Next Saturday, Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., explore the waterfalls along the lower Turkey Path on the quest to unlock the geologic secrets of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon.

The deadline to register for this free program is next Thursday, Nov. 2. Register by calling 570-724-3061 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays or this weekend.

The program is well suited for those curious about the ancient past of the gorge that can complete the strenuous hike. 

“We first offered this hike in June. Due to its popularity, we decided to offer it again,” said Natural Resource Program Specialist Tim Morey. 

Registrants will meet at 9 a.m. in the Darling Run access parking lot for the Pine Creek Rail Trail and be bussed approximately 3.5 miles to the base of the trail below Leonard Harrison State Park where the program will begin.

To get to the Darling Run access parking lot for the Pine Creek Rail Trail from Wellsboro or Galeton, drive on U.S. Route 6, turn onto Route 362, and go about 1.5 miles to Darling Run in Ansonia.

Participants should wear proper footwear and layered clothing for the hike. It is also recommended that they bring a small backpack, water, and snacks.

After a brief introduction, the group will learn along the way as they slowly climb to a point about halfway up the Turkey Path, near the upper waterfall.  

The one-mile round trip hike up about 400 vertical feet on the Turkey Path and back down will be led by both park staff and professional geologists from DNCR’s Bureau of Geological Survey. If weather becomes an issue, the hike will be canceled.

The hike will begin at the base of the canyon, where the Lock Haven Formation is exposed. These rocks were deposited approximately 380 million years ago as sediment on the edge of an ancient sea and contain fossils of marine organisms. As the hike progresses, the exposed rock will be progressively younger and transition into the shoreline and alluvial plane deposits of the Catskill Formation, effectively transporting participants through time and space of the geologic history of the gorge.

For more information, call Tim Morey at 570-724-8561.