Photo courtesy of Gary Lester Fresh off a successful Jakes Rocks Trail Fest last weekend, organizers are seeking feedback that will be used to shape the future of that area. It’s part of a broader initiative aimed at flushing out development ideas for the Kinzua Dam and Kinzua Beach area.

The first in a series of surveys designed to gather feedback about possible development at Jakes Rocks has hit the street.

Jakes Rocks Trail Fest was last weekend and that kicks off what will be an intensive effort to gather feedback for the future of that area.

That survey can be found at https://pennstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV–3lO5eCXHOepLM8e or by visiting the Trails at Jakes Rocks Facebook page. The survey asks respondents to consider future potential food and beverage options at Jakes Rocks as well as lodging and additional activities, like festivals.

“This survey is focused on attendees at the Trail Fest, whether they be riders, hikers or just casual visitors,” Jim Decker, president/CEO with the Warren County Chamber of Business & Industry said. “The current survey will remain up for about another week and will then be replaced with a new non-event survey.”

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

“There are two additional efforts along the same vein about to be launched,” Decker said. “One is a graduate study effort by two PSU students that will be looking for similar insights from trail users outside the event.

That has an end date of (the) end of this semester and we are working on the logistics of getting their survey tool released.”

The second effort has been called the Kinzua Marketing Initiative. It’s a joint effort of the Warren County Development Association, the Warren County Commissioner’s office and State Senator Scott Hutchinson’s office and resulted in a $75,000 award from the state “Marketing to Attract Tourists” program.

Sites identified for marketing and engineering analysis include Kinzua Beach, Kinzua Point Information Center, Wolf Run Marina and the trails.

One of the elements of that grant was a contract to “study and document the utilization of the Trails at Jakes Rocks and how they could be further developed and expanded based on the demonstrated market need and economic impact,” according to a statement from the county.

Decker said that will “include expanded trail counter equipment and a much more robust surveying effort, in person along with on line.”

The goal is to get that in place to start next May and run through the end of the year.

“Trail counting will go on beyond the initial contract with PSU,” Decker said. “There will also be economic impact calculations performed as a part of this effort.”

As for the Trail Fest itself, organizers put out a message on the Trails at Jakes Rocks Facebook page.

“First of all, on behalf of ALL organizations involved with the Trails at Jakes Rock Fest this weekend, we want to say THANK YOU for the continued support and investment in our outstanding trail system,” they write. “To the volunteers who gave up countless hours to make this event a success, THANK YOU for all the hard work. And to you, the users, from all riders, hikers, and walkers, THANK YOU for coming to Warren County and sharing in our trails with us.”

That post notes that the survey answers will be kept confidential, should take about 10 minutes to complete and does not ask for any identifying information.