Allegheny Almanac: Holidays

Memorial Day Rimrock Bash begins New Summer for Kinzua

by Chris Lareau

A free backpacking seminar, a guided tour of Rimrock Overlook by an ecologist and a biologist, and wild animals from Wild Woods Animal Park and even a blacksmithing demonstration should draw quite a crowd this weekend as Pennsylvania Kinzua Pathways hosts a day at the Beach on Sunday.

Aside from warm weather and a swelling population of campers and reunion goers, Pennsylvania Kinzua Pathways has a lot to celebrate this Memorial Day--completion of the first link of their master plan to make hiking connections between the many signature attractions around Kinzua Lake. For more information on the new, short, and easily-hiked trail which connects Kinzua Beach and Rimrock Trail, visit this link.

The initial success of the locally founded Pennsylvania Kinzua Pathways is the reason they are throwing a party on Sunday, May 29 at the Kinzua Beach parking lot. But it's not your usual Memorial Day cookout --although there will be plenty of food. The Rimrock Bash will feature lots of family activities at little or no cost to showcase the area's outstanding outdoor attractions.

Sunday's Schedule of Activities:

12:00
Geocaching 101 with Wes Ramsey at the Kinzua Cachers tent (all day) Kinzua Cachers register for Geomeet. Find all caches and get a PKP pathtag

Register for the Conservation District’s Scavenger Hunt at Allegheny Outfitters tent (all day)

12:30
Try Zumba! a fun workout based on brazilian dance moves at the WCCBI trailer (15 min)

Allegheny Outfitters. Backpacking with Piper Lindell (upper parking lot vendor area, 30 min)

Boulder Climbing demonstration following Nature Walk, Dana Harrington (30 min)

1:00
Guided Nature Walk with Dr Todd Ristau and Dr. Scott Stolensen (1 hr)

Rich Schuler Interactive Drumming Circle (upper parking lot vendor area, 30 min)

Allegheny Cyclery booth, Flat Tire Repair Clinic (upper parking lot vendor area, 30 min)

1:30
Try Zumba! a fun workout based on brazilian dance moves (WCCBI trailer, 15 min)

2:00
Warren General Hospital Outdoor First Aid clinic (1 hr)

Clarendon VFD Fire Truck tour, till 4 pm (mid parking lot area)

Rich Schuler Interactive Drumming Circle (upper parking lot vendor area, 30 min)

Boulder Climbing demonstration following Nature Walk, Dana Harrington (30 min)

2:30
Guided Nature Walk with Dr Todd Ristau and Dr. Scott Stolensen (1 hr)

Marty Loomis Kids DJ (upper parking lot vendor area, 20 min)

Allegheny Outfitters. Backpacking with Piper Lindell (upper parking lot vendor area, 30 min)

3:00
Rich Schuler Interactive Drumming Circle (upper parking lot vendor area)

3:30
Allegheny Cyclery booth, Flat Tire Repair Clinic (upper parking lot vendor area, 30 min)

Marty Loomis Kids DJ (upper parking lot vendor area, 20 min)

4:00 Paul Eisert Band, till 6 PM

ongoing events and displays

Allegheny Outfitters FREE canoes and kayaks to explore the Kinzua Beach shore
Blacksmithing demonstration
Art Farm
Cherry Grove Wild Animal Park
Bully Hollow Alpacas
Relay for Life display
Game Commission
Fish and Boat Commission
Friends of Allegheny Wilderness
Marcia Johnson Jewelry
Allegheny Outfitters
Allegheny Cyclery
Warren County Vacation Bureau
Wildtree snacks and flavored grapeseed oils
McNutters Slushies
Prendergast Foods Sausage
Boy Scouts Popcorn
PKP Hot Dogs

The Rimrock Trail for the first time connects Kinzua Beach with one of the area's best attended sites, an overlook of Kinzua Lake unsurpassed in the region. A rudimentary trail was completed last fall and there are plans to add more amenities as time goes by. Success in this linking trail augurs well for proposed trails to link Kinzua Beach with Kinzua Marina and even the Kinzua Dam visitor's center with the marina and beach.

It's a big deal. That's why Kinzua Pathways and the local Council on Tourism and a variety of local businesses have teamed up for the Rimrock Bash. For full details of the many vendors and activities planned for Sunday, see this link. Additional organizations represented at the party include Warren General Hospital, Volt Vision, Bully Hollow Alpacas, Warren County Conservation District, Allegheny Cyclery, and Kinzua Cachers. Also sponsoring the day is the Warren County Council on Tourism. The family-oriented day starts at noon on Route 59 just across the street from Kinzua Marina.

Completion of this complex of trails-- Kinzua Pathways calls this "connecting the dots"-- means a lot for local residents and the army of summer campers who visit every year. According to the Allegheny National Forest, conservative estimates show that already the area gets about a million visits a year, giving a big bounce to the local economy and an opportunity for year-round residents and vacationers to enjoy nature's best at an affordable price. Once these singular attractions are connected our area and its visitors will benefit greatly.

The new Rimrock Trail enhances visitors' experience of the area. In the old days if you wanted to go from the beach to Rimrock Overlook you had to get your family in the car and drive away. If you were at Rimrock and wanted to go to the beach you had to drive again. Now you can park at the beach, take a short hike up to Rimrock, then enjoy a downhill return for a dip in the lake. Likewise, when a new trail is installed from the beach to the marina, you won't have to cross a busy highway just to enjoy the boats, restaurant, and scenery. When this trail is completed, all you have to do is park once and you will be able to enjoy the marina, the beach, and the overlook--all from the same base camp. For families with kids, this is important and it will reduce local car traffic in the area.

The people at Pennsylvania Kinzua Pathways write on Facebook:

This is shaping up to be a great event!

Food, music and vendors are lining up and we are excited to have Kinzua Cachers offering a Geocaching 101 Workshop. Join this class so you can join the GeoMeet with at least ten caches in the area; The Conservation District and Family Services have partnered with WCCBI and the Historical Society to hold the second leg of the Quadrathlon, a seasonal scavenger hunt style event with clues along the Rimrock Trail and in the Kinzua Beach area; Allegheny Outfitters will have canoes and kayaks available for a donation to PKP (thanks AO!) and will give a Beginners Backpacking Workshop; John Beard will give an Outdoor Cooking demo and tasting while giving an entertaining performance for kids of ALL ages! Plus, Volt Vision, an emerging lighting design company will offer an interactive installation that will be fun and educational too.

All we need now is some warmth on the earth and all of you to come out and enjoy the day!

Stay tuned for more updates on vendors and workshops and schedule of events to come!

And -- email pakinzuapathways@yahoo.com if you are interested in vendor opportunities or sharing your knowledge of the outdoors and healthy family living with a workshop or demo.

The Memorial Day Rimrock Bash
Sunday, May 29 from Noon to 6 PM
at Kinzua Beach

Editor's Note: Anyone interested in keeping up to date with the area's first Rimrock Bash can sign up at Facebook at this link.

All photos are Copyright by www.alleghenyalmanac.com or Jim Bernatowicz.

Kinzua Beach may someday offer camping for those who like the beach.

Eventually, Pennsylvania Kinua Pathways would like to connect Kinzua Beach and the Kinzua Marina with a foot path so pedestrians won't have to cross a busy highway to enjoy both attractions.

Update: The Rimrock Bash filled the humongous Kinzua Beach parking lot with cars and while there were many attractions at the beach including food and music, my favorite part was the guided tour of the newly created Rimrock Trail which connects the beach with one of the region's most spectacular views: