Find the top rated cross country skiing trails in Butler, whether you're looking for an easy short cross country skiing trail or a long cross country skiing trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a cross country skiing trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Part of a larger system in Western Pennsylvania known as the Trans Allegheny Trails, the Ghost Town Trail was named for the long-abandoned towns strung along the tracks of the Ebensburg & Black Lick...
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...
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 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...
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...
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...
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...
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...
Mile marker 0 for the Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail can be found at its southern in Lisbon. Located in a former railroad depot, the Lisbon trailhead is about a quarter mile from the actual start...
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...
Evidence of the Roaring Run Trail’s past lives are readily visible all along the 4.8-mile corridor in western Pennsylvania. Stone remains in the Kiskiminetas River (Kiski for short) mark the site of a...
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...
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...
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...
Three Rivers Heritage Trail features the best that the city of Pittsburgh has to offer, connecting major cultural venues, the downtown area, historical sites, and some of the city’s most well-known...
The 21-mile Westmoreland Heritage Trail, a family-friendly multiuse rail-trail, offers opportunities for recreation and connections to nature along its two separated segments between Saltsburg 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...
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...
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...
The 61.5-mile Montour Trail follows most of the former Montour Railroad’s main line west and south of Pittsburgh. This little short line was incorporated during the late 19th century and, despite its...
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...
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...
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...
Evidence of the Roaring Run Trail’s past lives are readily visible all along the 4.8-mile corridor in western Pennsylvania. Stone remains in the Kiskiminetas River (Kiski for short) mark the site of a...
The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) is an iconic rail-trail that runs 150 miles from Cumberland, Maryland, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was built in partnership between state agencies and many local...
The 61.5-mile Montour Trail follows most of the former Montour Railroad’s main line west and south of Pittsburgh. This little short line was incorporated during the late 19th century and, despite its...
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....
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...
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...
Part of a larger system in Western Pennsylvania known as the Trans Allegheny Trails, the Ghost Town Trail was named for the long-abandoned towns strung along the tracks of the Ebensburg & Black Lick...
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
Mile marker 0 for the Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail can be found at its southern in Lisbon. Located in a former railroad depot, the Lisbon trailhead is about a quarter mile from the actual start...
The 21-mile Westmoreland Heritage Trail, a family-friendly multiuse rail-trail, offers opportunities for recreation and connections to nature along its two separated segments between Saltsburg and...
Three Rivers Heritage Trail features the best that the city of Pittsburgh has to offer, connecting major cultural venues, the downtown area, historical sites, and some of the city’s most well-known...
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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
The 61.5-mile Montour Trail follows most of the former Montour Railroad’s main line west and south of Pittsburgh. This little short line was incorporated during the late 19th century and, despite its...
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...
The Panhandle Trail offers the most direct and scenic route for self-propelled travel between the Pittsburgh suburbs and West Virginia. Although the trail follows an old railroad grade through the...
Part of a larger system in Western Pennsylvania known as the Trans Allegheny Trails, the Ghost Town Trail was named for the long-abandoned towns strung along the tracks of the Ebensburg & Black Lick...
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...
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...
Mile marker 0 for the Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail can be found at its southern in Lisbon. Located in a former railroad depot, the Lisbon trailhead is about a quarter mile from the actual start...
Three Rivers Heritage Trail features the best that the city of Pittsburgh has to offer, connecting major cultural venues, the downtown area, historical sites, and some of the city’s most well-known...
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....
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...
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...
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...
The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) is an iconic rail-trail that runs 150 miles from Cumberland, Maryland, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was built in partnership between state agencies and many 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 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...
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...
Beautiful snowy day on the Shenango Trail. Temperature was a balmy 32° after a frigid previous week. Sunshine made for a very comfortable but sweaty hike. Trail was covered in a 12+ inch snowfall from previous day/night. Lots of animal tracks but no evidence of human activity. Parking lots were unplowed and access was dificult.
Frigid hike-12°, on Shenango Trail from mile marker 4-New Hamburg to mile marker 7 near the pipeline crossing off River Road. Only two other adventurous hikers on the trail and 4 hunters in parking areas. Trail frozen and dry the entire length except for seepage from Beaver pond.
Several projects gave been recently completed and several are still in the planning stage. A new Puncheon walkway was installed 2.5 miles south of Kidd's Mill trailhead. An expansion of the older puncheon walkway is partially completed. Informational kiosks will be installed before the end of the year at Big Bend and New Hamburg through the efforts a local boy scout in fulfillment of his Eagle Scout project. A much needed bridge near Kidd's Mill trailhead will be installed early next year by a girl scout in completion for her culminating Gold Award.
On this overcast, brisk (50F) Nov. 1st Monday morning we probably should not have opted to start riding from the John Rangos trailhead (on Athena Drive Ext) to Saltsburg. In trying to stay warm and watch for tree debris on the leaf-covered trail, we chose to brake on the easy ride from Slickville to Saltsburg, rather than take full advantage of the downhill grade. (Brrr, we didn't stop at the Slickville Deli for ice cream.) Where the trail ended we continued across Water St. to look at the eastbound section of the West Penn Trail along the Conemaugh River. That ride would have to wait. It was lunch time.
We turned around and rode west on the West Penn Trail into Saltsburg, looking for GG's Gourmet Cafe -- one of the few open for lunch on Mondays -- 2 blocks east of the trail on Salt St. Was it the made-fresh grilled chicken pesto sandwich, the friendly conversation with the owner, or the self-serve coffee (in real mugs) that made the lunch break so satisfying? All that and still cheaper than a Panera's lunch!
