Join us as we explore strange structures and search out the stunning vistas hidden in the mountains of Luzerne County, PA on the Tilbury Knob Trail.
The Tilbury Knob Trail is part of the Harveys Creek Tract of Pinchot State Forest in Luzerne County, PA. Being our first visit to this trail, we weren’t sure what to expect apart from a purported scenic view and woodland wanderings on a reforested mining mountain. But we were amazed and a little perplexed by what we found in the woods.
We parked in a spacious gravel pull-off lot at 41.25127, -75.99831 in the Harveys Creek ravine. This is a popular fishing spot and there was ample parking. The unmarked Tilbury Knob Trail begins across the road, near where Chase Rd. intersects Route 29. Ascend the mountain via the stony trail until you encounter the power line cut. The power line cut is weedy and infested with ticks. We stopped every few minutes to pick off the vile creatures. Fortunately, the time on the power line cut isn’t long, only about 0.2 miles. At 41.25279, -75.99270 we turned to head into the woods. The trail is easy to lose in this area. Although the ticks subsided in the woods, we exchanged the blood suckers for wet, muddy terrain. We were a little disappointed with the first three quarters of a mile but what we found next changed all that. At 41.24700, -75.99729 we encountered the abandoned structure in the photos above and below.
Two massive pipes extended from underneath the structure down the mountain in the direction of Harveys Creek. Another larger undergrown pipe followed the contour of the mountain perpendicular to the first two pipes. Upon inspection, the mysterious concrete and block structure appeared safe to enter. The house was empty inside save for two old hand crank devices and a lot of debris. There was also a box on the wall with old electrical contacts, maybe for a telegraph or phone.
The purpose of the house and mysterious hand crank devices became clear when we explored the underground level. This was a valve house to control the flow of water through the pipes. See the valves in the photo below. The hand cranks on the ground floor actuated the valves via the long screw shafts.
Naturally, new questions followed. As we continued south on that appeared to be an old grade following the contour of the mountain, we wondered what was the purpose of the valve house? Where did the pipes go? Who built it and when? Why on the side of a mountain? The plot thickened when we encountered the puzzling structure below.
The trail ran along the breast of whatever this is as it curved around the mountain. The valve house must have controlled the water to and/or from the channel. We first hypothesized that this might have been a flume or canal for transportation related to mining or timbering. But if that is the case, why would it be so shallow and narrow and up on the mountain? And there was not enough room for a tow path. In any case, this section was an extremely pleasant, easy hike where we reveled in the mystery and woodland beauty.
After about half a mile of musing along the mystery structure, some of our questions were answered when we encountered the waterfall below. The water flowed across the channel then over a spillway and down the mountain. This waterfall, cluttered with debris, is at the top of series of waterfalls known as Aqueduct Falls. Aqueduct Falls proper is a short walk down the mountain from the Tilbury Knob Trail. You can join us on the excursion to Aqueduct Falls from the bottom of the mountain on our next adventure. COMING SOON!
We advanced south on the Tilbury Trail for about a tenth of a mile past the waterfall to a concrete partition in the aqueduct and another valve. The aqueduct transitions from the concrete channel to large pipes traversing a ravine on the side of the mountain.
The trail splits in several places, and all trails are unmarked. We followed the direction of the pipes (now underground) to this structure protruding from a rock face on the mountain at the end of the trail. We could feel chilly air and hear trickling of water through the thick metal screen to the right of the door.
The mysterious aqueduct running along what is now the Tilbury Knob Trail was used to transport water from Pikes Creek Reservoir to the Wyoming Valley. As you can see from the marked-up Google map below, Harveys Creek Runs along the bottom of the gorge, but Pikes Creek travels from the reservoir (not pictured) at higher elevation on the mountain then comes to an abrupt end marked by the yellow dot to the left of the gorge. The valve house is immediately across the gorge from the Pikes Creek terminus. The large diameter pipes we saw coming from the valve house and running down the mountain must have carried water from Pikes Creek. I wonder what is at the terminus of Pikes Creek. Is there another aqueduct on that side? The subject of a future adventure! The aqueduct that runs with the Tilbury Knob Trail is given by red dots. The straight blue line to the southeast of the aqueduct must be where the water traveled to the Wyoming Valley.
