Find the top rated trails in Franklin Park, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Built in 1871 to transport the region's high-quality limestone to support Pittsburgh's growing steel industry, the Butler-Freeport line was the first railroad in Butler County. After a two-day...
The Blairsville Riverfront Trail is a scenic woodland trail located along the Conemaugh River. The property the trail was built on is owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who maintain a...
In western Pennsylvania, the Armstrong Trail offers 30 miles of improved trail with several short on-road sections between Rosston and East Brady in Armstrong and Clarion Counties. North of East...
Now the longest rail-trail east of the Mississippi River, the 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) spans two states in its course along great rivers and across mountain passes. Running from...
The Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail runs parallel to the Middle Fork of the Little Beaver Creek and has many beautiful and interesting features, including glacial outwashes, upland fields, mature...
The Westmoreland Heritage Trail is an excellent example of a family-friendly multi-use rail-trail. This crushed-limestone trail features reclaimed railroad bridges over the Conemaugh River and...
Tracing a section of the abandoned Rural Valley Railroad corridor the Great Shamokin Path parallels the Cowanshannock Creek for 3.5 miles. The eastern part of the trail, which is surfaced primarily...
The Three Rivers Heritage Trail evolved from five separate trails and today comprises several unique sections. Most of these segments are riverfront trails along both banks of the three rivers that...
Moraine State Park features a nearly seven mile bike trail, which follows the north shore of Lake Arthur. Along the way, you'll enjoy beautiful scenery, especially during the fall as trees line the...
The Wellsburg Yankee Trail is a short, paved rail-trail that spans the entire length of Wellsburg, a small city on the Ohio River in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle. The community trail runs...
The Montour Trail follows a portion of the old Montour Railroad, which was built between 1877 and 1914 to link the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad with the region's many coal mines. Forming a...
Apollo's Kiski Riverfront Trail, built on the former M-Line Railroad bed, begins in downtown Apollo and follows the scenic Kiskiminetas River (called "Kiski" locally) to North Apollo. The nearly level...
The Airport Connector is a spur off the impressive Montour Trail that circles the western outskirts of Pittsburgh. The paved pathway begins just off the extended-term parking lot on the western end of...
The Wheeling Heritage Trails running on the former B&O line are known locally as two trails that connect in downtown Wheeling: the Ohio River Trail and the Wheeling Creek Trail. The route is flat and...
The West Penn Trail, a National Recreation Trail, runs largely along the corridor of the Portage Railroad line that operated from 1830 to 1864 between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg. The trail is steadily...
The Sheepskin Trail is a lovely rural trail located in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. The trail currently connects the town of Dunbar with the popular Great Allegheny Passage, just south of...
With a wide, paved pathway and adjacent equestrian trail running through lush woodland and riverside terrain, the Allegheny River Trail (ART) has something to offer every trail enthusiast. Following a...
Less than an hour from Pittsburgh, the Little Crabtree Creek travels for just over a mile in Unity Township, east of Greensburg. This first phase of the trail opened in July 2014; a future phase will...
Situated in downtown Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, the asphalt trail runs through a park setting on the former Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad close to the Beaver River and ending near the rugby...
The out-and-back Roaring Run is the third incarnation of this pathway. First to occupy the waterfront site was the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal towpath, which operated between 1825 and 1850. The...
The Panhandle Trail is another jewel in the Pittsburgh metro area trail system. A Conrail line, known as the Panhandle Railroad, once connected Pittsburgh to Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis on this...
Constructed in 1983 with the help of donations from the Stavich Family and local individuals, the Stavich Trail is unusual in several ways. First, unlike most rail-trails, it was built on an...
To the residents of Lastrobe, the Lincoln Avenue Rails to Trails Greenway is more than a simple off-road path: it also a social asset, a place where community members of all ages and walks of life can...
Despite its eerie name, there's nothing scary about the Ghost Town Trail. It is actually named for the numerous towns that were served by the Ebensburg & Blacklick Railroad, as well as the Cambria &...
