New Off-Road Park Being Developed on Reclaimed Coal Land

Josh Burns / October 19, 2010

A recent story from newsitem.com focused on a new OHV trail system being developed in Coal Township in Northumberland County in Pennsylvania.

This isn’t the first time that reclaimed coal land is being considered for use as a reclamation project for off-road use. In fact, just earlier this year, Off-Road.com traveled with Kawasaki to a new trail system being developed in Kentucky called Man Made Paradise Adventure Park.

“We support this project 100 percent and believe it will clean up the environment, provide an economic boost to the area and give off-road recreational vehicle enthusiasts a safer, more regulated place to ride their vehicles,” said Cindy Dunn, deputy secretary for the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), summarizing the feelings of approximately 40 people who participated in a three-hour riding tour this past Sunday covering abandoned coal lands that Northumberland County officials plan to convert into the Anthracite Outdoor Recreation Area.

The ride consisted of local, county and state officials, environmentalists, outdoor enthusiasts and National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOVCC) who met to ride new area that is scheduled to become the home of an off-road recreation vehicle park. The story also notes that local official were along for the ride, including Dunn and John Norbeck, bureau director of state parks for DCNR.