Saltsburg itself, at the confluence of the Kiskiminetas and Conemaugh Rivers, is a historic gem. The museum is only open on Wednesdays, but the outdoor informational signs along the West Penn Trail share details about the canal, railroad, salt mills and buildings of Saltsburg's past. There is a clean public restroom and picnic spot near the salt mill (now a kayak rental shop).
After our ride through history we returned to the Westmoreland Heritage Trail. The uphill section back to Slickville, with sunshine, magically transformed our return ride into a continuous tapestry of sights -- bridges, tunnels, rock cliffs -- all painted in late Autumn colours. In the boggy area where the Loyalhanna Creek makes an oxbow turn, we were free to read the historic information and leisurely snap photos without the pesky summer mosquitoes. Our favourite section of the ride was where the trail crossed the south end of Beaver Run Reservoir. Too bad we didn't bring binoculars to look for birds in the wetlands there.
Our ride was not as scenic as that of the Ohiopyle-Connellsville section of the GAP (to which we compare every ride) and the uphill return was slightly more challenging. Extra points for the interesting historic sights. The leaf and branch debris was a little rough on our road bikes (can't be avoided this time of the year) but the trail is wide enough and good overall. Available potty stops at the trailhead and in Saltsburg are much appreciated. For only 9 miles of biking, it would not be our everyday choice, since our drive time from home is 1 hour. (Travelling by canal from Pittsburgh to Saltsburg would have taken about 20 hours.) We would probably bike this trail again with the addition of a portion of the West Penn Trail and look forward to a longer ride if/when that trail joins the Hoodlebug Trail.
Took advantage of the near 70 degree temps and biked from Franklin to Indian God Rock and back. Also biked on the connecting Samuel Justus Trail from Franklin to Oil City and back. Todays trip, 30 miles total. There were still some pretty trees of foliage. Saw 1 snake. Was on this trail end of October and the Allegheny River was mighty high but the waters have receded. Always a great ride on this Trail.
Biked this trail at least once a week in the Fall to experience the fall foliage. Always a great ride though a beautiful State Park.
this was our first ride on the ART. we had heard many good reviews regarding a lot of the Western PA bike trails and made it a point to do some this year. My brother and I had done both the Panhandle and a portion of the Montour; so this was our third trek to PA. we chose a destination about halfway between the two tunnels (Rockland and Kennerdell) and it was very remote with not a lot of signage directing us. However, we did find it and began our trek. the trail does follow the Allegheny River for the entire trip. It was a chilly 28 degrees when we started; but by noon, it was full sun, no wind and quite beautiful. we did 29.07 miles and enjoyed every bit of the towns of Emlenton, St. George, Kennerdell and Brandon. one of the bonus finds were the trail side cottages along the river. we took a brochure and did some research in hopes of returning next summer (2022) and possibly staying a couple of days in order to bike the trails north (Samuel Justus, Sandy Creek and Oil City Trail). we had a blast going thru the tunnels with our headlamps (A MUST) and just gazing/photographing the many gorgeous sites. What a jewel of a trail.
In Pittsburgh, if you are cycling enthusiast, you must experience Bicycle Heaven - It is a nonprofit, private collection with over 5,000 complete bikes and even more bicycle parts that it is overwhelming. Some bikes date back to the late 1800s to the present.
Departing Pittsburgh’s concrete jungle, I highly recommend that you have the GAP route available on a GPS device as it is marked but you can miss the signs as you are focused on the traffic. Once on the gravel portion, it is an easy navigation exercise!
At the trailheads, there were plenty of new bicycle repair/air pump stations.
The illuminated 3,000’+ Savage Tunnel was an amazing experience as was experiencing the Mason Dixon Line.
Also, confirm (call) your dining options along the trail as even if sites on the internet say they will be open during your visit, you may be disappointed and going hungry due to staffing issues.
We started at the trail head just outside Vintondale where the C&I Spur splits off. It was a beautiful sunny day. The first 4-5 miles of the C&I spur is in great shape and a very nice ride along the creek. At Vic Miller Road there is a short on-road segment to what looks like a very new or refurbished section of the C&I extension. This section is very nice. It travels over some bridges and forested lands. The trail is in perfect condition. There were a lot of other bikers, walkers, and ebikers on the trail. Very friendly.
After another 8 miles the trail dead ends on a residential street. (North St.). A little bit of on-road riding gets you to Expedite St and then Cardiff Rd. Cardiff Rd is all downhill into Nanty Glo. Cardiff Rd. has a bit more traffic. But going this way, it is all downhill and you are in Nanty Glo in 5-10 minutes. We had a beer and a very nice meal in town, then took the the mainline trail back to Vintondale. This is a great trail. I hope to return and ride into Ebensburg.
Peddled this trail this week and it was a very enjoyable paved trail with alot of history along the way. The slope was a gradual incline to the Drake Well Museum and and enjoyable down grade back to the trailhead at Oil Creek State Park.
Parked at the new parking area at the Monroe Road trailhead. Buffalo Creek Nature preserve. Picnic area and restrooms when open. Biked down to Freeport (downhill) then back up and continued North the Dittmer Road and back down. Nice ride. Pedaling uphill was a workout but the return trip very nice downhill!
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