Hike #524 11/6/10
11/6/10 Watres Reservoir to Pittston PA with Jillane Becker, Jason Kumpas, Mathais Bullerman, Amanda Murphy, and Jason Itell
Abandoned rail line near Watres Reservoir. This was the PA Coal Company's 1890 Spring Brook Railroad
My next hike would be the next section of the former Wilkes Barre and Eastern Railroad right of way north bound. I had been working to complete this line for some time, and was really enjoying each section so it was time to continue.
We met in the morning at Wal Mart in Pittston PA. The Wal Mart that I had picked, however, was one that was now closed. When Jillane, Mathias, and I pulled into the parking lot we couldn't believe there was a Wal Mart that had so few customers until we realized it was abandoned. The new one was a little ways away. We ended up leaving cars a little closer to the former rail bed and then shuttled south to near Watres Reservoir at a parking area along a creek along Aston Mountain Road where we'd left off on the previous section hike.
Jason along abandoned rail line near Watres Reservoir. 1890 Spring Brook Railroad
We crossed the road from the parking area and then headed along the creek up stream. The path we were following, unknown to me on an earlier trip, was an old almost forgotten railroad line who's name escapes me at the moment, but we'd have to come back to explore more. I think it might have been called Spring Creek Railroad.
I think this is Panther Creek, below Watres Reservoir
We continued along the former rail bed for a bit, and deviated somewhat staying along the creek. We did come to where the rail line used to cross the creek and we could see some remnants of the right of way on the other side for a bit. We weren't going to try to follow much of it on this occasion though, our focus was the WB&E, but first we were going to explore a site ahead.
Just down stream from Watres Reservoir
We continued along the creek to the confluence with the Panther Creek where we could hear the road or water very close by. I had read about and seen pictures of Watres Falls, a waterfall that acted as a spillway for the Watres Reservoir that looked absolutely stunning. I had to see it. We made our way along the edge of the creek until we found logs across it that were suitable for crossing.
Crossing Panther Creek on a log
Crossing Panther Creek on a log
We found a log stretching out across the creek. Jillane waited here for a break while the rest of us headed across the log carefully, then up stream along a rocky shore to the base of Watres Falls. It was more spectacular than the pictures I'd seen had shown.
Watres Falls
Watres Falls
Watres Falls
Jason I. commented that he thinks it was the most substantial waterfall he'd seen in all of eastern Pennsylvania! We climbed up along the rocks to the top of the falls. I kept right to the side next to the water to experience as much of it as I could.
Watres Falls
Watres Falls
Watres Falls
Watres Falls
Watres Falls
Jason K. atop Watres Falls
Top of Watres Falls
Watres Reservoir at the top of the spillway
Spillway at Watres Reservoir
Watres Reservoir
When we reached the top there was a flat rock and a tiny dam at the open of the spillway from Watres Reservoir. There was a great view over the body of water from the top, as well as a great view down into the valley of the falls and the creek below. We all agreed that we would have to come back here during warmer weather, probably Spring time.
Watres Falls from the top
Looking off from the top of Watres Falls.
We continued from here back down the edge of the falls carefully to the bottom, then back to the log where to meet Jillane. We crossed and then followed the Panther Creek up stream. We had walked this route before, but this time it was a bit different. The last time we walked in the dry stream bed, but this time it was full of running water. It was evident that this was like the washes out west, where during heavy rains the creek would overflow across the wide flood plain.
We continued to find the bases of where the Panther Creek Viaduct for the WB&E Railroad once stood. We found some pier bases right alongside the stream
Pier bases at Panther Creek Viaduct site
In addition to the old pier bases, we also came across an awesome little foot bridge someone had constructed that we missed previously.
Foot bridge over Panther Creek
Foot bridge over Panther Creek
One of the bases for Panther Creek Viaduct
We made our way from the creek up hill trying to find the bases of the former Panther Creek Viaduct; we found a few so we knew we were going the right way. It was a bit overgrown, so it was nice when we came to a woods road that led to the right to another going left up to the rail bed.
The rail bed was nice and clear just like the previous sections.
Wilkes Barre and Eastern Railroad bed at Panther Creek Viaduct site
Along WB&E rail bed
Along WBE rail bed north of Panther Creek
As we walked we came to a stone culvert below the right of way. Kumpas and I went down to check it out, and then crawled on through. Kumpas went first, and about three quarters of the way through, he dropped his sandwich.
Old underpass beneath WME rail bed
Beneath WBE rail bed
I followed close behind him, but had quite a bit more trouble because I was an idiot and kept my backpack on. On my way through I found his sandwich sitting in the muck, fortunately without the bag leaking, and threw it to him.
