At Kinzua Bridge State Park, a skywalk extends 600 feet along the remaining support towers of the Kinzua Viaduct. From there, visitors can look out over Kinzua Gorge; at the end, a partially glass-enclosed platform offers a view straight down. The park covers 339 acres and is home to the redesigned Viaduct. Weather and maintenance work may affect access to the skywalk, so check whether it is open before your visit.
Trails for Different Interests
In Bradford, two paved trails show how different a walk can be. Bradford's Community Parks Trail is an easy, 3.4-mile loop. It connects the city's parks with the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford campus and the Historic District. The R.E. McDowell Trail is shorter, at 1.4 miles, and is a point-to-point route with moderate inclines. Along the way, there is a trout-stocked stream, bridges, benches, and a pavilion. This offers a choice between a loop with stops around town and a shorter linear trail with a stream and places to rest.
The longer trails also differ in length and designated uses. West of Bradford, the North Country National Scenic Trail is designated for backpacking, hiking, and camping along its 96.3 miles. The Kinzua Valley Trail is 10.5 miles long and designated for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, and dispersed camping. For a shorter route, the Rimrock Overlook Trail is 1.3 miles long and includes an overlook. Near Bradford, the Crook Farm Trail is a three-mile hiking loop; in Kinzua Bridge State Park, the 1.6-mile General Kane Trail is designated as an easy hiking trail.
There are other specific differences among shorter excursions: Timberdoodle Flats Interpretive Trail consists of two loops totaling 1.75 miles and is ADA-accessible. The Potato Creek trail system connects directly to the Allegheny National Forest and McKean County's surrounding trail systems. The Kinzua Bridge Scenic Byway is designated as a shared corridor for hikers and cyclists. These details help distinguish the different trail types and uses without combining them into a single outing.
Explore Kinzua Bridge State Park
The skywalk isn't the only way to experience the park. The Visitor Center and Park Office offers views, self-guided exhibits, and information about the surrounding area. Visitors can fish for native brook trout in Kinzua Creek. The park is open daily year-round from 8 a.m. until sunset; weather and maintenance work may affect individual facilities.
The McKean County Collectible Pin Trail offers another perspective on historic places: travelers visit ten historic sites and collect a commemorative pin at each one. The History Trail connects historic attractions in Smethport, Port Allegany, Eldred, Bradford, Mount Jewett, and Kane. In Smethport, the Mansion District Walking Tour follows the village streets to more than 30 selected properties using a numbered map.
Museums, Architecture, and Local History
The sites on the Smethport walking tour also tell the stories of individual buildings. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church is an example of English Gothic Revival architecture and was designed by William Halsy Wood. Melbury House once served as a station on the Underground Railroad, the network that helped enslaved people escape north. In Bradford, Main Street is part of the Historic District; mansions from the oil boom era also line Congress Street.
Several museums focus on other aspects of history. The 15,000-square-foot Zippo/Case Museum includes a Zippo repair clinic and a Zippo/Case flagship store. The Eldred World War II Museum explores the history of World War II and features special wartime exhibits. Its library collection at the Robert A. Anderson Library includes more than 8,500 volumes, among them rare and out-of-print books. An ammunition factory that operated in the Eldred area during the war is also part of the area's history.
The McKean County Historical Society's Old Jail Museum is housed in a renovated former jail and serves as an educational resource sharing stories of local communities. The Society's museum displays the Emery-Lewis firearms collection, Civil War objects, and exhibits on early industry. The Historical Society's cultural programs include history walks, bus tours, lectures, reenactments, dinner theater, and festivals; individual programs may vary.
The Penn-Brad Oil Museum explores the development of the world's first billion-dollar oil field through the people, equipment, and stories associated with it. Serenity Glass Park tells the story of glassmaking in Port Allegany and also highlights the importance of the natural gas and timber industries to the town. At the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, the Bromeley Family Theater presents concerts, theater, dance, and community performances throughout the year. Together, these places offer different ways to explore regional history, from industry and collections to architecture and the performing arts.
Discover more destinations: Bradford, Mount Jewett, Potter County, Washington, Bradford County, Mercer, Armstrong, Tioga County
For the main travel overview: Pennsylvania.
