throughout what is called the Cumberland Valley with railroad line through much of the south central region of Pennsylvania and in the northern parts of the U.S. state of Maryland.  Very little of the railroad lines of the Cumberland Valley Railroad were preserved.

This brings us to the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail.  As mentioned, it begins in the town of Newville and it ends in Shippensburg.  What it special about Shippensburg?  Well, although it is not a famous railroad town, the Norfolk Southern Railway does continue to pass through the town, but it was also served by the Cumberland Valley Railroad that was taken over by the Penn Central Transportation Company and, the railroad line’s last owner, Conrail, who donated the railroad line to be converted into the railroad trail.

What is special about Shippensburg?  The town’s claim to fame is that it is the home of Shippensburg University.  The west end of the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail begins at the south side of Shippensburg University.  What is special about the rail trail beginning at Shippensburg University?  It is here where the Cumberland Valley Railroad Museum is located.

Why here at Shippensburg University?  Shippensburg University was a benefactor of the Cumberland Valley Railroad.  Here, you will find the Shippensburg Station, a replica train station that serves as a restroom stop for those utilizing the rail trail and is located where a passenger stop for the university was located.

Then you have a boxcar from the Penn Central Transportation Company.  What is special about this boxcar?  Well, it was not originally owned by the Penn Central Transportation Company but the New York Central System, a railroad company that was taken over by the Penn Central Transportation Company.  The boxcar was abandoned at a warehouse in town and was spared from being scrap metal and restored to house artifacts of the Cumberland Valley Railroad and its history and impact on the region.

Then you have another boxcar.  This one is from Conrail.  Inside, you will see artifacts and the history of Conrail and its people.

You take a short walk down the trail and you see a coal car From the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.  Why is it here if the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad never came to Shippensburg?  The coal car came from a train wreck, and it was brought here as coal was shipped to Shippensburg University, and it is a reminder of how coal impacted the region.

So, if you need a reason to visit Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, you now have one.  The rail trail is easy for wheelchairs and so are the boxcars which are open from sunrise to sunset.  Most important, the rail trail and the boxcars are free to visit.

Caledonia State Park, Fayetteville, Pennsylvania

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

U.S. Route 30, a route that has been nicknamed the ‘Lincoln Highway’ named after Abraham Lincoln, former President of the United States of America, begins in the town of Astoria in the U.S. state of Oregon and winds its way east through many U.S. states ending in Atlantic City in the U.S. state of New Jersey.  One of those states is Pennsylvania.  As it passes through Pennsylvania, it passes through the major cities of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and it passes through the town of Gettysburg, the town famous for a great battle of the American Civil War known as the Battle of Gettysburg.  Halfway between Gettysburg and Chambersburg new the town of Fayetteville is Caledonia State Park.  Caledonia State Park is a park that has hiking trails, fishing, and hunting, and it has a waterfall.  Yes, many parks has this, but it also has the Totem Pole Playhouse, a theater that has produced actors like John Ritter from the old television series ‘Three’s Company’, the centerpiece of the park is the Caledonia Iron Furnace.

The Caledonia Iron Furnace was built in 1837, and it was owned by Thaddeus Stevens.  The name of the furnace comes from the name of the county in Vermont where Thaddeus Stevens was born. It was destroyed by Confederate General Jubal Early and his men in 1863.  The furnace was rebuilt, and it continued to produce iron until it was closed in 1902, and it was then turned into a state park.  When you visit Caledonia State Park, you can see the furnace, and you can see the blacksmith shop where demonstrations take place.  In Caledonia State Park, every step you take in the park is a place where history took place.

Some of you are saying, “Wow.  I love state parks.  I love being around the trees and the streams and the waterfalls.  As for the old furnace, it is nice that it is preserved although it would be great to see it working.  There is one problem.  What is the problem?  There is no railroad here.  Therefore, you will not see my company here.”

Well, as you walk around Caledonia State Park, you will not see a railroad nor do you see any sign of a railroad being here.  If there is no railroad at the park, why visit?

As you visit Caledonia State Park, you will notice a few structures within the park itself.  Of course, you have the restrooms, and, of course, you have the old furnace.  Then you have the blacksmith shop.  Yes, a blacksmith does mend and heat metals here, but it was not always a blacksmith shop.  If it was not always a blacksmith shop, what else could it have been.  The blacksmith shop was once a trolley station.  A trolley station?  Yes, it was a trolley station.  The Chambersburg and Gettysburg Electric Railway.  Trolley service began in 1905.  The Chambersburg and Gettysburg Electric Railway made a stop at Caledonia State Park, and they built a small amusement park there.  The railway got its name from the fact that its purpose was to take passengers from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania to visit the Gettysburg Battlefield in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  The trolley line was built east from Chambersburg, and it took passengers as far as… Caledonia State Park.  Due to lack of funds and steep grades between Caledonia State Park, the section to Gettysburg was never built.  Service ended in 1926, and the amusement rides were dismantled.  Today, only the blacksmith shop and the Trolley Trail going west from the blacksmith shop are the only reminders of the trolley.

As mentioned, every step you take at Caledonia State Park in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania is a step where history happened.  That includes those on the Appalachian Trail which passes through the park.  If you walk along the Trolley Trail, every step you take will be a step where railroad history took place.

Caledonia State Park is located near the town of Fayetteville, Pennsylvania at the intersection of U.S. Route 30 and Pennsylvania Route 233.  The park is free to visit, and it is open from sunrise to sunset.  The iron furnace and the Caledonia Waterfall can be seen from the road.  Although the trolley trail is flat, it is not paved making it difficult for wheelchairs.  You can get more information at https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/CaledoniaStatePark/Pages/default.aspx.

U.S. Route 30 has many great sites along the road.  Caledonia State Park is one of them.  It may be famous for the furnace, but it was also a place where a trolley line came to an end.