Find the top rated walking trails in Butler, whether you're looking for an easy short walking trail or a long walking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a walking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
With a wide, paved pathway and adjacent equestrian trail running through lush woodland and riverside terrain, the Allegheny River Trail (ART) has something to offer every trail enthusiast. Following a...
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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 Sandy Creek Trail carves its way through some of the most remote and spectacular countryside in northwestern Pennsylvania. This 12-mile paved trail has some impressive features, including tunnels...
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 nearly 11-mile MetroParks Bikeway provides a scenic and well-designed link to communities and natural sites in this northeast region of Ohio. The rail-trail follows a corridor between Canfield and...
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 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...
Clymer Trail offers a short, but pleasant route along a wooded hillside on Clymer Borough's west end. The rail-trail follows the former Sample Run Mine Branch of the Cherry Tree & Dixonville Railroad....
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...
Constructed in 1983 with the help of donations from the Stavich Family and local individuals, the Stavich Trail is unusual in several ways. First, unlike most rail-trails, it was built on an...
The Airport Connector is a spur off the impressive Montour Trail that circles the western outskirts of Pittsburgh. The paved pathway begins just off the extended-term parking lot on the western end of...
Trail users on this inviting corridor follow the path of an old Southern Pennsylvania Railroad line, in some places traveling alongside unused tracks (not to be confused with the newer Southwest...
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...
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...
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 John C. Oliver Multi-Purpose Loop Trail is a centerpiece of Maurice K. Goddard State Park, which spans more than 2,000 acres in northwestern Pennsylvania. The paved, off-road trail traces 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...
Now the longest rail-trail east of the Mississippi River, the 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) spans two states in its course along great rivers and across mountain passes. Running from...
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...
Any trail with a name like "Hoodlebug" deserves a visit. The 10-mile trail follows the path of the 1856-era Indiana Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, which ran from Blairsville north to the town of...
The Blairsville Riverfront Trail is a scenic woodland trail located along the Conemaugh River. The property the trail was built on is owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who maintain a...
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...
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 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...
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....
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...
In western Pennsylvania, the Armstrong Trail offers 30 miles of improved trail with several short on-road sections between Rosston and East Brady in Armstrong and Clarion Counties. North of East...
The Sandy Creek Trail carves its way through some of the most remote and spectacular countryside in northwestern Pennsylvania. This 12-mile paved trail has some impressive features, including tunnels...
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 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...
With a wide, paved pathway and adjacent equestrian trail running through lush woodland and riverside terrain, the Allegheny River Trail (ART) has something to offer every trail enthusiast. Following a...
Connecting Oil City and Franklin, the Samuel Justus Trail is a 7.1-mile segment of a 30-mile trail that follows the former Allegheny Valley Railroad. The A.V. was completed to Oil City in 1868 and...
Clymer Trail offers a short, but pleasant route along a wooded hillside on Clymer Borough's west end. The rail-trail follows the former Sample Run Mine Branch of the Cherry Tree & Dixonville Railroad....
The nearly 11-mile MetroParks Bikeway provides a scenic and well-designed link to communities and natural sites in this northeast region of Ohio. The rail-trail follows a corridor between Canfield and...
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 Airport Connector is a spur off the impressive Montour Trail that circles the western outskirts of Pittsburgh. The paved pathway begins just off the extended-term parking lot on the western end of...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 Titusville and Petroleum Center Railroad had one major purpose when it was built in 1863: to transport oil. Oil was discovered in Oil Creek Valley in 1859 by Colonel Edward Drake and William...
Despite its eerie name, there's nothing scary about the Ghost Town Trail. It is actually named for the numerous towns that were served by the Ebensburg & Blacklick Railroad, as well as the Cambria &...
Any trail with a name like "Hoodlebug" deserves a visit. The 10-mile trail follows the path of the 1856-era Indiana Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, which ran from Blairsville north to the town of...
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 John C. Oliver Multi-Purpose Loop Trail is a centerpiece of Maurice K. Goddard State Park, which spans more than 2,000 acres in northwestern Pennsylvania. The paved, off-road trail traces the...
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 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 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...
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...
In western Pennsylvania, the Armstrong Trail offers 30 miles of improved trail with several short on-road sections between Rosston and East Brady in Armstrong and Clarion Counties. North of East...
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 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 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...
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...
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.
Pros: spectacular scenery, paved surface, history, tunnels! Never seems to get packed like sections of the Great Allegheny Passage do on summer weekends or holidays.
