The Steel Valley Trail follows the shores of the Monongahela River, through historic battlefields and former steel mill sites in Homestead, Braddock, Duquesne, McKeesport, Glassport and Clairton. Massive industrial furnaces from the Homestead Steel Works stand along with smaller artifacts, such as a ladle car. These industrial artifacts and interpretive signage add interest to both the trail and the retail area called The Waterfront. The district is now a modern retail center with offices, restaurants and entertainment, all rebuilt to reflect early 20th century charm and its industrial past.
The Steel Valley Trail is a crucial link in the 335-mile Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. corridor that is made up of the
Great Allegheny Passage and the
C&O Canal Towpath. Currently, the Steel Valley Trail runs between Glen Hazel and Clairton.
Following the waterfront, the trail continues to the refurbished Hot Metal Bridge, which provides a connection to the Eliza Furnace Trail section of the
Three Rivers Trail system. In addition, at the Clairton end (near State Street/SR 837) the Steel Valley Trail links to the
Montour Trail.
For more information and updates on the Steel Valley Trail, visit the
Steel Valley Trail Council; for more information on the Great Allegheny Passage, visit the
Allegheny Trail Alliance.
Parking can be found near where the Montour Trail and Steel Valley Trail meet in Clairton, just off State Route 837. Parking is also available on Water Street near 5th Avenue in McKeesport and in Duquesne at SR 837 and Library Place, one block south of Grant Avenue. The best parking is found along Waterfront Drive in the shopping area in Homestead.
It was a pleasure to return to the south end of this trail for a third and final time to close the "GAP" (pun intended!) on this trail which I began my rail-trail adventures on some four years ago. Yes, the third time was a charm. Fellow local historian ...
I continued my survey of this trail southward, beginning at the (corrected) UNION Railroad's Riverton Bridge (which I thought was that of the PRR), on the south side of the Mon River at McKeesport. Descending the new ramp off the former railroad bridge ...
This trail indeed "has it all." Here is a history lesson alive... What WAS, and what IS. If you are a student of industry, industrial archaeology, a railfan, or, like myself, all of the above, this trail is a winner! We based our study at the Homestead ...