Explore the best rated trails in Oil City, PA. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Redbank Valley Rail Trail and Clarion Highlands. With more than 38 trails covering 422 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.
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If Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow on Groundhog Day, Mahoning Shadow Trail users expect six more weeks of winter before spring arrives. The 15-mile Central Pennsylvania trail passes through the...
Armstrong Trails connects riverfront towns along the eastern bank of the Allegheny River, as it winds through the lush Allegheny Plateau. The flat trail, currently 35.5 miles follows the river...
The 11.7-mile John C. Oliver Multi-Purpose Loop Trail is a centerpiece of Maurice K. Goddard State Park, which spans 2,856 acres in northwestern Pennsylvania. The mostly shaded, paved, off-road trail...
Running 1.5 miles, the Queen City Trail serves as a community connector for the small city of Titusville, where the American oil industry began in 1859. The trail provides a short, paved connection...
Keep your eyes open for wildlife when you visit the Allegheny River Trail. This segment of the Allegheny River—once a canoe route for local tribes and French trappers—was designated a national wild...
Built in 1871 to transport the region’s high-quality limestone to support Pittsburgh’s growing steel industry, the Butler Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad was the first railroad in Butler County....
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...
Fifty years after the last trolley cars ran on the Penn-Ohio Electric System between Youngstown, Ohio, and New Castle, Pennsylvania, in 1932, travelers on foot, bikes, and skates began using the...
Oil flows through the veins of the Samuel Justus Recreation Trail. Its northern departure point is Oil City, which was founded during the 1860s oil boom and became the headquarters for several...
The Trout Island Trail is planned to be a 13-mile rail-trail along the former Erie and Pittsburgh Railroad. Currently, 2.4 miles are open and fully paved in Sharpsville, following the Shenango River...
The Bayfront Connector Trail, also known as the Bayfront Bikeway, offers a paved route across the city of Erie in northwestern Pennsylvania. At its east end is the Penn State Behrend campus; from...
As it winds along Oil Creek, McClintock Trail connects Oil Creek State Park with Oil City. Note that much of the route is on-road. Just south of the park, a 1.8-mile section on Waitz Road, a dirt...
The Clarion Highlands Trail is one of the highest rail-trails in the Commonwealth. It traverses the Allegheny Plateau, passing over the divide between the Clarion and Allegheny Rivers, and follows the...
Deep within the Allegheny National Forest lies a rail-trail with a past. The Kinzua Valley Trail follows the route of the former Kinzua and Hemlock Railroad (later Valley Railroad) near the town of...
Starting in Meadville, known as the home of the zipper, the 7.2-mile Ernst Trail closes the gap between the city and surrounding forests and farms for visitors. The trail is named for Calvin Ernst,...
Rail 66 Country Trail is a rustic trail paralleling Route 66, that begins in the Village of Marianne near the Clarion Junction (SR 322/SR 66) and extends north to the Clarion/Forest County line. The...
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The East Branch Trail is a rare dual-lane rail-trail. The 8-foot asphalt lane serves walkers, bicyclists, in-line skaters, and people in wheelchairs. Horses, specifically horses pulling Amish buggies...
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...
Located on the western side of the Allegheny National Forest, this trail extends north to south, parallel to the Allegheny River from the town of Tidioute to Grove Run. The trail retains much of the...
The Oil City Trail connects the Samuel Justus Recreation Trail and the McClintock Trail through the center of Oil City, Pennsylvania. The 2-mile walking and biking pathway runs along the Allegheny...
This trail is not groomed. The three loops are suitable for beginners. The trail is marked with blue diamonds. Check out the short 1.2 mile Hearts Content Interpretive Trail which offers a scenic hike...
The Redbank Valley Trail follows a rail corridor developed by the Allegheny Valley Railroad in 1872 to carry passengers, coal, and lumber to Pittsburgh and beyond. Passenger service along the line...
Built in 1871 to transport the region’s high-quality limestone to support Pittsburgh’s growing steel industry, the Butler Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad was the first railroad in Butler County....
If Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow on Groundhog Day, Mahoning Shadow Trail users expect six more weeks of winter before spring arrives. The 15-mile Central Pennsylvania trail passes through the...
Crossing the state line into New York near Erie, Pennsylvania, the 7-mile trail runs through the beautiful Brokenstraw Valley, passing small streams, a tamarack swamp, deciduous woods and...