Cons: Here’s why i don’t think that the ART will rival the GAP in terms of ridership volume in the near future: first, as others have said, for long stretches there are no restrooms, water or amenities such as benches, picnic tables, etc. that make a trail truly user friendly. This is hard on some people, especially kids, and there’s really no place to find a ‘green restroom’ if you know what i mean given all the no trespassing/private property/keep out signs along the way. Second, the stubborn property owner and the ROW issue really need a solution so that the trail is seamless end to end. The GAP and the parent company of Sandcastle finally finally worked out a right of way solution, as they did with a warehouse at the Waterfront. It can be done.
I have ridden this trail in summer and fall, looking forward to a winter ride as well. I've ridden from Ebensburg to Blacklick and back and vise versa. The river and sights around the trail are amazing, lots of great pic opportunities and it is super well maintained. If you haven't been on it yet you definitely should take a ride/walk/run :)
On Black Friday, took advantage of the Opt to be Outside event and put in a few miles on foot out of New Bethlehem. Nice trail follows Redbank Creek. Trail is packed crushed limestone. In New Bethlehem there are several places to eat. Also near the trail is Gumtown Park with a picnic area. There is a dam along Redbank Creek in New Bethlehem. Parking in town on Arch Street near the Fire Department.
I rode this trail in the early summer of this year (2018). I parked at the trail head across from the super market in downtown Brookville. Luckily, there were just a few cars and I was able to turn my van around and park near the gazebo. Otherwise, I don't think I would have been able to pull my van out of any of the provided parking spots had the lot been full. Its a very narrow lot!
But once on the trail I was very impressed with how beautiful and scenic it was. I'm from Akron and I bike the Cuyahoga Valley Canal system a lot. I enjoyed the remoteness. I must have only passed 12 other riders on my way down to New Bethlehem and back. The ride took 5.5 hours to complete. It did not include a 45 min. layover in NB to eat at Fox's Pizza.
I believe this section is about 22 miles one way, 44 total.
It has a consistent surface that's easy to ride. a few beautifully built picnic areas along the way. The bridges over the river make for spectacular views. My favorite section was through a deep gorge that made for a cool rest stop. Cool meaning, the temp was 10-12 degrees cooler. I loved the wind chimes way up the steep wall in this section! I saw a few deer and one big black snake stretched across the trail. It wouldn't move to let me pass, so I had to detour off the trail around it while screaming like a girl because I hate snakes!!
It's been cold for quite a while now but one Sunday the temps got up into the 40's and a lot of people took advantage of the trail that day. Cyclists, walkers, and runners. It was good to see that many people out. Most of the restrooms are closed for the Winter but there are still a few open. The marina is empty as all the boats were removed. Saw 2 different bald eagles.
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 drove to Emlenton where we picked up the trailhead and headed north. The scenery was beautiful riding along the river. Being October, the trail was heavily covered in fallen leaves, which made it difficult to see the hooved up asphalt on the trail. We were surprised that the trail was so bumpy, and it made for careful riding. There was one spot just north of the first tunnel that was very bad where water bottles bounced out of my basket onto the trail. Some kind of marking would definitely be helpful in that spot. The tunnels were exciting and scary at the same time, especially meeting riders coming from the opposite direction. The reflectors are positioned so the trail is split into two lanes through the tunnel, but we found it difficult to stay in one lane without running over the middle reflectors. Next time I will get a headlamp and not hold a flashlight. We weren't sure what to expect from the detour after reading others' reviews. I have to say it wasn't as bad as we thought it would be. The detour took us onto a wide uphill rocky path - great for mountain bikes but not road bikes. We pushed our bikes on the inclines and rode on the downhill grades. I have to caution other riders on the last long, downhill grade. Even with braking to a slow ride, I still skidded out and wrecked into a ditch. First wipe out for me. My husband said we were 100 feet from reconnecting to the asphalt trail. Overall the trail is level, but we did notice a very slight incline riding north to south, which probably explains why the first 17+ miles were so easy! It is constant peddling either direction. It was definitely a ride to remember and well worth the 90-minute drive from NE Ohio. As others have stated, you need to carry adequate fluids and be prepared if nature calls. We only saw the one porta potty at the trail head in Emlenton. Because we thoroughly researched the reviews, we were prepared. We rode from Emlenton to Brandon, covering 35.5 miles roundtrip. Next time we will go to Oil City and ride south and cover that section of trail. I would give the trail a 4-4.5 only because of the lack of facilities and the maintenance needed on the trail.
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