Ives Run COE Park in Tioga, Pennsylvania

The travel day from Seven Points Recreation Area to Ives Run COE Park was only about 150 miles. Once again, we took our time since checkout can be late at some of these parks. About halfway, we stopped to stock up on perishables. Back in 2021, we visited Ives Run on our way to New England. We found that the towns near the campground were not only small, but far away. This time we were prepared. 

Once at the campground, we found our site was open. This campground has hosts, but no one mans the entrance gate. You stop, check to see if your site is open and proceed to it if it is. If not, there is a large day use area where you can park to wait for your site to be vacated. Our site was on a cul-de-sac in Birch Loop. We had plenty of room...there was at least 50 yards between us and the neighbors on the hill behind us as well as good space between side by side sites.

 

Since we arrived early the afternoon, we unpacked the bikes and went for a ride around the campground. We rode all the loops, the day use area and up to the park entrance. Not far from the entrance (still inside the park) is a nature trail for hiking, biking or driving. We rode our bikes along Stephenhouse Trail next to Stephenhouse Run (stream). By the time we got back to Sol, we had ridden a little over 10 miles!

We would be at Ives Run for 3 nights so we decided to ride our bikes every day as well as walk around the campground. 

The next day we put the bikes on the bike rack and took off for Pine Creek Trail--a rails to trail gravel trail that runs next to Pine Creek. The area is also known as 'Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania.' We drove to the Darling Run Access Area to start our ride.

 As we rode, we passed a few small waterfalls and then this one. Each time we neared a waterfall, the air temperature seemed to drop about 10 degrees. It was definitely a 'cool' ride.

 Our ride took us to Tiadaghton Campground which was 7.7 miles. It was a nice ride on a pretty flat trail.

There were quite a few people at the campground. We saw several rafts drift by and a few campers. One gentleman was even flyfishing near the opposite shore. 

For the return trip, we cranked the speed up a notch since we did our sightseeing on ride south. 

 Yes, we have electric bicycles....much easier on the hills,,,lol. And they also allow us to ride farther than we would with regular bicycles. This trip we rode almost 16 miles. And yes, I am in charge of securing the bikes on the rack.

On our last day in the area, we started at the Wellsboro Trailhead and rode to the Darling Run Access. It would have been an 18 mile run, but someone (hint: not me) forgot his fitbit in the car after spraying sunscreen. So, at the 2 mile point we turned around to fetch said fitbit--you always have to have 'official' credit for a ride--and then continued our ride. So instead of 18 miles, we had 22 miles! Still an easy ride on a nice, well groomed trail. Some day we will have to return and ride the rest of the trail. The trail goes from Wellsboro in the north to Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, in the south, covering 61 miles.

This was our last day at Ives Run. We stopped in Wellsboro to stock up on spirits. Oops, forgot  that to get spirits in Pennsylvania you have to go to a specific store. I went to Oregon Hill Winery's tasting room and left happy. Bob went to the wine and spirits store for his beer, but found that he had to actually go to a beer store for said beer AND that he had to purchase a case---all the same, no mix and match! He finally left happy.

Time to head back to Sol, pack the bikes for travel and be ready for another travel day. 

Next stop: The Adirondacks in New York.