Explore the best rated trails in Franklin Park, PA. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Lincoln Avenue Rails to Trails Greenway and Five Star Trail. With more than 44 trails covering 4390 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
This is a very nice Trail but there are a couple of issues. If you start in Salzburg when you reach the 4 mile mark you come to a stop sign at a two lane rural road. You have to cross the road and proceed up a dirt road about 100 yard to pick up the Trail again. Unfortunately, there are no signs letting you know that the Trail picks up again 100 yards up the dirt road. Very confusing. One sign at this point with an arrow directing you to where the Trail picks up would be very helpful and save you from riding aimlessly on the county 2 lane, busy, county road looking for the Trail. At the 9+ mile mark the Trail again ends at a two lane, curving, hilly, county road and, again, there are no signs to tell you where to go. Fortunately there was another rider at the Trailhead who informed us that the next section of the Trail has not been completed so you have to ride on the County road (a dangerous road to bike on) until you reach Export. So, despite the description of this being a 21 mile Trail, the actual Trail from Saltsburg to the missing section is only about 9 miles. That 9 miles is very well maintained with mile markers every 1/4 mile; two additional directional/informational signs would make a big difference to those riding it the first time. But, bottom line, if you start in Saltsburgh you are only on the Trail for 9 miles, an 18 mile round trip. We returned to Saltsburg and rode an additional 8 miles on the West Penn Trail which made the trip from Pittsburgh worthwhile.
We got on the trail in Emlenton PA. Scenery is beautiful and large portions of the trail have great views of the river. However, it is the bumpiest trail we have ever been on. It was literally like riding on a washboard. It felt like my teeth were going to rattle right out of my head. They shouldn't pave these trails unless they plan on keeping up with the maintenance on them.
And be prepared, the Rockland Tunnel is long and dark... you can't see the light at the other end. It is pitch black inside and you will need a light. My wife couldn't make it through so we had to turn around and go back... on the bumpiest trail in PA.
I have ridden my fair share of rail trails and the GAP is the best rail trail I've ever experienced. I started in Cumberland and finished in Pittsburgh. I knew what I was getting myself into riding against the Eastern Continental Divide but I got the harder riding done right away. I spent three days on the trail staying overnight in Confluence, Smithton and ending in Pittsburgh taking Amtrak back to my car in Cumberland.
The GAP offers so much variety over its 149 miles from scenic river views, sweeping mountains, ruins of a mining past to human development from a rural to urban scale. Most of the trail is very tightly packed gravel which is in immaculate shape. For the first few miles out of Cumberland and the last twenty or so miles to Pittsburgh the trail is asphalt.
I went on my ride in mid-May right before peak riding season so while many businesses in the trail towns were open many still had limited hours. Riding during peak season will give you even more options to eat, stay and shop. Every town I visited were very bike friendly (I've never seen so many places to lock your bike), with plenty of signage to share the road and locals very happy to see tourism in their communities. Some of the smaller towns like Smithton and Boston are not heavily highlighted but still offer dining and places to stay overnight.
There are many bike fix-it stations located on the GAP. While I expected to see some in the trail towns I was surprised by the abundance of fix-it stations located outside of towns as well. There are bathrooms (a mix of businesses, port a pots and composting toilets) roughly every ten miles. Most trail towns had a store to buy refreshments and I did notice a few restaurants had no issue with filling up a water bottle for any who asked.
My least favorite part of the trail was the last twenty miles from Boston to Pittsburgh. The asphalt in this section is in pretty good shape but in comparison to over 100 miles of smooth gravel it is rough. McKeesport is a sudden shift to an urban environment with a fair amount of on road riding but it is well marked and I had no issues navigating and I felt safe. I had issues navigating in Pittsburgh as I felt the clear marking that helped me navigate McKeesport was non-existent. Also to note is the on-road detour to Point State Park. It is easy to follow if you have a map but it requires riding in a major city for a short distance.
I have ridden many trails, a few that are in the Rail Trail Hall of Fame. The GAP is by far the best and is truly the ride of a lifetime.
A nice day for a Spring ride. The trail runs along side of Lake Arthur within the park. It is paved and has many turns and small hills. 7.5 miles in length, out and back. Ends at where the former Outdoor Recreation Center is. Trailhead and mile 0 is at the Bike Rental and large parking area.. There was a building at that location but burned May, 2022 due to a fire. The bike rental is open and they are operating out of trailers.
Miles 1-5 desperately need repaved. Gaps where pavement have separated, jar you and your bike. Feeble attempts, on some of them to fill in have created just as annoying bumps. What used to be a very decent trail has definitely taken a turn for the worse. No longer a pleasure to ride!!!
A new and still underdevelopment rail trail opened May 2022. The trail is a mix of grass and crushed stone. The trail goes through two train tunnels. The trailhead parking lot is in Claysville, PA and passes behind a General Dollar store where you can pickup items to eat at some benches and picnic tables along the trail. Trailhead needs a restroom.
This is a beautiful trail at all times of the year. Lots of shade and only a few - not so busy road crossings. It's a day trip destination ride from Clevealnd, Pittsburgh or Columbus. As the trail takes you through Leetonia and it's brick streets, you can visualize a once thriving Italian community. St. Patricks church and its' attached grade school (no longer open) still stands proudly as the centerpiece of the town. You'll love this trail!!!!
Nice Spring day, biked from the Saltbox at the Franklin trailhead, South, to Sunnyslope (12.5 miles) and back for a 25 mile round trip. Starting to get green! Water level of the Allegheny River is a little low. Some islands were visable from the trail. Great ride as always!
The (short) trail is well-maintained, but there is quite a bit of traffic noise. It is a bit difficult to find the trailhead parking (I ended up parking at the baseball field). Having a road bike, I thought trail was better (for me) on foot since it is very short, although it would have been doable on a bike.
Wildflower walk on 4/23 attended by 12 individuals! Many Trillium, Trout Lillies, Violets and other species present on the trail from New Hamburg to Big Bend. Temperature 48; rain held off; just a few short sprinkles.
Trail was in great condition and it is a beautiful ride.
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