Explore the best rated trails in Washington, PA. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Panhandle Trail and Lincoln Avenue Rails to Trails Greenway . With more than 43 trails covering 4097 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.
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...
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 Sheepskin Rail-Trail is a developing pathway located in rural Fayette County, Pennsylvania. As of 2018, the trail is open in three disconnected segments, totaling nearly 6 miles. Eventually, the...
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 Joel McCann Memorial Trail is part of what will one day be a 16-mile rail-trail from Barrackville to Mannington following the former Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) Railroad. Currently, a 1-mile section of...
The Brooke Pioneer Trail follows the east bank of the Ohio River between Wellsburg and the Brooke–Ohio County line at Short Creek. Here the Brooke Pioneer Trail continues into Ohio County as the...
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...
Morgantown is known as the home of West Virginia University, the inspiration for a Joni Mitchell song and the birthplace of Don Knotts. But it’s also known for its extensive rail-trail system along...
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...
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...
Picture yourself pedaling across the entire country on a safe, seamless and scenic pathway—or walking a local trail that connects along historic routes... enjoying the experience of exploring...
Though only 2.5 miles, the National Road Bikeway features an impressive below-grade tunnel, which was built in 1902. The narrow tunnel is 532 feet long and is lighted but still gives you the...
Morgantown is known as the home of West Virginia University, the inspiration for a Joni Mitchell song and the birthplace of Don Knotts. But it’s also known for its extensive rail-trail system along...
Ever since the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) opened in 2007, overnight bicycle riders and backpackers have flocked to the 150-mile rail-trail in Western Pennsylvania. The welcoming small towns along...
The stars in the Big Dipper and Little Dipper help navigators locate the North Star. Following the five stars in the Five Star Trail—the municipalities of Hempfield Township, Youngwood, South...
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....
West Virginia's West Fork River Trail provides a snapshot of some of the most beautiful scenery in this region. The trail's path was once used by the far-reaching Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to deliver...
Once the corridor of the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway, today the 11.2-mile Conotton Creek Trail offers complete immersion in a bucolic setting in northeastern Ohio. Situated in the rolling...
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 Rotary Walk provides a pleasant stroll or roll through southern Pennsylvania's Uniontown. The crushed-stone pathway begins near the town's Five Corners intersection and heads southeast for...
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 East Wetzel Rail-trail is a 1.5 mile pathway that runs through the town of Hundred in West Virginia. The trail provides connectivity to various local destinations including the high school, the...
The Greene River Trail provides an up close tour of riverside communities whose histories are steeped in the coal industry. You can see remnants of coal mining along the trail, as well as chipmunks,...
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 Brooke Pioneer Trail follows the east bank of the Ohio River between Wellsburg and the Brooke–Ohio County line at Short Creek. Here the Brooke Pioneer Trail continues into Ohio County as the...
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...
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....
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...
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 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 Cheat Lake Trail is the result of a generous donation of land by Allegheny Energy (now FirstEnergy) near its Lake Lynn Power Station on scenic Cheat Lake. The area was once home to West Penn...
Though only 2.5 miles, the National Road Bikeway features an impressive below-grade tunnel, which was built in 1902. The narrow tunnel is 532 feet long and is lighted but still gives you the...
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 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...
Picture yourself pedaling across the entire country on a safe, seamless and scenic pathway—or walking a local trail that connects along historic routes... enjoying the experience of exploring...
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 scenic Coal & Coke Trail connects the communities of Mount Pleasant and Scottdale in Westmoreland County, offering samples of the picturesque nature and friendly suburban feel of the area. 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...
Ever since the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) opened in 2007, overnight bicycle riders and backpackers have flocked to the 150-mile rail-trail in Western Pennsylvania. The welcoming small towns along...
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 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 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...
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 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 Glen Dale to Moundsville Rail-Trail runs for 3.4 paved miles between Glen Dale City Park and Moundsville Riverview Park. The trail parallels the Ohio River behind shopping plazas 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...
West Virginia's West Fork River Trail provides a snapshot of some of the most beautiful scenery in this region. The trail's path was once used by the far-reaching Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to deliver...
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...