We backtracked from the dead end of the aqueduct to where the trail split previously at 41.23876, -75.99214 and took the broad trail up the mountain. This trail generally followed the stream above the waterfall, occasionally giving scenic views of the stream below. However, we were halted by posted signs at 41.24092, -75.99031, but not before encountering a patch of native lady’s slipper orchids in bloom. We backtracked to 41.23963, -75.99144 where we took a narrow trail up the mountain. Again, all the trails are unmarked, but this must be the Tilbury Knob Trail proper.
This section of the Tilbury Knob Trail would be more properly described as a path, and it ascends all the way to the top of the mountain for half a mile. At the top, there is a four-way split. We took the dirt road trail that runs along the ridge for 1.1 miles, then it opens up to the glorious Tilbury Knob at 41.22675, -76.00805.
Tilbury Knob offers inspiring views of the Harveys Creek gorge and the east branch of the Susquehanna River snaking past West Nanticoke through the mountains.
From Tilbury Knob there are numerous trail options to continue the adventure. We headed southeast hoping to find remnants of mining activity and to catch views of the Wyoming Valley. We encountered a rock wall formation at 41.22436, -76.00411. We made our way to the top on the eastern end of the wall, bushwacking through much brush in hopes of a scenic view. But there was none to be found. We returned to the trail and resumed our journey to the south side of the mountain facing the Wyoming Valley.
The south side of the mountain is rehabilitated strip mines with views of the valley and mountains beyond. All the mines were filled in, and most of the terrain is gravelly with grasslands enclosed in lines of trees. There is a network of trails in this area, but after the tick assault at the power line cut, we were inclined to stay out of the grasses and on the main trail. You can see the eastern portion of the city of Nanticoke in the photo below.
We passed several ponds on the east side of the mountain and two young men heading to fish in them. They were the only people we saw on the trail all day. We followed a trail up the scrubby slope back up to the top of the mountain and rejoined the Tilbury Knob trail at the interstation at 41.23499, -75.99079.
From here we followed the Tilbury Trail back the same way we came, revisiting the aqueduct, valve house, dashing through the tick-topia power line cut and descending the gorge back to the trailhead at Harveys Creek.
The adventure was 8.3 miles.
Spacious parking in a gravel pull-off along Route 29 is located at 41.25127, -75.99831
The Tilbury Knob Trail started off slow with the tick-infested powerline cut and muddy trail. But thrill of discovery and mystery of the abandoned aqueduct as well as the superb river vista at Tilbury Knob made up for it. An aqueduct on a mountain – we’ve never seen anything quite like it! The trails on the south side of the mountain are nothing to write home about, being scrubby and gravelly rehabilitated strip mines, but there are nice views of the Wyoming valley all along that side. Overall, we recommend this trail and would do it again ourselves. And we can’t wait to see what Pikes Creek looks like on the other side of the gorge. A few things to know before you go:
- As noted above, be prepared for ticks. Most were concentrated at the power line cut, but we got some in the woods as well. In the space of a little over 8 miles I pulled off over 30 ticks.
- The trail between the power line cut and the abandoned valve house is muddy and wet.
- All of the trails are unmarked and there are multiple paths to take, especially in the area of Tilbury Knob and on the south side of the mountain. We recommend bringing a map/GPS.
- The south side of the mountain facing the Wyoming Valley has little cover and the rocky terrain seemed to amplify sun, so be prepared with sun protection.
Join us as we explore one of Luzerne County’s best waterfalls, Aqueduct Falls, just down the mountain from the Tilbury Knob Trail. COMING SOON!
Be sure to check out our other adventures.
