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I started from the very south end of the trail off of Triangle Tech Road on 10/21/2017 and biked uphill from here to the end of the trail. The surface is comprised of small gravel; not crushed limestone. The trail passes thru rock cuts with a nice tree canopy for the 1st three miles with lots of glacier rocks nestled in the woods next to the trail. At mile #3, the trail opens up very briefly before entering back into seclusion. You will cross over Wolf Run several times via 3 bridges. There are 4 mileposts on the trail but they are not accurate; distance between mileposts is less than a mile. There are several picnic tables along the way nestled between the trail and the embankment of the cuts. Occasionally, one will get a glimpse of the BP&R Railroad tracks that parallel the trail on its west side. The only complaint that I have regarding this trail is the trail surface itself. Most Rail-Trails use a fine crushed limestone that is rolled making for a firm riding surface with minimal resistance. The surface of this trail however was comprised of small gravel which offered more resistance and frequent fishtailing. I found this trail absolutely gorgeous and it is well worth the trip to experience it.
This trail is not a typical rail trail. It is hilly in the middle and challenging. Great scenery, wilderness, and I love the workout it provides. Plus you can extended your ride by combining your ride with the connecting Westmoreland Heritage Trail.
I biked from Saylor Park to just past Dilltown and back, about 26 miles RT. Found the many coal refuse heaps and the acid mine drainage and discoloration from iron ore in Blacklick Creek absolutely heartbreaking. Hope that seeing the creek dead and red motivates people to clean up what must have been a lovely creek before the despoliation of the mining companies . http://www.blacklickcreekwatershed.org/
The trail is pretty well supplied with benches, has a few potties, and the two new bridges are charming and fun to ride across. Dilltown is a nice oasis, with covered tables, potties, and a store.
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.
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.
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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