Ever since the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) opened in 2007, overnight bicycle riders and backpackers have flocked to the 150-mile rail-trail in Western Pennsylvania. The welcoming small towns along...
One mile of the proposed 4-mile Browns Run Trail is currently open near Masontown in German Township, Fayette County. The trail follows the former Monongahela and B&O lines from Lardin House, a local...
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 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 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...
One of Pennsylvania's rail-with-trails, where trains and trail users share a corridor, the Arboretum Trail is a lovely landscaped trail through downtown Oakmont. The rail corridor has a dramatic...
The central point of the Caperton Trail is located in Morgantown, known as the home of West Virginia University, the inspiration for a Joni Mitchell song and the birthplace of Don Knotts. Morgantown...
The Joel McCann Memorial Trail is part of what will one day be a 16-mile rail-trail from Barrackville to Mannington following the former Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) Railroad. Currently, a 1-mile section of...
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....
The Cheat Lake Trail is the result of a generous donation of land by Allegheny Energy (now FirstEnergy) near its Lake Lynn Power Station on scenic Cheat Lake. The area was once home to West Penn...
Morgantown is known as the home of West Virginia University, the inspiration for a Joni Mitchell song and the birthplace of Don Knotts. But it’s also known for its extensive rail-trail system along...
The Rotary Walk provides a pleasant stroll or roll through southern Pennsylvania's Uniontown. The crushed-stone pathway begins near the town's Five Corners intersection and heads southeast for...
A friend and I rode the Trail out and back from Morgantown in early April. We enjoyed the ride because of the workout from climbing and the numerous views of Deckers Creek spilling over rocks amid rhododendron.
The trail is paved for the first 3 miles, with frequent ridges in the asphalt. After mile 3 the trail is mostly finely crushed stone. One exception is coarse gravel by the rock quarry.
From milepost 3 to 14 you climb at 2-3% grade, a steady workout. It reminded us of the GAP Trail from Frostburg to Cumberland (although that's paved.) After milepost 14 the trail levels out with occasional rises.
We detoured into Reedsville to get lunch at the DQ. The highway into town had several 4" potholes.
We passed at least 30 riders and 30 walkers / runners on the trail. Glad to see it is well used. We liked it and will ride it again next time we're in town.
I drove about an hour and a half to ride this trail. The trail has quite a few amenities, a paved surface, rain & picnic shelters, benches and bird boxes. There are quite a few points of interest that are visually appealing -- small ponds, covered bridges, a Natural Gas Gathering facility, the architecture of older manufacturing towns. For an April Sunday, there were quite a few people out riding or walking on the trail, but it never felt crowded. It certainly seems that the people of the area enjoy and use their trail.
My one complaint is that the trail surface while paved, is of an inconsistent quality. Numerous areas of the trail give the rider a washboard effect why passing over them. It would certainly help to have the entire length of this trail resurfaced.
WE DID THE ENTIRE C&O AND GAP RIDE WITH A GROUP OF 50 RIDERS IN 2007. IT WAS FULLY SUPPORTED AND JUST A WONDERFUL WEEK. WE STARTED IN WASHINGTON AND FINISHED IN BOSTON, PA.(THE TRAIL ALL THE WAY TO PITTSBURG WAS NOT YET OPEN). WE HAD PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE USA INCLUDING CALIFORNIA, OREGON AND ALASKA, AND A YOUNG MAN FROM IRELAND. THE PEOPLE NOT FROM EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI KEPT SAYING THEY COULDN'T BELEIVE HOW BEAUTIFUL THE EASTEN U.S. IS. THEY ALWAYS THOUGHT OF THE EAST AS NEW YORK, PHILLY AND WASHINGTON, D.C.. AND THE ENTIRE RIDE IS EASY ENOUGH FOR A BEGINNER.
I RECOMEND THE G.A.P. AND THE C&O TRIP AT LEAST ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, AND TAKE A WEEK TO DO BOTH TRAILS WITH A GROUP.
While in the area we decided to walk along this trail. Parked at the lot on top of the hill which is located on Morgans Run Road. This is also the parking lot for Cheat Lake Park. Walk down the hill and there is a small playground with restrooms. The trail runs in each direction. We walked along the lake towards the dam site. At the dam end of the trail (approx one mile from the park area) there are steps and at the top is another parking lot. That parking lot is literally on the border of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
The trail is flat and follows the lake on one side and a wooded hill on the other side.
