Find the top rated trails in Johnstown, 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.
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Forbes State Forest and the adjacent state parks (Linn Run, Laurel Mountain, and Laurel Ridge) maintain the PWS Trail System, a network of snowmobile trails and forest service roads though the...
The Honan Avenue Trail is a 3.5 mile long community pathway in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The trail begins at the River Walk Trail in Cambria City, Johnstown, then heads north for three miles along...
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 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...
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 old railroad line known as the Moshannon, or the Mills Branch, crossed the Moshannon Valley during the mid- to late 1800s. The line was the foundation of the region's late 19th- and early...
The Sheepskin Rail-Trail is a developing pathway located in rural Fayette County, Pennsylvania. It’s currently open in two disconnected segments, each spanning about 2 miles. Eventually, the...
The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (a.k.a. C&O Canal Towpath) follows the route of the Potomac River for 184.5 miles between Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and Cumberland, Maryland....
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...
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 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 Bells Gap Rail-Trail is really two trails in one-a flat 2.1-mile southern section with smooth crushed limestone surface, and a rougher, more difficult northern section best-suited for mountain...
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...
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...
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 Bedford Heritage Trail provides a safe and picturesque connection between a topnotch resort and a nationally recognized downtown. From the Omni Bedford Springs Resort and Spa, the trail snakes...
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Once known as the Clearfield and Grampian Trail, in 2011, the name was changed to the David S. Ammerman Trail in memory of the man who championed turning the abandoned rail corridor into a...
The Carpendale Trail straddles the North Branch of the Potomac River between Carpendale in West Virginia and Cumberland in Maryland. The wooden bridge spanning 386 feet across the river is a...
The first 0.5 mile of the Ligonier Valley Trail and Bikeway is now complete, linking the town's popular attractions: Fort Ligonier from the days of George Washington and the French and Indian War, the...
The waterway implied in the name of the Jim Mayer Riverwalk is the beautiful Stonycreek River. The trail, also named for a local conservationist, hugs its eastern bank, providing a natural retreat in...
The Bells Gap Rail-Trail is really two trails in one-a flat 2.1-mile southern section with smooth crushed limestone surface, and a rougher, more difficult northern section best-suited for mountain...
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 Bedford Heritage Trail provides a safe and picturesque connection between a topnotch resort and a nationally recognized downtown. From the Omni Bedford Springs Resort and Spa, the trail snakes...
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 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....
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 Mahoning Shadow Trail has a flat surface that is easy for biking, running and walking. There is little signage on the trail, but each trailhead and access point is well marked. Begin at the...
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...
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...
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...
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 first 0.5 mile of the Ligonier Valley Trail and Bikeway is now complete, linking the town's popular attractions: Fort Ligonier from the days of George Washington and the French and Indian War, the...
The old railroad line known as the Moshannon, or the Mills Branch, crossed the Moshannon Valley during the mid- to late 1800s. The line was the foundation of the region's late 19th- and early...
The Carpendale Trail straddles the North Branch of the Potomac River between Carpendale in West Virginia and Cumberland in Maryland. The wooden bridge spanning 386 feet across the river is a...
Open since 1989, the creek-side Indian Creek Valley Trail traces the route of the Indian Creek Valley Railraod (ICVRR). Just north of Indian Head, you will come to a cluster of acid mine drainage...
The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (a.k.a. C&O Canal Towpath) follows the route of the Potomac River for 184.5 miles between Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and Cumberland, Maryland....
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...
The waterway implied in the name of the Jim Mayer Riverwalk is the beautiful Stonycreek River. The trail, also named for a local conservationist, hugs its eastern bank, providing a natural retreat in...
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 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...
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 first 0.5 mile of the Ligonier Valley Trail and Bikeway is now complete, linking the town's popular attractions: Fort Ligonier from the days of George Washington and the French and Indian War, the...
The waterway implied in the name of the Jim Mayer Riverwalk is the beautiful Stonycreek River. The trail, also named for a local conservationist, hugs its eastern bank, providing a natural retreat in...
The Honan Avenue Trail is a 3.5 mile long community pathway in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The trail begins at the River Walk Trail in Cambria City, Johnstown, then heads north for three miles along...
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 Carpendale Trail straddles the North Branch of the Potomac River between Carpendale in West Virginia and Cumberland in Maryland. The wooden bridge spanning 386 feet across the river is a...
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...
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...
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...
Forbes State Forest and the adjacent state parks (Linn Run, Laurel Mountain, and Laurel Ridge) maintain the PWS Trail System, a network of snowmobile trails and forest service roads though the...
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 Sheepskin Rail-Trail is a developing pathway located in rural Fayette County, Pennsylvania. It’s currently open in two disconnected segments, each spanning about 2 miles. Eventually, the...
The Bells Gap Rail-Trail is really two trails in one-a flat 2.1-mile southern section with smooth crushed limestone surface, and a rougher, more difficult northern section best-suited for mountain...
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Following the corridor of a mountain-crossing railroad that operated 1834-1854, this trail has two segments approximately 15 miles apart. The southern, crushed stone segment, about 2.3 miles long,...
The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (a.k.a. C&O Canal Towpath) follows the route of the Potomac River for 184.5 miles between Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and Cumberland, Maryland....
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 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...
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...
Though it memorializes a sad occasion, the Path of the Flood Trail is a beautiful, tranquil trail. In the Johnstown Flood of 1889, the South Fork Dam failed and more than 2,200 townspeople lost their...
Once known as the Clearfield and Grampian Trail, in 2011, the name was changed to the David S. Ammerman Trail in memory of the man who championed turning the abandoned rail corridor into a...