This trail is not groomed. Three stacked loops offer a variety of hiking and skiing opportunities at a range of difficulty levels. The trail starts out on a railroad grade along Big Mill Creek. This...
Armstrong Trails connects riverfront towns along the eastern bank of the Allegheny River, as it winds through the lush Allegheny Plateau. The flat trail, currently 35.5 miles follows the river...
The Mill Creek Trail serves as a connector between Twin Lakes Recreation Area and the Brush Hollow Trail. Just south of Forest Road 138, the Mill Creek Trail leaves the Twin Lakes Trail and heads...
The Oil City Trail connects the Samuel Justus Recreation Trail and the McClintock Trail through the center of Oil City, Pennsylvania. The 2-mile walking and biking pathway runs along the Allegheny...
This trail passes through a variety of pleasing landscapes. The area near Crane Run is especially scenic. The trail is marked with white diamonds. The skill level of this trail is rated more...
Starting in Meadville, known as the home of the zipper, the 7.2-mile Ernst Trail closes the gap between the city and surrounding forests and farms for visitors. The trail is named for Calvin Ernst,...
The Trout Island Trail is planned to be a 13-mile rail-trail along the former Erie and Pittsburgh Railroad. Currently, 2.4 miles are open and fully paved in Sharpsville, following the Shenango River...
The 11.7-mile John C. Oliver Multi-Purpose Loop Trail is a centerpiece of Maurice K. Goddard State Park, which spans 2,856 acres in northwestern Pennsylvania. The mostly shaded, paved, off-road trail...
As it winds along Oil Creek, McClintock Trail connects Oil Creek State Park with Oil City. Note that much of the route is on-road. Just south of the park, a 1.8-mile section on Waitz Road, a dirt...
The Clarion-Little Toby Trail lets you venture on the wild side for 18 miles as it traverses remote state hunting grounds adjoining the Allegheny National Forest. You’ll likely see deer and other...
This moderately difficult trail features great views of Minister Creek and passes by several outstanding rock outcropings, the latter about 1 mile from the trailhead parking lot. This heavily used...
This trail is not groomed. The trail is a combination of logging roads, railroad grades and pipelines that offer challenges to a wide range of skill levels. Trail is marked with blue diamonds.
Located on the western side of the Allegheny National Forest, this trail extends north to south, parallel to the Allegheny River from the town of Tidioute to Grove Run. The trail retains much of the...
Oil flows through the veins of the Samuel Justus Recreation Trail. Its northern departure point is Oil City, which was founded during the 1860s oil boom and became the headquarters for several...
It’s hard to believe that the world’s first oil boom occurred along the path of what’s now the Oil Creek State Park Trail. The park’s forests, beaver ponds, and trout streams were once the site of oil...
Located on the western side of the Allegheny National Forest, this trail extends north to south, parallel to the Allegheny River from the town of Tidioute to Grove Run. The trail retains much of the...
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...
As it winds along Oil Creek, McClintock Trail connects Oil Creek State Park with Oil City. Note that much of the route is on-road. Just south of the park, a 1.8-mile section on Waitz Road, a dirt...
The Bayfront Connector Trail, also known as the Bayfront Bikeway, offers a paved route across the city of Erie in northwestern Pennsylvania. At its east end is the Penn State Behrend campus; from...
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...
Fifty years after the last trolley cars ran on the Penn-Ohio Electric System between Youngstown, Ohio, and New Castle, Pennsylvania, in 1932, travelers on foot, bikes, and skates began using the...
The Mill Creek Trail serves as a connector between Twin Lakes Recreation Area and the Brush Hollow Trail. Just south of Forest Road 138, the Mill Creek Trail leaves the Twin Lakes Trail and heads...
This trail is not groomed. The three loops are suitable for beginners. The trail is marked with blue diamonds. Check out the short 1.2 mile Hearts Content Interpretive Trail which offers a scenic hike...
Deep within the Allegheny National Forest lies a rail-trail with a past. The Kinzua Valley Trail follows the route of the former Kinzua and Hemlock Railroad (later Valley Railroad) near the town of...
The Trout Island Trail is planned to be a 13-mile rail-trail along the former Erie and Pittsburgh Railroad. Currently, 2.4 miles are open and fully paved in Sharpsville, following the Shenango River...
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....
Armstrong Trails connects riverfront towns along the eastern bank of the Allegheny River, as it winds through the lush Allegheny Plateau. The flat trail, currently 35.5 miles follows the river...