A nice trial to visit if you're in the area.
Parked at the Butler end of the trail at Fellowship Crossing. Biked uphill to Cabot and back, which was 10 miles each way. Coming back about the last 6 miles is downhill into Butler.
The trail is gravel. Some sections of the trail seemed to be washed out.
Towards the Butler end the trail is only a few feet wide.
But still a nice trail.
If you go from Butler to the other end in Freeport it's 21 miles.
We rode it on a couple of sections..We parked at Deal ,road to Big Savage Tunnel & Eastern Continental Divide & little further & back..Then drove to Garrett & parked & rode to Salisbury Viaduct & Meyersdale Train Station,where we stopped . Some neat art work & gift shop. We ended up talking to a volunteer who was Brooke Folk,the local writer who writes about the trail & anyway about 2 weeks later he wrote about us ,which was cool!! He was a very interesting guy.We really enjoyed the trail. Next day parked in Harnedsville & rode to Pinkerton tunnel & little further then back..Had lunch then drove to Ohiopyle & rode about 15 more miles.We like to ride but are more casual riders,maybe 20-30 miles a day. Slight up hill in parts,but not bad.I would recommend getting the Trail Guide book. It is great & has a great map of all the high lights & towns. We will be back to ride other sections..such a great trail,nice towns & nice people..
I really liked this trail. While being a little frustrated on the Pittsburgh city trail, I discovered this one by accident and loved how nice it was. Near Pittsburgh it takes you through some nice Pittsburgh-esqe things.
I was passing through town and couldn’t wait to ride this trail. It was a little disappointing in that I kept running into dead ends without good signage. Once you get out of the city it’s really nice and hooks up with another trail that will take you to DC (or so I was told).
We walked this trail today, it's a very short little trail but the plaque in town provides a great deal of history. This trail really could use some TLC. Tree limbs growing so low you have to go off the trail.
My friend Tom Crotty and I rode the GAP Aug 2017-we had a great time but it was HOT!
This time we came a month later (sept 24-26) and brought along 5 riders new to the GAP!
We used same logistics again riding 1-way from Pitt to Cumberland:
* Day ONE 60 miles to Connelsville Pa -- stayed @ Seems Like Home B&B - Rick took excellent care of all of us and the breakfast he served was awesome!
* Day TWO - 45 miles to Rockwood PA - stayed @ Husqy Haven Cabin and at the Hostel-both were GREAT!
* Day THREE - 45 miles to Cumberland MD!
We hired the Cumberland Trail Connection to shuttle us with our bikes back to Pittsburgh. - Chuck was an excellent driver and took good care of us and our bikes!
The GAP must be one of the most beautiful rail-trails in the USA. Even though we got rained on for at least half of Day One and half of Day Two, none of us slipped, fell, or had any bike troubles... We still had a tremendously wonderful experience!
The sights are absolutely stunning - we heard and saw more running water than we would have if it had not been raining... the temp was very moderate
A GREAT time was had by all!
We already have a plan for the next time we return: We will stay in Cumberland and do a 4-day out and back ride to Connelsville!
Put this one on your Must-Ride list!
We parked near the fire department in Midway, PA. The parking lot is situated nearly on the trail with easy access. We took the trail left and rode about 3.5 miles to Sturgeon where the nice asphalt path became crushed rock near the Allegheny Co line. We turned around there preferring the asphalt and rode to Burgettstown, PA. At Burgettstown we turned around and rode back to our car only because we are older folks who bike only about 20 miles round trip. It was a nice cool fall feeling day. We saw many squirrels, birds, and beautiful golden rod fields dotted with purple iron-weed flowers throughout. A Giant Eagle grocery store is very near the McDonald, PA entrance to the trail which is a plus if you wanted to get drinks or snacks for the journey. Overall impression – Washington Co. is the winner when it comes to the Panhandle Trail. They have done an excellent job in making the bike trail smooth with asphalt, conveniently located porta-johns and nicely mowed areas and benches along the trail.
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