"Way off the beaten path" Coudersport by jubilee_3

Coudersport, off the beaten path itself, is Mayberry. If you look closely, you'll see a freckled kid with a fishing pole, a courthouse with suspender-clad officials, and the most peaceful, genuine community. But despite its rural call, our destination was 10 more miles up the road, in Roulette. 'Coudie' as a local called it, is small town America. Roulette is village (or in our case, bucolic) life.

We wound through the picturesque Coudie, just in time to see red-faced marathon runners finish miles of uphill persistence. We passed through town, over a bridge, and onto another 'road-less-taken'. 20 minutes further and we reached our destination; a couple houses, referred to as 'cabins', where, for the next week, we would enjoy early morning mountain mist, lightning bugs, and for an encore, two cars actually motored down our road.

We stayed at 'God's Adventure Camp', a picturesque farm/mountain site that hosts childrens camps in the summer and hunters in the winter. No cable, no phone, no computer. Just down time. Worth the effort to get there, worth the time to stay.

I brought home a treasure-trove of pix--covered bridges, mountain vistas, a mini-golf shot, wildlife...within an hour was a covered wagon ride into the PA Grand Canyon. About the same distance was a very pleasant train ride--the first air-conditioned activity we'd seen. Another few miles, we were in Wellsboro, with a 'bustling' (compared to Coudersport) Main Street. My 6-year-old recommends the McDonalds. "Excellent playground".
More miles, more smiles, the top of the canyon is Leonard Harris State Park. Wow! What a view; even the kids didn't want to leave.

On Sunday we attended local services, and were welcomed like family.

All in all, the area was very easy paced. No big rush, no flurry of activity. Just low-key, laid-back, time-for-dessert enjoyment. There was plenty we never got to: canoeing, winter sports, local eateries and many friends we haven't met yet. Maybe next time.

• Pros:Quiet, genuine, serene
• Cons:If you like city life, you're in for culture shock
• In a nutshell:Worth the effort to get there, worth the time to stay!