Welcome to the US Route 6 in Pennsylvania Road Trip! Traveling along Route 6 is a perfect way to experience Pennsylvania’s northern tier, linking charming small towns, scenic overlooks, and historic landmarks across the state explorepahistory.com. This printed-guide itinerary follows US 6 from the Delaware River in the east to the Ohio border in the west. Each stop is directly on Route 6, organized east to west, with a brief description and travel segment guidance. Enjoy the journey through walkable historic towns, fascinating museums, breathtaking viewpoints, and landmarks that tell Pennsylvania’s story.
1. Milford, PA (Walkable Historic Town)
Location: Broad St (US 6), Milford, PA 18337
Description: Milford is a picturesque town at Pennsylvania’s eastern gateway on US 6, known for its tree-lined streets and well-preserved 19th-century architecture. It has been designated a Route 6 Heritage Community poconomountains.com. Don’t miss the Pike County Historical Society’s Columns Museum on Broad Street, which displays local artifacts and the famous Lincoln Flag used in President Lincoln’s assassination aftermath poconomountains.com. Strolling Milford’s downtown, you’ll find Victorian-era buildings, quaint shops, and a small-town charm rich with history. (Category: Walkable Town / Historic Landmark)
Segment (Milford to Hawley): Continue west on US 6 for ~25 miles through the Pocono Mountains. You’ll follow the Delaware River then wind through forested hills into Wayne County. Arrive in Hawley as Route 6 skirts the shore of Lake Wallenpaupack, offering glimpses of the big lake’s scenic waters.
2. Hawley, PA (Walkable Town by the Lake)
Location: Main Ave (US 6), Hawley, PA 18428
Description: Nestled alongside Lake Wallenpaupack, Hawley is a small town with a vibrant, walkable downtown. It’s another designated Heritage Community on Route 6 poconomountains.com. The town’s history as a milling center lives on in the Hawley Silk Mill, an imposing 1880s bluestone building that has been restored as a hub of shops and eateries poconomountains.com. Stroll along Main Avenue to enjoy antique stores, galleries, and views of the lake’s outlet falls. Hawley’s charming streets and historic structures provide a pleasant stop to stretch your legs. (Category: Walkable Town)
Segment (Hawley to White Mills): Follow US 6 west just 3.5 miles along the Lackawaxen River to White Mills. This short segment parallels the river and passes old glassworker homes as you approach the next stop, a unique museum.
3. Dorflinger Glass Museum – White Mills, PA (Museum)
Address: 55 Suydam Dr. (off US 6), White Mills, PA 18473
Description: White Mills was a 19th-century glass-making hub, and the Dorflinger Glass Museum showcases this heritage. Set on the grounds of the Dorflinger factory founder’s estate, the museum exhibits exquisite cut crystal and explains how the famed Dorflinger glass was made poconomountains.com. You’ll see brilliant examples of gilded-age glass artistry in the restored factory showroom, and learn about the artisans who lived in this company town. (Category: Museum)
Segment (White Mills to Honesdale): Continue west on US 6 for 5 miles into Honesdale. The road follows the Lackawaxen River valley and then the Dyberry Creek, leading you into the downtown heart of Honesdale, the Wayne County seat and a cradle of American railroad history.
4. Honesdale, PA (Walkable Town & History Museum)
Location: Main St (US 6), Honesdale, PA 18431
Description: Honesdale is a historic small city often called the “Birthplace of the American Railroad.” Downtown Honesdale’s quaint Main Street is lined with 1800s storefronts and a park honoring the Stourbridge Lion, the first commercial steam locomotive to run in the U.S. Visit the Wayne County Historical Society Museum on Main Street, where you can learn about Honesdale’s railroading history and see a replica of the Stourbridge Lion poconomountains.com. The town’s compact center is perfect for a walking tour, with cafes, boutiques, and historical markers at every turn. (Category: Walkable Town / Museum)
Segment (Honesdale to Tunkhannock): Follow US 6 west for about 50 miles as the highway (the Governor Casey Scenic Byway) bypasses Scranton. You’ll drive through rural Lackawanna and Wyoming Counties – watch for signs for historic Factoryville and the Susquehanna River. Cross the Susquehanna into Tunkhannock, where US 6 becomes East Tioga Street in the downtown area.