The 11.7-mile John C. Oliver Multi-Purpose Loop Trail is a centerpiece of Maurice K. Goddard State Park, which spans 2,856 acres in northwestern Pennsylvania. The mostly shaded, paved, off-road trail...
The Oil City Trail connects the Samuel Justus Recreation Trail and the McClintock Trail through the center of Oil City, Pennsylvania. The 2-mile walking and biking pathway runs along the Allegheny...
This trail is not groomed. The trail is a combination of logging roads, railroad grades and pipelines that offer challenges to a wide range of skill levels. Trail is marked with blue diamonds.
Located along the banks of Conewango Creek, the open 3-mile segment of this proposed 11-mile trail follows an old New York Central branch north from the city of Warren. Designed to serve primarily as...
Keep your eyes open for wildlife when you visit the Allegheny River Trail. This segment of the Allegheny River—once a canoe route for local tribes and French trappers—was designated a national wild...
You’ll want to pack water, food, and flashlights to travel the Sandy Creek Trail, as it crosses 12 miles of remote, but scenic, countryside in Northwestern Pennsylvania. Named for separate Sandy...
Located on the abandoned Erie and Pittsburgh branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, this short but intriguing trail runs through Pymatuning State Park, a large and popular two-state recreation area...
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...
Hiked from Kidd's Mill trailhead 3.25 miles south to the beaver pond. Trail is very dry despite recent rains. Spring wildflowers are everywhere! Weeds not a problem yet. Be aware ticks are present especially if you stray into the brush. Several hikers and dogs on trail. Evidence of horses on Kidd's Mill section very unusual!
Hiked from Kidd's Mill trailhead 3.25 miles south to the beaver pond. Trail is very dry despite recent rains. Spring wildflowers are everywhere! Weeds not a problem yet. Be aware ticks are present especially if you stray into the brush. Several hikers and dogs on trail. Evidence of horses on Kidd's Mill section very unusual!
Had a beautiful sunny day April 29, 2022 to ride the loop around the lake. Nicely maintained with various areas to stop for a rest or snacks! Rolling hills & curves so pay attention to negotiating biking ability! Lovely day for me!
It was a beautiful sunny day for April 29, 2022 & the multi use trail is delightful. I really enjoyed biking around the edge of the water, seeing chipmunks, a woodchuck & a big bird way up in the tree. Some fishermen were enjoying the day too! Stopped & purchased a Passport book at the office to motivate me to get out to more PA State Parks! Go & enjoy this bike trail- take some snacks & rest along the way!
I drove an hour to the trailhead in Lowellville, OH. Within five minutes, had a flat tire from a piece of shrapnel. Drove 20 minutes to the closest dicks to get a new tube. Went back to the trailhead and tried again. The trail is paved which could be nice but it was in such disrepair that it was hardly rideable. Two miles in, I got another flat tire, this time a large nail. It was not patchable and I had to walk my bike back. If there was scenery, this would have been worth it, but it was just abandoned factories and flop houses. There were beggars on the trail.
Big Bend trail access has been difficult due to recent high water and the removal of the swinging cable bridge. A new trail access point has been developed on Pew Road. A map and directions is posted at the trailhead. The trail is marked with yellow blazes. The new trail rejoins the bypass trail and main trail after approximately 500 yards.
February, 2022. Winter walk along the trail. Great trail for walking, cross country skiing or even fat bike tire riding.
If you park at the Big Bend trailhead, mile 0, be prepared to only go about 1/2 mile roundtrip. The Swinging bridge is completely gone. There is a detour nearby via crossing the creek but it's too wide and the step from the bank is too high. Though some have crossed it, I was unable on two separate occasions, but still nice to see the snow.
Great snow hiking on the Shenango Trail! Snowpack depth at least 12 inches from recent storms. Encountered a few hardy hikers the last few weeks. Evidence of wildlife including deer, otter, raccoon, squirrel and many bird species can be seen the entire 8.75 miles of the trail. Bald Eagles and heron observed on river banks or roosting.
We appreciate the trail year round. A suggestion from us who like to x-country ski. Either avoid plowing or make a more narrow plowed path so we can enjoy the trail longer. Thank you.
With all the recent snow, we've got about a foot on the ground, makes the trail great for snowshoeing. Also did see some Cross Country ski tracks.
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