The Sheepskin Trail is a lovely rural trail located in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. The trail currently connects the town of Dunbar with the popular Great Allegheny Passage, just south of...
Trail users on this inviting corridor follow the path of an old Southern Pennsylvania Railroad line, in some places traveling alongside unused tracks (not to be confused with the newer Southwest...
The Airport Connector is a spur off the impressive Montour Trail that circles the western outskirts of Pittsburgh. The paved pathway begins just off the extended-term parking lot on the western end of...
Redbank Valley Rail Trail follows the old Allegheny Valley Railroad, which dates back to 1873. Mile 0 for the trail is at its west end, where the trail meets the Allegheny River and the Armstrong...
Tracing a section of the abandoned Rural Valley Railroad corridor the Great Shamokin Path parallels the Cowanshannock Creek for 3.5 miles. The eastern part of the trail, which is surfaced primarily...
The Tredway Trail's full name is the Wynn and Clara Tredway River Trail, a 2.5-mile run on the eastern side of the Allegheny River just north of New Kensington. The trail is included in an initiative...
The Vestal Trail is 0.5-mile connection through town of McCandless that joins the Oakridge neighborhood to the playing fields at its eastern end. The trail is maintained by volunteers of the Rachel...
The short but scenic Cowanshannock Trail is a great pathway for hikers, walkers, and bikers to use to link to the larger Armstrong Trail. The Cowanshannock is 1.27 miles long, and plans are to extend...
The Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail runs parallel to the Middle Fork of the Little Beaver Creek and has many beautiful and interesting features, including glacial outwashes, upland fields, mature...
The well-designed MetroParks Bikeway between Canfield Township and Austintown is an 11-mile paved corridor that passes through both suburbs and countryside in northeastern Ohio. Traveling north from...
The West Penn Trail, a National Recreation Trail, runs largely along the corridor of the Portage Railroad line that operated from 1830 to 1864 between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg. The trail is steadily...
The scenic Coal & Coke Trail connects the communities of Mount Pleasant and Scottdale in Westmoreland County and offers many glimpses of the picturesque nature and local communities of Westmoreland...
Built in 1871 to transport the region's high-quality limestone to support Pittsburgh's growing steel industry, the Butler-Freeport line was the first railroad in Butler County. After a two-day...
A short, but sweet, unassuming trail which runs on former trolley right-of-way while flanked by Clearview Avenue above and Crafton Boulevard below. Provides a traffic-free alternative to busy Crafton...
The 1.5-mile Rock Furnace Trail is a scenic path in Roaring Run Recreation Area. The trail follows Roaring Run Creek from its confluence at the Kiski River to a small parking area off Brownstown Road....
The Wellsburg Yankee Trail is a short, paved rail-trail that spans the entire length of Wellsburg, a small city on the Ohio River in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle. The community trail runs...
Despite its eerie name, there's nothing scary about the Ghost Town Trail. It is actually named for the numerous towns that were served by the Ebensburg & Blacklick Railroad, as well as the Cambria &...
The Sheepskin Trail is a lovely rural trail located in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. The trail currently connects the town of Dunbar with the popular Great Allegheny Passage, just south of...
The Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail runs parallel to the Middle Fork of the Little Beaver Creek and has many beautiful and interesting features, including glacial outwashes, upland fields, mature...
About 60 miles south of Pittsburgh, the beautiful Greene River Trail parallels the Monongahela River as it winds through the coal mining region of Greene County. Conrail originally used the rail...
The Westmoreland Heritage Trail is an excellent example of a family-friendly multi-use rail-trail. This crushed-limestone trail features reclaimed railroad bridges over the Conemaugh River and...
Apollo's Kiski Riverfront Trail, built on the former M-Line Railroad bed, begins in downtown Apollo and follows the scenic Kiskiminetas River (called "Kiski" locally) to North Apollo. The nearly level...
The Montour Trail follows a portion of the old Montour Railroad, which was built between 1877 and 1914 to link the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad with the region's many coal mines. Forming a...