Creek along WBE grade
As we walked north around a sharp bend we came to a clearing where there was a house right next to the rail bed, with a barking dog. We hurried on by, crossed a pile of dirt where a sign read "no trespassing" and continued fast. We passes over a widely cleared area and then back onto a more narrow pathway.
View from the former WB&E Railroad near Aston Mountain Road
WB&E rail bed south of Gudz Road in the Poconos
We soon came to a developed area with houses on the left. I think we opted to just dash across to come out on Gudz Road next to the intersection with Aston Mountain Road. We hung around here for a bit trying to figure out our next move. There was a business built over the right of way on the opposite side. We could walk Gudz Road to the left and bushwhack to it. Cars kept going by so we didn't want to go direct. I think dogs came out of one house there so we were already seen in the area. I opted to turn left onto Aston Mountain Road and then we'd cut over to the rail bed.
WB&E grade just west of the Gudz Road crossing
There was a spot at the very end of the business where trucks and such were being stored, so when no cars were coming we dashed into the woods here and passed the trucks.
WB&E rail grade west of Gudz Road.
Junk below the rail bed
We continued along as the rail bed neared the edge of a field to the north. The right of way had a lot of water running in it at this point, but then made it's way onto more of a shelf again, over a stream and around more sharp bends.
WBE rail bed in the deep pocono woods
Small fill at one of the hairpin turns made by the rail bed
After the sharp bends the right of way widened yet again. We came to an area with a clearing to the left into the steep hillside where a lot of junk had been dumped. Among the junk were some toilets. We joked that Jason, whom had once accidenitly destroyed a toilet in a fit of rage years before, should destroy them. He found a large concrete thing attached to a stick, and wrecked one toilet. He and Jillane then wrecked two more, which shattered with a loud sound.
Smashing old toilets along the rail bed
We continued on along the rail bed ahead and soon passed a cabin on the left. The place was pretty beat up, and I suppose someone must have been living there and was probably home, so we hurried on by as not to be seen.
The section ahead was incredibly beautiful, high on a shelf above the valley with great views due to the leaves being down.
View from the rail bed to the east
View from the WBE rail bed
The rail bed turned to the west after a bit through a saddle in the poconos. After a while of walking, we heard a noise. There was a truck driving the right of way straight ahead of us! I figured since it was a Saturday there were probably people hunting. We dashed off into the woods to the left. The guy in the truck must have seen us along the way, but we layed down so that when he went by we were hopefully out of sight. When he was gone we cut through the woods parallel with the rail bed and then out to a clearing where the area had recently been logged.
Side trip from the rail bed
There was another truck parked within sight of where a woods road went into the logged area so we couldn't just go back out to the rail bed. With difficulty, we crossed the open area with cut saplings tripping our every step, and paralleled the rail bed along the top of a cut below us to the right. We didn't stay there long till the truck returned from the opposite direction. Jason yelled out "Truck's back" and told us the truck stopped and a guy got out. We took off running up hill through the timbered area to a spot on the hillside sort of out of sight. There was no way this guy was going to follow us up there.
View high above WBE rail bed to the north
There was a bit of a nice view from these points, and we skirted the edge following my phone gps parallel with the rail bed, but at safe distance. We came out of the timbered area and entered woods. We then descended over a creek, then back up on the other side.
View toward the rail bed from an off trail area
We edged our way back toward the railroad bed, which also crossed the creek at another really sharp bend. We headed up hill and took a break at an old woods road with a stone wall lining it's steep down hill side. I walked ahead where I could see the railroad bed below. As I was up there I ran back when I could hear a vehicle. I was barely able to see the truck driving back along the rail bed around the bend.
Off trail near the WBE rail bed
We continued up over the knoll behind us and went straight to another old woods road. To the right, we could see the old rail bed, now used as a road, at an intersection with a house to the left as well as a pond. I thought on this for a bit and then opted to follow the south side of the pond. We continued bushwhacking, crossed over a little stream inlet along the pond, then got on a woods road heading north along the west end of the pond. When the woods road went toward more buildings it seemed, we turned off of it continueing to the left. We went back up hill a little, then descended back to the rail bed which was parallel with an east/west driveway road, just below it in a deep cut.
WBE rail bed in the northern poconos
WBE rail bed in the northern Poconos
The rail bed was not used in this section, but it didn't really have any vegetation in it. Just a lot of garbage and some standing water. We continued cautiously with the road above us to the right. Eventually, the road descended a bit to the level of the rail bed, and they joined.