Nice ride on a great trail, from Alexandria to Flowing Springs Road and back, total of 34 miles, another trail off my bucket list, I think that was trail # 37, hope to get to ride all in Pa in the next 5 years!!!
Great trail for multi-day ride with motels or camping, or single day rides. I had to find parking locations in order to ride several days, with Round trip rides of 40-60 miles/day (20-30 each way). A few confusing spots and a couple steep spots. Quite confusing in Pittsburgh, where markings are absent, and trail goes through the city streets, but lovely to arrive at Point State Park fountain. Cedar Creek Park especially lovely area, with camping (but gates lock at sundown so don't park late). Great long ride down gentle hill from Deal, MD (highest point on trail) to Cumberland. Long uphill ride back up 26 miles from Cumberland back to Deal. Beautiful trail.
I read some of the reviews about this trail and was very hesitant about going. I'm so glad I went. It was a beautiful day and the trail was so enjoyable. My husband and I are anxious to go back soon.
Great trail for leisurely runs, walks, and biking. Alot of puddles and run off of the crushed stone in some areas after rain though.
Tom Crotty and I rode the GAP 25-27 Aug 2017 from Pittsburgh (mile 150) to Cumberland (mile 0). I drove in and Tom flew in from Raleigh, NC. Approx. miles: Day1-60, Day2-45, Day3-45. We used a B&B in Connelsville and a B&B in Rockwood. The climb up to the Eastern Continental Divide during Day1, Day2, and half of Day3 was so gradual, it never worked us hard! Mile 150-128 were paved. The fine-crushed gravel trail was in excellent shape! The wild flowers were blooming and the rivers, that the GAP follows for about 80%, were flowing nicely. We stopped @ every major bridge crossing to soak in the beauty of the GAP! Because we rode in summer on Friday-Sunday, we had no trouble finding good food and ice for our water bottles. Warning - The celebratory beers for each end-of-day can only be purchased @ an eating establishment? About 730pm on Day3, we enjoyed a relaxing ride on AmTrak back to Pittsburg (it only made 1 stop @ Connelsville) - I easily biked back to 1st Ave Parking Lot where I had parked my truck. My bro, Al, and I rode 190miles of the KATY trail 3 days Aug 2016, and we had a great time; but the GAP impressed me as much or more. In my opinion, the GAP has more admirable beauty - more often! Although my goal is to ride 1-2 new rails-trails each year, Tom and I have discussed the possibility of returning in the Fall, just to ride the 2-days from Connelsville to Cumberland; I think those 2 days were the most impressive! Every Biker should set the GAP on their dream-trail list!
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
This is a beautiful trail. Please be aware there aren't port-a-potty's along the trail. If you need a bathroom, you'll have to go into a town and find a business or go in the woods. We started in Ebensburg, rode 10 miles then turned around and rode back to Ebensburg and only saw one portapotty next to the ball fields in Nanty-Glo. We also heard there were big hills. We felt it is definitely an uphill grade but it is do-able. Other than that, it's a beautiful ride. It reminds me of Ohiopyle area/GAP Trail.
We have a large family(6) with ages ranging from 2-11,this is one of the best trails we've come across. Easily accessible with a side by side double stroller(some trails we've had to stop and fold our stroller to access hiking areas),flat terrain, keep an eye out for snakes! This is our favorite place to blow of some energy safely,it's well maintained and a gorgeous hike.
We parked in Cloe, and headed into Punxsy, then turned around went back to Cloe and headed to the Winslow trail head. You have to briefly ride on the road to reconnect to the trail, just past the Cloe Lumber yard. The ride to Winslow is mostly up hill and was a great work out. Crews had obviously been out to do trail maintainence with the heavy rain the area has received this summer. Saw only a few others when we were on the trail. The trail is very secluded, with only a few benches. Seeing hunting tree stands right next to the trail is a bit unnerving, but I just won't ride this trail come Fall.
We took some time out to do this trail on a drive from Philadelphia to Ohio. We stayed at the Hampton Inn in Bedford, so the drive to Hopewell was about 30 minutes. The drive there was beautiful on this mid-summer morning. With a little bit of effort and following the bike path signs, we made our way to the old Hopewell train station and parked. As we were getting our tandem bike ready, some local ladies stopped by and were able to point us in the correct direction to Tatesville.
When leaving Hopewell, you are on the main road just long enough to cross a small bridge, then you are on the gravel trail. It starts out as a shared road, but we only encountered one slow moving car. The gravel in this section is larger, and there are areas with potholes, so you need to watch were you ride. Here the trail is partially shaded and there are nice views of the river, meadows and the rising hills.
After passing through a camping area, the trail no longer allowed cars, and the gravel got much smaller and the potholes went away. But the gravel was not hard packed and in some places bogs down your tires. We saw mostly local riders on hybrids and a pair on fat bikes, as well as some walkers.
Near Cypher there is a beautiful bridge/river crossing followed by a narrow gorge. Pause here for some time to take in the view. From there the trail starts a long slow steady incline. This, combined with the thick, small grained gravel, can be challenging. There are a couple of outhouse/restrooms along the trail between Hopewell and Tatesville.
This is a beautiful trail. Hats off to local organizations and government who helped create it. I would only suggest, if possible, to pack down the small gravel, and maybe add some directional signs (like in Hopewell) and maybe some mile markers noting the distances to the next landmarks.
We will be back again to ride the length of this trail and get to parts we missed, though we will probably come back with wider knobby tires.
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