The Blairsville Riverfront Trail is a scenic woodland trail located along the Conemaugh River. The property the trail was built on is owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who maintain a...
The Wellsburg Yankee Trail is a short, paved rail-trail that spans the entire length of Wellsburg, a small city on the Ohio River in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle. The community trail runs...
Any trail with a name like "Hoodlebug" deserves a visit. The 10-mile trail follows the path of the 1856-era Indiana Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, which ran from Blairsville north to the town of...
The 1.5-mile Rock Furnace Trail is a scenic path in Roaring Run Recreation Area. The trail follows Roaring Run Creek from its confluence at the Kiski River to a small parking area off Brownstown Road....
The scenic Coal & Coke Trail connects the communities of Mount Pleasant and Scottdale in Westmoreland County and offers many glimpses of the picturesque nature and local communities of Westmoreland...
A short, but sweet, unassuming trail which runs on former trolley right-of-way while flanked by Clearview Avenue above and Crafton Boulevard below. Provides a traffic-free alternative to busy Crafton...
The Shenango River Trail once served as a towpath along the Erie Canal Extension. During the mid-1800s, mules pulled boats along the canal, linking goods from the Great Lakes to Pittsburgh and beyond....
The Vestal Trail is 0.5-mile connection through town of McCandless that joins the Oakridge neighborhood to the playing fields at its eastern end. The trail is maintained by volunteers of the Rachel...
With a wide, paved pathway and adjacent equestrian trail running through lush woodland and riverside terrain, the Allegheny River Trail (ART) has something to offer every trail enthusiast. Following a...
Constructed in 1983 with the help of donations from the Stavich Family and local individuals, the Stavich Trail is unusual in several ways. First, unlike most rail-trails, it was built on an...
The Harmony Trail in the North Hills is a work in progress, managed by volunteers with the Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy. As of August 2011, about 1 mile of a proposed 4.3 miles of abandoned rail...
The Three Rivers Heritage Trail evolved from five separate trails and today comprises several unique sections. Most of these segments are riverfront trails along both banks of the three rivers that...
The Panhandle Trail is another jewel in the Pittsburgh metro area trail system. A Conrail line, known as the Panhandle Railroad, once connected Pittsburgh to Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis on this...
This is a great trail. Largely flat is very clean.
I only did 6 miles. Bring your own water and do a potty break before you start.
I rode the trail from BY Park to Murrysville. It's beautiful and close to home. I plan to use it often. Unfortunately 2 kids were on the trail with an ATV. I hope that can be stopped. Also, crossing the road in Murrysville is a scarey experience
I've been on this trail several times and it's probably one of my favorite places to ride my bike! Recently I started in Emlenton, rode to the Kennerdell Tunnel and back. It's best to take a light since there are two dark tunnels to go through. If you take your time you might be able the see some deer, geese, birds, or other wildlife along the way. There's also nice resting areas that offer great views of the Allegheny River.
We were staying at the Ogelbay Resort in WV and took a ride on the Wheeling Heritage Trail which follows a portion of the Ohio River. The trail is ok but if your looking for a scenic trail along a river don't bother. The trail is paved and in decent shape but you see more of the gritty side of old industrial Wheeling than you see of the river. We're from the Pittsburgh area and in my experience the trails here are far superior.
Recently the crunched limestone was covered with asphalt from the east side of McDonald for at least 10 miles to the west. This is now an unpleasant ride. The area is surrounded by hard surface paved road. Why add more? It rides harder, hotter, doesn't drain as well and over time as it buckles and potholes what will maintenance be like? and what will it cost?
Trail has gone from one to enjoy to one to avoid.
