PATTON —
The “Field of Dreams” philosophy of build it and they will come, is working – sort of – at Rock Run Recreational Area State Park, the all-terrain vehicle park located near St. Lawrence in northeastern Cambria County.
Built on a portion of 6,000 acres of old coal strippings purchased for $2 million by the state a decade ago, Rock Run is touted by state officials as the answer to the demand for more legal ATV riding facilities.
Rock Run is a pilot project initiated by the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, using some of the more than $2 million paid annually in ATV registration fees. Rock Run should take some of the pressure off of state officials who have been pressured to open more forest land as off-road riding increases.
“We’ve just added 40 miles in new trails and there is still more to come,” said park manager Mike Kutruff. “This is like everything else, it takes time and money.”
The $800,000 cost for development of the new trails was paid by a grant from DCNR using ATV registration fees, he said.
The trails have been developed to provide for all levels of riding skill. The newly added trails bring to 130 the total miles open in the park, which stretches from St. Lawrence to near Westover in Clearfield County.
Rock Run, being developed on land once owned by the K&J Coal Co. and now owned by the Cambria County Conservation and Recreation Authority, is operated by a 12-member board of directors. State Rep. Gary Haluska, D-Patton, serves as president.
Rock Run and other sites likely to be developed by DCNR are helping to meet the growing demand for trails generated by the increase in ATV owners, Haluska said. But it also is putting to use land which otherwise was an eyesore to surrounding communities.
Two annual events are doing a lot to get the word out about Rock Run, said Dee Columbus, executive director of the county recreation authority.
Rally at the Rock brings in a lot of local riders, Columbus said, and Fisher’s ATV World Reunion, held Aug. 9-12, brings in riders from out of state.
“People come from all over the country. It gives the park huge exposure,” she said.
The Fisher’s weekend brings in up to 5,000 people and went a long way in helping the park to bring 25,000 riders through the gates last year, officials said.
Rock Run also will hold a Ride ’til Midnight event on July 14.
“Each year it has been good despite the economy,” Kutruff said. “This year it’s down a little bit, but overall I think we’re doing pretty well.”
It is estimated that $6 million has been spent so far on the land purchase and park development, less than one-third of expenditures spelled out in the $20 million master plan unveiled in 2005.
The park is far from complete, Haluska and Kutruff said.
Plans are in the works for more trails, a shower house, water, sewer and electric hookups for camping and more development of trailheads.
The park now has two trailheads at the welcome center near St. Lawrence.
“It’s doing well, and the fact they just added all that trail shows good leadership,” Columbus said.
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