5. Tunkhannock, PA (Walkable Town & Cultural Landmark)
Location: Tioga St (US 6), Tunkhannock, PA 18657
Description: Tunkhannock is the Wyoming County seat and a charming “Endless Mountains” town. Its downtown features beautifully kept Victorian buildings and the art deco Dietrich Theater, built in 1936, which stands as a community cultural center in the heart of town endlessmountains.org. As you walk along Tioga Street, you’ll find antique shops, a historic courthouse, and small-town friendliness. Tunkhannock’s inviting streetscape and the Susquehanna River nearby make it an ideal spot to experience rural Pennsylvania’s culture and hospitality. (Category: Walkable Town / Historic Landmark)
Segment (Tunkhannock to Wyalusing Rocks): Continue west on US 6 for roughly 35 miles, tracing the Susquehanna River’s north branch through the Endless Mountains region. You will climb to a high bend in the road just before Wyalusing – get ready to pull off at the signed scenic overlook known as Wyalusing Rocks.
6. Wyalusing Rocks Overlook (Scenic Viewpoint)
Location: US 6 pull-off at Wyalusing Rocks, Wyalusing, PA 18853 (Bradford County)
Description: This dramatic cliff-edge overlook offers one of the most stunning vistas along Route 6. From Wyalusing Rocks, you can see the Susquehanna River sweeping in a broad horseshoe bend and patchwork farmland and forest rolling into the distance pabucketlist.com. Informational signs explain the site’s history (local Native Americans once used this outlook) and a short, safe trail leads to the very edge for an unobstructed view. It’s an ideal quick stop for photography and taking in the grandeur of the Endless Mountains. (Category: Scenic Viewpoint)
Segment (Wyalusing Rocks to Towanda): Rejoin US 6 and head west down the mountain. It’s about 15 miles along the river to Towanda. On the way, you’ll pass the roadside marker for the French Azilum site (a settlement for exiled French nobles) and then follow the Susquehanna into Towanda’s historic riverfront downtown.
7. Towanda, PA (Walkable Town & Historic Landmark)
Location: Main St (US 6), Towanda, PA 18848
Description: Towanda is a classic American county-seat town, with a downtown that overlooks the Susquehanna River. Its centerpiece is the Bradford County Courthouse, an imposing 1898 Romanesque Revival building with a clock tower that dominates Towanda’s skyline ebay.com. Surrounding the courthouse are Victorian storefronts, an elegant old bank, and a riverside commons (Courthouse Square) where you can relax. Towanda’s Main Street, which doubles as US 6, is very walkable – you’ll experience 19th-century charm in its architecture and find historical plaques noting the town’s significance. (Category: Walkable Town / Historic Landmark)
Segment (Towanda to Wellsboro): Continue west on US 6 for about 60 miles as the road leaves the Susquehanna and climbs into the highlands. You’ll pass through the farming communities of Troy (look for the historic farm museum) and Mansfield (a small college town). West of Mansfield, US 6 enters Tioga State Forest lands. Watch for the turn-off toward Wellsboro via US 6 Business, which leads a few miles south into Wellsboro’s downtown.
8. Wellsboro, PA (Walkable Historic Town)
Location: Main Street (Business US 6), Wellsboro, PA 16901
Description: Wellsboro is a delightful small town famed for its old-fashioned charm – most notably the gas-lit street lamps that line Main Street wikitravel.org. In the evenings, these historic gas lamps cast a warm glow on the brick sidewalks and Victorian facades. The downtown features the Tioga County Courthouse (built 1835), boutique shops, and the Wynken, Blynken & Nod fountain in the boulevarded Main Street. Known as the gateway to the PA Grand Canyon (just north of US 6), Wellsboro itself is a destination for its nostalgic atmosphere. Strolling here feels like stepping back in time. (Category: Walkable Town)
Segment (Wellsboro to Lumber Museum): Return to US 6 and continue west about 32 miles into Potter County. You’ll drive through forested hills and descend to the borough of Galeton (notable for a scenic lake in town). From Galeton, US 6 climbs Denton Hill; at the summit is our next stop, the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum, on the left side of the highway.
9. Pennsylvania Lumber Museum – near Galeton, PA (Museum)
Address: 5660 US Route 6 West, Ulysses Township, PA 16948
Description: This museum sits on a 10-acre wooded campus and pays tribute to the rich history and legacy of Pennsylvania’s lumber industry evendo.com. Indoor exhibits feature thousands of artifacts – from giant saw blades and log skidders to a recreated logging camp bunkhouse – illustrating how timber was harvested and transported in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Outside, you can explore a re-created early-1900s sawmill with a log pond (used for holding logs) and other interactive exhibits. The Lumber Museum provides a fascinating look at how “wood built Pennsylvania,” making it a must-stop on Route 6. (Category: Museum / Historic Landmark)
Segment (Lumber Museum to Coudersport): Continue west on US 6 for 15 miles into the valley town of Coudersport. As you descend Denton Hill, you’ll follow the Allegheny River headwaters. US 6 becomes East Second Street in Coudersport. Prepare to learn about an unexpected piece of Prohibition-era history in this quiet town.
