I received an email from a viewer who told me about this place in Erie County called Devil's Backbone. He says it's one of the highest points in the county. It's a nice day. Let's go find this place!

Before I leave, I hop on the computer to do some research. Wow. I'm learning that there are three places in Erie County named Devil's Backbone. Well, let's find them all!  The first location is easy. Wintergreen Gorge near Penn State Behrend. I ask the first two people I see on campus if they have been to Devil's Backbone. They agree to take me there.

I am joined by Luigi Ruiz, a former student at Behrend, and his partner Larson Scheller. They came from Pittsburgh to visit Behrend for the day. Luigi gives me a preview of what I can expect to see on the walk to Devil’s Backbone.

"We're going to hike a little bit upwards towards the gorge,” he says. “We're going to see a really good cliff view and then we're going to turn right. As we walk through the top of the mountain of the gorge, it's going to open up really wide."

We hike uphill for maybe a half mile trying not to trip on the many tree roots on the trail. The effort is worth it. We made it to Devil's Backbone! The tops of large trees are below us. Out in the distance, we can see Lake Erie. It's beautiful!!

Devil's Backbone #2 is in West County along Elk Creek in Girard Township. What do you know? It's on GPS!!! However, the GPS takes me to a remote place off South Creek Road. It’s a large wooded area. I wouldn't know where to begin to find a path to Elk Creek. I end up at a business called Wilbert Funeral Services. I ask employee William Lahnan if he knows about a nearby place called Devil's Backbone. He's says, “Absolutely!”  William tells me that his grandfather would take him there when he was a child.

"One of my earliest memories of going down to Devil's Backbone, I think, is a folklore story my grandfather told me about a young girl and her grandfather walking on the top of the cliff there,” says William.

William tells me Devil's Backbone is at the site where the old Gudgeonville Covered Bridge was located before it was destroyed by arson. William says the jagged edges of the majestic cliff above Elk Creek looks like a devil's backbone. I agree. By the way, this is a feel-good Last Word segment so I won't tell you William's story about what happened to the little girl and her grandfather.

I’ve arrive at Devil's Backbone #3. It’s on South Shore Drive in Erie. The site is now a vacant lot leading to a bluff overlooking Presque Isle Bay. I see Patty Sperry taking a walk along South Shore Drive. I ask her if she knows of a spot called Devil's Backbone. She told me she grew up in the neighborhood and has many memories of the place.

"Well for me, I always wanted to climb down the backbone which is just a big gully. I was forbidden by my mother,” she says.

My adventure is over. I traveled many miles but I enjoyed my trips to each of the Erie County sites called Devil’s Backbone.