Maintenance and Rehabilitation

Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area - Pennsylvania

The adventure area utilizes 6,500 acres of abandoned coal lands

Abandoned land becomes a premier motorized and nonmotorized recreation facility!

The Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area Authority, under the auspices of the Northumberland County Commissioners, has taken 6,500 acres of County-owned abandoned coal lands and turned them into a premier motorized and non-motorized outdoor recreation facility.

In 2011, RTP funding in the amount of $265,000 was used to design the initial trailhead visitors building and attached three bay garage, paved access drives, parking lot, and stormwater management facilities. Designs were done by Pennoni Associates, Inc. The Visitors Facility, paved parking lot, and the Event Center were designed for handicap accessibility.

In 2012, RTP funding in the amount of $667,100 was used to construct the 3,000 sq. foot visitors building and three bay garage, along with developing and upgrading the trail system. The Visitors Center consists of the lobby, customer service area with a handicap accessible check-in counter, the director’s office, conference room and two handicap accessible bathrooms. During the electrical phase of the construction, high school students from the Northumberland County Vocational Technical School worked alongside the electricians giving the students valuable hands-on experience.