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Ghost Town Trail:
Pennsylvania
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Description:
A National Recreation Trail, the Ghost Town Trail is named for the numerous old mining towns along the corridor that were served by the Ebensburg & Backlick Railroad and the Cambria & Indiana Railroad. The trail winds though the scenic Blacklick Creek watershed, passing interpretive signs and historical artifacts including mining slag, railroad ties, and discarded rail cars. Just west of Vintondale is the Eliza Furnace, one of Pennsylvania's best-preserved iron blast furnaces. You're likely to encounter deer and chipmunks in the morning. Interpretive signage along the trail describes the effects of coal mining in the Black Lick Watershed and what is being done to remediate the acid mine drainage. There are 34 miles of completed trail running west to east between Black Lick and Ebensburg. An additional four mile siding turns north from the Rexis trailhead near Vintondale.
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Parking & Trail Access:
To Ebensburg trailhead: From Altoona, take Route 22 west to Ebensburg, turn right onto S. Center Street (TR219). The street will snake left, then right. Before it veers right, you will see the trailhead and parking straight ahead. To Black Lick (Saylor Park) trailhead: From Altoona, take Route 22 west to Highway 119. Head north on 119. Proceed approximately two miles and turn right onto Main Street (Black Lick). Follow the road as it veers left (it becomes Old Indiana Rd). The entrance to Saylor Park will be on your left. This trail is wheelchair accessible. To get directions to all access areas along the trail, please visit http://www.indianacountyparks.org/trails/gtt/gtdirmap.htm
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Seasonal Restrictions:
The trail is open year round.
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Now open from Black Lick to Ebensburg
By Paul507 on November 07, 2009
As of September 2009, the bridges have been installed in the Dilltown area which makes the trail complete between Ebensburg and Blacklick. This is a beautiful trail with everything one could want in a trail, including some rest area, restaurants in Nanty Glo, not to mention beautiful scenery. You'll pass all types of scenery and probably see some wildlife at some point. Pretty flat with some section of incline, most notably from Vintondale to Nanty Glo.
Ghost Town Trail Complete
By icptamericorps on October 19, 2009
Project Summary

The project involved the installation of two pre-fabricated bridges at the Ghost Town Trail in Indiana County, PA.

Amerford Bridge is 224 feet in length and the Scott Glen Bridge is 125 feet in length. The bridges are named for two former mining towns once located along the trail. With the completion of the bridges and the construction of 6,000 feet of trail connecting them, trail users now have a continuous trail from Saylor Park (Black Lick, PA) to Ebensburg, a distance of 34 miles.

For more information about the Ghost Town Trail, visit Indiana County Parks & Trails (http://www.indianacountyparks.org/trails/gtt/gtt.html).


Funding Sources

Funding for this project came from the PA DCNR, PennDOT, and the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

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Indiana County Parks & Trails
1128 Blue Spruce Rd.
Indiana, PA 15701

http://www.indianacountyparks.org/
Ghost Town Trail Bridge Project - Ghost Town Trail Bridges Installed
By icptamericorps on August 28, 2009
Work on completion of the Ghost Town Trail missing link is nearing completion. Two bridges have recently been erected. Remaining work on the project includes construction of the bridge approaches, fencing and installation of 6,000 feet of trail surface. The expected project completion date is September 11, 2009. With the completion of this missing link the Ghost Town Trail will extend continuously for 34 miles from Black Lick (Saylor Park) to Ebensburg, PA.

Indiana County Parks & Trails
www.indianacountyparks.org
Trail Photo
Trail Facts
Trail End Points: Ebensburg to Black Lick
Counties: Cambria, Indiana
Trail Length: 38 miles
Trail Category: Rail-Trail
Trail Surfaces: Crushed Stone
Trail Activities: Walk, Bicycle, Cross Country Ski, Mountain Bicycle, Wheelchair

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