Explore the best rated trails in Mont Alto, PA, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail and Ma & Pa Community Greenway . With more than 33 trails covering 4182 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.
I try to bike here every year and look forward to the added 2 miles or so connecting Red Cut to Saxton. Riders should note it's not the smoothest trail, the section north of Tatesville is 4 miles of slight uphill southbound that taxes in the summer heat, and if you like human interaction you will be disappointed. Also, when passing though Hopewell, remember this, I HOPE I can find the trail, WELL, I guess I'll just ride until I find it. The southern end is indeed down a nondescript gravel road off Rt 915 leading to Coopers Sawmill Rec area and a private seasonal camp. The northern end continues from Broad St, and in any event the town is so tiny you won't get completely lost. So enjoy the solitude this hidden trail can provide, and if you like busy paved trails, then Pittsburgh has much to offer you.
My wife and I rode from Newville to Shippensburg today. It was @ a 10 mile ride to the Shippensburg Trailhead. We continued for 2 more blocks on Earl St to King St. On the corner of Earl & King is the King St Diner, good and good prices.
The western end is paved and is a nice as any rail trail anywhere. Just short. The eastern end has a boardwalk section and then drops you on a gravel section. The gravel is a little big for my liking. I was on a road bike riding 30s but did fine. This section goes through a cut in the mountain made to get the railroad a level grade.
Well-maintained and shady. It was very pleasant, even on a warm summer day! This is definitely worth doing.
Rode most of the trail yesterday starting in Railroad, PA on the Heritage Trail and turned around at the old train station in Monkton, MD. Temperature was in the mid-80s, and humidity was high. Because most of the trail was shaded, it was still a great ride. Definitely not a trail for narrow road tires, but still an excellent surface of crushed stone and hard packed dirt. Plenty of restrooms and stops available. Slightly downhill starting in New Freedom, PA into MD for about 6-7 miles and then a typical rail trail of mostly flat and straight sections. Great scenery of wooded areas. Highly recommend for a relaxing ride in the woods.
Great trail close to my home so I get to ride it as often as I want. I’m looking forward to another leg being completed and hoping it doesn’t take 10 years. I took my 9 year old twin grand sons on it and they love it too.
This trail is paved end to end and is incredibly scenic! The trail goes through several small towns along the way and features great views of the river. It is our favorite rail trail in the county. Get out there and experience all this trail has to offer for yourself!
Echo a lot of other 5 star reviews, this a beautiful fully paved trail worthy of any biker to make the trip to ride. What I didnt expect is that the designers of this trail got just the right amount of curve and undulation to give a rider that feeling of flow. Varied views, plenty of shade, and some trains nearby but not too close, oh and also Marietta is a cool little town... makes a great divert on one leg to find a lunch spot. If only this tied seamlessly to the Enola lowgrade trail... it nearly does via roads!
I just finished a two-day solo tour (Cumberland to Williamsport, Williamsport to DC) and had an incredible experience despite the rain and the tough going over a few stretches. I hear a lot of criticism about the C & O, particularly when compared to the GAP (which I have also done). I appreciate the contrast and hope that the C&O retains its historic character as a more rugged towpath (not a rail trail). That said, the conditions on the east side of Paw Paw and from White’s Ferry to DC were challenging (again, I like the changing surfaces). Highlights: wilderness character, Paw Paw Tunnel, sycamores between Harper’s Ferry and Antietam, Great Falls, Monocacy, Point of Rocks station and the towns.
My son and I rode the C&O the first week of June '25 as part of a ride from Pittsburgh to Washington DC.
I am going to preface this review making it clear that it was an unusually wet Spring and significant damage has occurred due to flooding. Kudos to the efforts to repair the damage and keep the trail open. There were numerous detours off of the trail but it was open and passable. However, had I not taken this into consideration, and had not just completed the GAP as a comparison, I would have rated the trail 2 stars.
Here are my key issues rated from most, to least, significant:
1) The terminus of the trail in Georgetown is inaccessible due to construction. We rode 334 miles in 5 days to unceremoniously end our accomplishment carrying our bikes up a series of stairs, only to encounter detour signs that literally pointed in all four directions. After a half hour walking through urine-laden alleys searching for mile 0, a bicycle cop told us that we were as close as we could get. Our victory picture was taken next to a detour sign, each of us providing a middle-finger salute.
2) The trail surface through the Paw Paw tunnel can only be described as interconnecting pot holes filled with 6" of water. Had there not been other traffic in the tunnel, it may have been rideable. Just accept that you will get the opportunity to stretch your legs for a half-mile walk in the dark. Your shoes will eventually drain and dry by the time you arrive in DC.
3) For 15-20 miles south of the Paw Paw tunnel the trail is unmaintained. The riding surface is basically sunken truck tire tracks, separated by a hump of uncut weeds. The tracks themselves were devoid of any gravel which ensured that you were riding in either water or mud. The weeds on both sides of the trail had yet to be trimmed and had encroached into the tracks. The good news is that we were concentrating so hard on keeping our bikes upright in the slop, we didn't have time to think about the ticks. Anyone who has hiked the Adirondack high peaks knows exactly what I am describing.
4) Most of the trail repairs have been made with loose, coarse, crushed stone. I was fortunate to be riding a mountain bike with 2" tires at 60psi. My son was riding a gravel bike with 40mm tires which mean he was riding sideways much of the time. He ended up riding a combined total of 400 miles considering the lateral component of his travel.
5) Where washouts had yet to be filled with the previously mentioned stone, you have to cross crevices 6-8 inches deep. Not such a big problem if you were travelling slow enough to identify them before jamming your arms through your shoulders and ramming your saddle through the softer tissues of your rear end.
6) Having camped in Assateague for half my life, I thought that I knew aggressive mosquitoes. However, since the trail is totally devoid of any breeze, the stabbing critters locate you as soon as your bike comes to a halt. The good news is that we saved time taking breaks.
I will be posting a 5-star review for the GAP next. If you average the two scores together, the total trail experience was a 4. That still makes the ride from the 'Burgh to DC worthwhile. Just be prepared for the unexpected challenges.
Billie and I rode the trail (some of it) on June 3rd for the first time. Headed South we got to the blockades at main St. I heard commotion under the overpass. I went and talked to the workers. They told me to ride through as the trail is open, but the horses were not removed but will be shortly. We are riding another section today. This by far, is one of the most interesting and beautiful trails we have been on.
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