Wet WBE rail bed, northern Poconos
View from WBE rail bed to the north
The rail bed remained like a road for a little bit, but soon became a less worrysome smaller route. There were views opening up to the north as we made our way onto another high shelf. This was an excellent section, but it was beginning to look more developed at the views. One of them was a sort of tree farm or something.
North facing view from WBE rail bed
North facing view from WBE rail bed
The right of way went from going west to south yet again and soon came to Suscon Road. This was really the first road crossing since Gudz Road further back. There was a former bridge site on this road, and we had to walk around on a parallel road to Suscon Road and then got back on the rail bed. There was actually a little bit of rail left in this area.
Rails still in place on former WB&E Railroad, Suscon PA
Old rail railroad ruins, Suscon PA
There was most certainly a station at one time in this area, as there was a junction here with another line of the WBE, one that went to a place called "Old Forge" which as of this writing I have yet to hike.
Former WB&E Railroad near Suscon PA
WBE rail bed near Suscon PA
We passed through next a long and wide open area that looked like it was going to be a new housing development or something. The rail bed was still clearly visible across the area though.
WBE rail bed near Suscon PA
WBE rail bed south of Suscon PA
We went through one more section of woods where the right of way remained undisturbed before reaching a place where it was blocked off by a chain link fence. There was a huge set of buildings with tractor trailers and such parked along it, no doupt some sort of distrubution center which the area is already full of. We turned right and skirted this area along a chain link fence.
View along a distribution center near the old rail bed
Following a chain link fence at a distribution center
View from near the distribution center
We continued along the edge of the fence for a while, and soon came to the former rail bed again. It made another sharp turn to the north and then west through the area, and it was untouched in a small section of woods we entered next.
WBE rail bed north of the distribution center near Suscon PA
Rail bed heading into a recently cleared area.
WBE grade in a cut, soon to be destroyed it seems.
The rail bed left this short wooded area and then was in a large clearing. It seemed this section was geared up for development, and that the rail bed would be destroyed when it happened, but for now it was clear where it went, through a cut only with no trees in sight. It was kind of weird walking this section.
View from former WBE rail bed south of Pittston PA
WBE rail bed near Pittston PA
It seems we picked the right time to hike this section, because if we waited at all nothing would be left of this old grade. The rail bed turned from west to north, and views opened up that were stunning. There was no one working, so we could continue right on through. Just ahead, the former fill the railroad would have crossed was now barely just a knife edge pile of dirt, cappped at the top with the last remain of cinder dirt used as the bed of the line to guide us along the way. Soon this piece of history would be completely gone; it was almost there.
Remains of the WBE rail bed fill near Pittston PA
Remains of the WBE fill near Pittston PA
Remains of the WB&E railroad fill south of Pittston PA
After walking along the top of the knife edge pile, the grade became pretty normal again as it turned from northbound to west again. There were many more views, about 180 degrees. To the north and east at first, and then to the west after a short cut section that remained.
Former WB&E Rail bed near Pittston PA
View from WB&E Rail bed near Pittston PA
Former WB&E railroad cut near Pittston PA
View from former WB&E railroad near Pittston PA
Former WB&E Railroad near Pittston PA
Cut along former WB&E railroad bed south of Pittston PA
View from former WB&E railroad bed near Pittston PA
View from WB&E railroad bed near Pittston PA
WB&E rail bed, Pittston PA
WB&E rail bed near Pittston PA
View from former WB&E rail bed near Pittston PA
This section was beautiful and so scenic, it was sad to think that the next time we could come back it would probably be completely destroyed and inaccessible. I looked back and forth at the former rail bed, and took a lot of pictures in this section since it would likely be gone soon.
We turned to the right from the rail bed as it was fenced over and unrecognizeable or accessable ahead. We descended and came out on the end of a paved road access and descended to Armstrong Road, then turned left.
We followed the road for a bit, then turned right onto the abandoned former alignment of the road out to an underpass below Rt 476.
abandoned section of Armstong Road, Pittston PA
Abandoned section of Armstrong Road, Pittston PA
After the bridge underpass we crossed over a nice grassy area of a scenic retention pond (hah) and then crossed Quarry Road down along another grassy retention pond parallel with Rt 315.
Pittston PA
Scenic retention ponds of Pittston PA
We crossed the highway to a commuter parking lot where we'd left the cars in the morning (very near the abandoned Wal Mart) to finish a fantastic hike. I figure we only have one more section hike to do in order to complete the Wilkes Barre and Eastern, and I can't wait for the snow to melt to finally get to it!
We went to dinner at one of Jason Kumpas's favorite pizza places nearby, which was different and excellent. I correctly guessed that it was topped with white cheddar. Yum.
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