This story first appeared in PA Local, a weekly newsletter by Spotlight PA taking a fresh, positive look at the incredible people, beautiful places, and delicious food of Pennsylvania. Sign up for free here . A former landfill in Pennsylvania’s least populated county may become the state’s newest stargazing attraction.
Officials with Cameron County and the Lumber Heritage Region of Pennsylvania promotional group are working together to revamp the county-owned site. Proposed enhancements include a trail, parking, a wildlife viewing area, a dark sky observation field, and more. The 99-acre site is an hour away from the internationally renowned — and often very crowded — dark sky viewing at Cherry Springs State Park, and 30 minutes away from Route 6, “one of America’s most scenic drives,” according to National Geographic.
“The goal is to develop this site to allow for public access and use of the site, and hopefully serve as a hub for some education and outreach for dark sky awareness, [light] pollution, and increasing the dark skies in the area,” explained Rowan Crisp, the education and outreach administrator for the Lumber Heritage Region group. Because the area is a reclaimed landfill and former strip mine, Crisp said the goal is to not disturb the environment in the process of creating amenities — meaning large buildings and excavations are out while lighter options like a pavilion and elk viewing area are in. (Cameron County is home to a portion of Penns.