I rode the Hoodlebug Trail on July 2 starting in Saylor Park near the town of Black Lick. The trail winds through a managed forest area for a mile or so before joining with an interstate highway. I blitzed the two mile section running parallel to the noisy highway before arriving in the town of Homer City. There is a circuitous route through town and a rest area with the local history placards and a bench or two. The trail continues on through a wooded section and then some farmland. There are several bridges and streams along the route where people stop to look and take pictures. You will see a lot of the IUP crowd running and biking along the route as you approach Indiana. I like this trail because it is well maintained and there are several historical sights along the way detailing industry from the 1900's. They tell you what a "hoodlebug" is, too.
This trail is one of my favorites. We have ridden from the Carnegie trail head to just across the WV state line and back several times. There is a small section of the trail that is loose gravel, but otherwise it is largely paved and a well-maintained trail. Depending on how far you're going, it does get a bit remote, so bring plenty of water and some snacks. Also, you will spend some time out of tree cover, so sunscreen is also a good idea.
We started on the little section of trail in Parker, thinking it would be easy to hop over from Foxburg to Emlenton on the roads - I would not recommend doing this. The short little Parker trail was idyllic, but the few miles from that trail's end to the next trail head in Emlenton was harrowing (riding on a main road - 268 I believe?- with heavy truck traffic was one of very few options). However, the rest of the ride to Oil City was quite enjoyable even though it rained through most of Day 1. As others have noted, there is a section of trail blocked by a landowner, and the detour around it is tricky (kids and inexperienced riders might have some trouble on the rockier sections, especially if it is wet as it was during our ride). The tunnels were fun, and we were glad to have our headlights along for them as they are quite dark. We stayed over night in an eclectic AirBNB in Oil City (look for "Deep River Guest House" on AirBNB) that met all of our bicycling needs (easy access from the trail, porch to lock up the bikes on, a quick walk or ride to restaurants, etc.), then journeyed back to Parker the next day. On the way back, we tried a different route from Emlenton to Foxburg, which was a different kind of challenge (a "roller coaster" township road with lots of loose, chunky gravel), which I would also not recommend doing. However, we rewarded ourselves with some samples at the Foxburg winery and made it the rest of the way. Looking forward to doing the Emelenton-->Oil City (or perhaps farther) trip again!
We started at the Clairton end of the trail, and I don't care to do it again. We biked about 7 miles out and turned around - only a small portion was on an actual trail, the rest was on back roads as well as a brief section on a fairly high-traffic road. Hoping to start at the other end next time and have a better experience.
Also known as Mill Creek trail. We parked at the Kirk Rd trailhead and rode north to Niles (the trailmap needs to be updated since trail goes all the way to Niles now), turned around and rode to the other end at Western Reserve Rd. - 30mi roundtrip. Trail is paved, in good shape, and mostly shady. Gradual uphill as you go south. Not much in the way of scenery, but an enjoyable ride nontheless.
This was our first long bike adventure ever. I've been retired several years and my wife retired last summer '16 from teaching. She had been a complete academic and never was interested in sports except when our kids were involved. Now, she loves exercising and gym workouts. We've done single day bike excursions, but nothing like this. We started in Homewood (Pittsburgh area) and rode far (52 miles) for rookies on the first day, to Connellsville. Unbelievably beautiful natural environment surrounded us every stroke of the pedal. First night we stayed at the Connellsville B&B and were very impressed with immaculate cleanliness, delicious breakfast, and pleasant owner, Lucille. After our 52-mile day, I was worried about my wife's physical well being, but by the next morning she felt much better and we were glad we had planned a much shorter ride (28 miles) Day 2 to Confluence. There, we stayed overnight at Parker House, also a pleasant stay, though no breakfast is included. We purchased simple breakfast food items at the local grocery store. The third day was our longest ride (62 miles), planned knowing the last 24 miles into Cumberland are downhill. Our daughter, husband, and granddaughters were waiting at Mile Zero with flowers and cheers. Just a beautiful, enjoyable, and educational trip. And you meet the kind, helpful, friendly people on the trail that help make this world a better place. Outstanding scenery, cool shade on hot days thanks to beautiful vegetation, historical passageway with awesome bridges and tunnels, well-maintained trails. We can't wait to do it again!
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