Walking to the range - getting from here to there without hassle, part 1

[pex]

I'm using the local SGL range as an example for this exercise.

Looking at the State college area, a drive to the SGL range is going to be 9-20 miles. Walking has a chance of a more direct path, probably reducing a travel by 4 miles. Because there are many reasons to walk, this thread is dedicated to aspects of making the travel to the range without being harassed by, first and foremost here, the public, police, landowners, and game commission officers.

Here is a map from the PAGC apparently intended for sportsmen. Notice that it includes roads recognized by government, and random paths (how 'paths' are determined, I have no idea; this is a specific concern to us -- are they right of ways, or were they?)



Get the full map at the PAGC website.
The first vectors of foot transportation I'll be commenting on are the accesses from the bottom right of the gamelands (notice at the top right and bottom left of the gamelands are the two road accesses.) At the very bottom right of my picture is Old Gatesburg Road, which is one public starting point. The other is just above that, the Circleville area, with a direct legal link to the gamelands.

Take particular notice of all of these paths listed...basically anything with dashed lines. They are trails that I assume aren't roads or aren't incorporated. I want to illustrate how unfortunate this map is.

Old Gatesburg Road looks like it could keep going straight. The reality is that someone has posted it, and it might be a driveway If a person takes a right right before Old Gatesburg Road ends, they can go to the end of Nixon Road, which looks like it turns into a path to the gamelands. The problem is that technically right in the middle of that path is a house, and I don't know if they let you go in the back door and leave out the front.

I thought I've seen elsewhere that at least some of the paths below the gamelands were ex-railroad-tracks. This sparked my interest in going to the tax-assessors office to determine ownership and then moving to the recorder of deeds to check for right of ways and such. I also considered the possibility of a person contacting all persons who own land to see if they allow people to pass through.

Taking note of the trespass laws, it is similarly important to note that there must be posting or a person must be asked to leave (that it is passing up until it is trespassing), which is interesting to keep in mind in trying to find a path of transit.

Does anyone agree that the most appropriate way to go about this is to determine right of ways and ask all leftover landowners about passing?

Then comes the issue of passing through the gamelands to the range. I'm sure all the officers will pretend you're hunting and that the regulations will be against you even though you have no intent to hunt at all. I know the access at Circleville mentions no firearms (if I recall correctly, and will have to check again.) How does a person who doesn't own a car ever get to shoot at a gamelands range, and have self-defense available to them in transit?

Right now we are ignoring the transit through town with a visible firearm, cased or not, until we can reconcile these other issues.

[Penguini66]

Old Gatesburg Road looks like it could keep going straight. The reality is that someone has posted it, and it might be a driveway.

Lets say that it isn't a driveway. Is it posted across the road? In other words, is it blocked to impede traffic? What I'm getting at is actually a question that I've always wondered about: If the sides of a road/path/trail are posted, but the trail itself isn't actually posted or blocked, do the posted signs essentially mean "stay on the road and out of the woods?" Or does the fact that signs border the road/path/trail mean to stay out of the entire area?

Answer that question and I think you may be a little closer to your solution.

Oh, and kudos to you for wanting to walk.

[pex]

That's certainly an interesting concern.

In this case, I don't actually recall anything else being posted except a front-facing sign (sign is on the left) as you drive off of Old Gatesburg and onto the driveway-or-similar.

I'll have to check it out and verify if anything else near it is posted...it itself could be a right-of-way to a pathway-locked property.

[Koli01]

Take the road directly below the words 'Circle Ville' that runs east-west.
This appears to go right up to the SGL property. Just inside the small diamond shaped area of the SGL (se corner) is a foot trail (single dashed line), follow this to the jeep trail (double dashed line) which goes to Scotia Range Road.

Be sure to take a map and compas as sometimes these trails are not heavily traveled or there may be unmarked trails intersecting. However, if you know you are heading in to the SGL in the se corner and generally follow a north heading you will hit Scotia Range Road.

Good luck.
town travel is up to someone else.

[pex]

Take the road directly below the words 'Circle Ville' that runs east-west.
This appears to go right up to the SGL property. Just inside the small diamond shaped area of the SGL (se corner) is a foot trail (single dashed line), follow this to the jeep trail (double dashed line) which goes to Scotia Range Road

I know and can confirm that to be a direct public trail access from the road. I checked the regulation board and it didn't include the regulations I thought it would for carrying firearms (although I'm sure those remain in the game code) instead only containing mentions of non-range target shooting and general firearms discharge.

That (until I read some game code) is the best and more sure option, although I'm not really familiar with the trails inside the gamelands.

It's not the most convenient path for everyone to take. I eye the path off straight off of Gatesburg until it meets a diagonal that basically goes straight to the range.

I took some pics of the no trespassing sign at this other choice point, and a bit of the surround area (to be posted later.) I also visited the end of Nixon Road, only to find it posted on all three sides. I guess that relegates me to checking deeds and easements.

Just a note about the means of foot transport between the two access points: Old Gatesburg Road is just a public two-lane, also called a bike route ( although the shoulders aren't really made for it). At the intersection of Science Park Road, there is a bonafide bike/hike trail that basically goes straight to and connects with the gamelands trail (which says you can't ride bikes on it. lol.) Science Park Road is a commerial/industrial park area. The road under Circleville before the gameland trail junction is the land of the rich people.

If you come from the city, or walk the 1/4th-1/2th mile of suburbia, that could lead to man with gun calls. That's probably a subject for Part 2 of "Walking to the range - getting from here to there without hassle".

[pex]

I've got pictures somewhere, need to format and post them...

In the meanwhile, how does a person determine that a 'bike/hike trail' is an official government right-of-way? I suppose the same formula works for this as it would for private property and paths...hit the tax office, and then deeds.

Is there another way to collect this information through government (ex: database required by statute)...anything that is not the normal tax->deed formula?

There's no appreciable sidewalk down Science Park Road, for example. I guess many take sidewalks for granted as public right-of-ways, but I'm not sure of the authority for those, offhand, either.

I person carrying a long arm, with or without a covering or case, could likely be targeted for harassment, and I'd just like to be sure that there is no backdoor for property owners (although I suppose walking in the street is an option.)

[offshorebear]

Not to hijack the thread, but can you drive on the double dash lined trails in SGL? They are usually blocked off but in the off season it would be fun.

[Zef_66]

Back in the day, I rode mt bike a couple times out at the end of circleville. My mom lives on circleville near the old farm, and I would ride from there, go west as far as possible, then ride north. Not sure who owns it, but some pretty nice trails up in there. Lots of bike riders.