ENDLESS MOUNTAINS
34 BEST CYCLING GREAT ESCAPES 2023
The organizers have installed a divider route creating eastern and western sections to facilitate the enjoyment of the route for all levels of riders. The route also utilizes a large portion of the 2021 Pennsylvania Trail of the Year, the 38-mile Delaware & Hudson (D&H) Rail-Trail in Susquehanna County. The Endless Mountains region is home to countless backcountry dirt roads, quaint and historic downtowns, stunning scenic overlooks, award-winning trails, state and county parks and picturesque creeks and streams, including the majestic Susquehanna River, recently voted as the 2023 Pennsylvania River of the Year. Traversing four counties, including Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna and Wyoming, the route passes through or nearby five state parks including Ricketts Glen, Worlds End, Mt. Pisgah, Salt Springs and Vosburg Neck, along with the Loyalsock State Forest. The Endless Mountains Bicycle Friendly Business Program, created in conjunction with the EMGBL, provides the opportunity for various local businesses and organizations in the region to ensure cyclists have hospitable access to repairs and charging stations, supplies and lodging for their trip. There are countless accommodation options in the area, from rental cabins to tent and trailer campsites, inns, bed and breakfasts, hotels and more. For re-fueling you’ll find restaurants, wineries, microbreweries, pubs, cafés and farmer’s markets, along with museums and historical societies, theatres, festivals and events, retreats, spas and wellness boutiques. The Endless Mountains are also home to the historic Tunkhannock Viaduct, built in classic Roman-style and considered one the engineering wonders of the world. In 2022, local officials were stoked to learn that Grinduro, the first truly global gravel/mountain bike enduro event series, had been selected Sullivan County as their U.S. stop for a 70-mile loop. That year, the series included stops in California, Switzerland, Wales and Australia. The region is a recreational wonderland with lakes and waterfalls, and it offers many other outdoor activities such as golf, hiking, running, climbing, kayaking, fishing, boating, bird watching, hunting, horseback riding, backpacking and canoeing. Winter activities include skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling. The rolling hills and pastoral landscapes of the Endless Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania are a haven for mountain bikers. There is an interactive map with various points of interest that riders can use to plot out their trip. The route can then be downloaded via Strava or Ride with GPS.
PHOTOS: ENDLESS MOUNTAINS
Cycling the new Endless Mountains Gravel Bikepacking Loop (EMGBL) in northeastern Pennsylvania is a dream come true for mountain bikers. The amazing mixed-surface route comprising well over 400 miles boasts more than 32,000 feet in elevation changes throughout and can be tackled as one mammoth cycling adventure, or cycled in sections over time.
The Endless Mountains bikepacking route is a “work in progress” and is being improved over time with feedback and input from testers and cyclists using the trails as EMGBL aims to ensure the best cycling experience possible. The EMGBL has been created and developed through a partnership between multiple organizations, including the Endless Mountains Heritage Region, the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau, Bradford County Tourism Promotion Agency and the Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission.
