Canton: Tiptoe Thru’ the Armenia Windmills
31 miles | 3,176’ | 84% unpaved
Climb from downtown Canton to the gravel roads of Armenia Mountain, where forested ridgelines, towering wind turbines, and one of the region's best overlooks reward every mile of the ascent.
Enjoy the smooth gravel roads northwest of Canton with views of the valley and countless windmills as riders ride up and down the rolling roads of Armenia Mountain, passing through the Tioga State Forest at several points. The route is bookended by a staggering gravel climb out of Canton and a ripping descent back into town, but don’t forget to do the short climb up to Lamb’s Lookout just before the final descent. The view is worth the extra effort, and if you make it full circle to complete the route, you’ve just experienced the Canton Gravel Camp season opener.
Over the decades, Armenia Mountain has seen every type of natural resource extraction one might imagine: farming, lumber, mining, gas drilling, and wind farming. The summit was once taller than it is today, but the mountaintop removal method of coal mining literally took the summit off the mountain.
Windmills are now the most prominent feature of the mountain. The route rides within a stone’s throw of several of these giants and provides striking views of several more throughout the loop. Riders will also see evidence of the natural gas industry, including several well pads. Most notably, although you may not see the gas trucks while riding, lots of the gravel roads are maintained and widened to allow smoother passage of the heavy rigs that drive to and from these sites.
The County Bridge park picnic area and campground are a great place to put a foot down and enjoy a snack. Nestled inside the Tioga State Forest, it has 15 campsites along the Tioga River that can be reserved for $10/night for PA residents ($15/night for out-of-staters), a pit toilet, and a few picnic shelters across the road.
