It’s another step on a path stretching back several years.

With volunteer help and contributions from Pennsylvania Wilds, the Lumber Heritage Region, and the Schuler Family Foundation, Pennsylvania Kinzua Pathways members put up historical timeline signs at the handicapped-accessible viewing platform on the Rimrock Trail last week.

The five panels go into various stages of the history of the area: from the prehistoric, through the people who have lived in the area, and the resources and industry of the region.

“PKP and partners have been busy and are hoping to have Rimrock Trail wrapped up by the end of July,” PKP’s Joe Colosimo said. Next up are trailhead signs, which will be installed this coming weekend, also with the help of PA Wilds and Lumber Heritage.

“Mark King spent many hours designing and taking care of the details on the trailhead and timeline signs,” Colosimo said. “He did an amazing job.”

At the end of this month, one of the final pieces of the puzzle will be put in place.

“The contractor will be up on the lower part of the trail and will work on the ditches and drainage so it is dry and not muddy,” Colosimo said. “This was possible through a partnership with the Allegheny National Forest and a $5,000 grant they were able to secure for us.”

“Once the drainage is done, the project will be complete and we will focus on annual maintenance,” he said.

The trail, which connects the Rimrock Overlook with Kinzua Beach, officially opened in October 2010.

It was the first PKP project to come out of the organization’s 2009 findings report and its first on-the-ground project.

Along the way, the organization has partnered with the Warren County Career Center on the design and construction of seven benches; the Career Center, Bollinger Enterprises, the DeFrees Family Foundation, and John Beard on the handicapped-accessible viewing platform; and Marty and Coralee Wenzel on landscaping at the kiosk and along the road to the platform;

“The platform, signs and whole Rimrock Trail experience has definitely been everything we hoped for,” Colosimo said. “We consistently get comments from a lot of people that walk the trail and use the platform. They appreciate the work.”

He said there has already been a wedding conducted on the platform.

“It feels great,” Colosimo said of bringing the project to completion. “PKP has been working on all our projects since 2009.”

“To be honest, these projects have been the most time consuming and crazy things I have ever worked on in my life,” he said. “They have also been the most rewarding, in terms of projects.”

“I don’t think any of us could have envisioned PKP’s success,” he said. “We have had such great partners and dedicated volunteers. They have been the key to our success. I am humbled to lead just an awesome group of volunteers who have had the passion and drive to continue each year.”

PKP is in the middle of a stacked-loop trail system for mountain bicycling. “The Trails at Jakes Rocks (project) is almost ready to rock and roll,” Colosimo said. “The environmental and heritage studies are complete and there are no issues. We are waiting on one final approval, a ‘bat concurrence’ letter and the project will receive the green light.”

“We have selected the trail consultants that will oversee construction and have funds on hand to construct nine to 11 miles of the system,” he said. “This has been an amazing journey from concept to reality. We appreciate the partners who have stuck with us during this process and who have ‘kept the faith’ in what we are about to accomplish. There will not be another riding experience like this anywhere in the region.”