10. Coudersport, PA (Walkable Town & Eliot Ness Museum)
Location: Main St/Second St (US 6), Coudersport, PA 16915
Description: Coudersport, the county seat of Potter County, is a tranquil small town with tree-lined streets and a historic courthouse square. Notably, it’s where legendary lawman Eliot Ness (famous for pursuing Al Capone) spent his final months and died in 1957 en.wikipedia.org. Today, Coudersport honors his memory at the Eliot Ness Museum (201 N Main St), which houses Prohibition-era artifacts, personal memorabilia, and even vintage vehicles associated with Ness’s career paroute6.com. Strolling around town, you’ll also see the 1890s courthouse and quaint local shops. It’s a unique blend of small-town charm and big-city history. (Category: Walkable Town / Museum)
Segment (Coudersport to Smethport): Follow US 6 west for roughly 30 miles. The highway winds through the forests alongside the Allegheny River’s wild forks. You’ll pass through the village of Roulette and then join the route of the former Grand Army of the Republic Highway to climb over a plateau into McKean County. Arrive in Smethport as Route 6 becomes Main Street through this historic town.
11. Smethport, PA (Walkable Historic Town)
Location: W. Main St (US 6), Smethport, PA 16749
Description: Smethport is a Victorian jewel in the Pennsylvania Wilds – it was the first town designated as a Route 6 Heritage Community smethportpa.org. This quiet borough is renowned for its Mansion District, where 19th-century lumber barons built grand homes. You can take a self-guided walking tour along Main Street and surrounding blocks to admire these architectural treasures: ornate Queen Anne and Italianate houses with turrets and gables. Hamlin Lake, a pretty mill pond park along US 6, adds to the scenery. “Stroll the streets lined with mansions built in the 1800s by lumber barons,” as one guide notes visitanf.com, and step back into the Gilded Age. (Category: Walkable Town / Historic Landmark)
Segment (Smethport to Warren): Continue west on US 6 for about 50 miles through the forests of the Allegheny National Forest region. You’ll drive over rolling mountains and through small crossroads like Mount Jewett and Kane (known for logging history). Past Kane, US 6 winds down along the Allegheny River. Follow the river valley as you enter Warren, your next stop, known as the gateway to the national forest.
12. Warren, PA (Walkable Town & Historic District)
Location: Pennsylvania Ave (US 6 Business), Warren, PA 16365
Description: Warren is a beautiful historic town situated on the banks of the Allegheny River. Known as the gateway to the Allegheny National Forest, it offers a mix of nature and heritage paroute6.com. Warren boasts an impressive 28-block historic district filled with elegant Victorian-era and early 20th-century buildings paroute6.com. Notable sites include the ornate Struthers Library Theatre (1883) and the courthouse. A stroll down Pennsylvania Avenue or Second Avenue reveals brick-paved streets, a lovely riverside park, and unique shops in old storefronts. Enjoy the blend of small-city sophistication and outdoor adventure vibe in this Route 6 community. (Category: Walkable Town / Historic Landmark)
Segment (Warren to Linesville): Continue west on US 6 for approximately 90 miles to reach the Ohio state line. This final leg traverses rural northwestern Pennsylvania. You’ll pass through the quaint towns of Youngsville, Union City, and Cambridge Springs (noted for its historic spa heritage). As you enter Crawford County, the land flattens into rich farmland. US 6 then leads you into Linesville, the last stop in Pennsylvania before crossing into Ohio.
13. Linesville, PA (Walkable Town – Western Terminus)
Location: W. Erie St (US 6), Linesville, PA 16424
Description: Linesville is a small crossroads town that marks the western terminus of US 6 in Pennsylvania. It is adjacent to the huge Pymatuning Reservoir, Pennsylvania’s largest lake at over 17,000 acres visitcrawford.org. The town itself has a classic rural feel, with a short Main Street (named Erie Street) of local shops and an information gazebo. Linesville is famous for the nearby Pymatuning Spillway where “the ducks walk on the fish” – an unusual wildlife spectacle that has drawn visitors for decades. In town, you’re only minutes from the state park shoreline. It’s a fitting end to the Route 6 journey, showcasing Pennsylvania’s natural beauty and small-town life. (Category: Walkable Town / Scenic Landmark)
Segment (End of PA Route 6): From Linesville, US 6 continues a few miles to the Ohio state line, west of town. Travelers can celebrate completing the 400+ mile cross-Pennsylvania trek. If continuing west, enjoy your onward journey into Ohio; if ending here, take in the peaceful surroundings of Pymatuning Lake and reflect on the diverse landscapes and history you’ve experienced along Pennsylvania’s Route 6.
