Public Lands Ride - PA

Join the Pennsylvania Environmental Council for the 7th annual Public Lands Ride! 

The ride is a non-competitive mixed-surface event that will take place at Black Moshannon State Park and the surrounding Moshannon State Forest on Saturday, September 27, 2025. It is a celebration of bikes, community, and public lands! 

There will be three different marked courses -- 65 mile, 42 mile, and 22 mile --- all of which feature rolling climbs from rhododendron-filled stream valleys to open plateau views and a mix of gravel and snowmobile trail terrain. The 22-mile route is a great option for anyone newer to the gravel scene as the climbs are mostly very mellow and it's almost entirely smooth, maintained gravel roads. Meanwhile, the 62-mile route offers tougher climbs, more chunky bits and all the highlights of the area. And of course the 45-mile route is a nice middle ground. Because most of the courses do include some grassier and chunkier terrain, we recommend tires at least 35mm, preferably 40-45mm. E-bikes are permitted but must adhere to DCNR's guidelines for e-bike use on trails, which can be found here. 

There will be aid stations every 15-20 miles that will be stocked with real food, as well as a post-ride meal. 

More details to come and in the meantime, check out this video from the 2022 event!

All proceeds benefit the work of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC), which facilitates trail planning, land conservation, outdoor recreation, reforestation, water protection and more across the state. Learn more about PEC's work on improving gravel riding resources in Pennsylvania here. 

We thank you for your support!

Routes: https://ridewithgps.com/collections/47608

Weekend Schedule:

Friday, September 26: 
Group camping - set up anytime after 3 pm. 
Evening social - details TBD

Saturday, September 27:
Alabaster Coffee out of Williamsport, PA will be serving java starting around 7:30 AM.
Registration will be down in the pavilion by the beach area from 7:30-9:00 AM. 
All rides kick off at 9:00 AM.
Post-ride cookout all afternoon! 

Overnight Accommodations:
Onsite Group Camping
$20 extra gets you tent/car (no RVs) camping on Friday and Saturday nights at the group campsite with fellow riders. The campsite includes some areas of field, woods, and a large communal pavilion. 

Please Note: This does not get you a private campsite. If you'd like to reserve your own site, you can do so through the State Park website (link in "Other Lodging Options" below). 

Other Lodging Options:
Black Moshannon State Park Campsites & Cabins  
GodSpeed Hostel - 11 miles / 18 min drive from the park. 
We Are Inn - also a bar/restaurant, located on Rt. 322 in Philipsburg. 9 miles / 14 min drive from the park. 

Volunteers:
Want to come hang out but not ride? Sign up to volunteer! Volunteering gets you free camping at Black Moshannon State Park for the weekend, food on event day, PLR swag, and a heartfelt thank you from PEC! Sign up here on BikeReg and we will contact you with more information closer to the event. Roles include helping setup and tear down, course marshalls and course marking.