Find the top rated cross country skiing trails in Franklin Park, 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.
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 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 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 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...
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 Great American Rail-Trail highlights some of the country’s most iconic landmarks, well-known geography and storied history across a 3,700-miles-plus route between Washington and Washington....
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...
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...
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 Armstrong Trail connects riverfront towns along the east bank of the Allegheny River as it winds through the lush Allegheny Plateau. The flat trail, currently 35.5 miles, follows the river...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 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 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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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 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 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....
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 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,...
The Great American Rail-Trail highlights some of the country’s most iconic landmarks, well-known geography and storied history across a 3,700-miles-plus route between Washington and Washington....
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...
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 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 Armstrong Trail connects riverfront towns along the east bank of the Allegheny River as it winds through the lush Allegheny Plateau. The flat trail, currently 35.5 miles, follows the river...
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...
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...
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 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...
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 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 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 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...
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 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...
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 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...
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 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...
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...
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 Great American Rail-Trail highlights some of the country’s most iconic landmarks, well-known geography and storied history across a 3,700-miles-plus route between Washington and Washington....
The Armstrong Trail connects riverfront towns along the east bank of the Allegheny River as it winds through the lush Allegheny Plateau. The flat trail, currently 35.5 miles, follows the river...
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 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...
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 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 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 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...
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...
Just got done running on trail for 1st time since back from out West. I moved out here in 2005 and started running the trail and in all those years I have never been able to run in July.... what the Shenango River Watchers have done with the trail is nothing short of amazing! Thank you!!
Submitted by: E.K.
10/26/2020. Very scenic views and a nice ride with moderate obstacles.
Nice trail that we will ride again. Couldn't quite give a 5 though. The cracks in the asphalt are in need of repair and a bit annoying. Also, a few too many road crossings than I would like. One other thing that would be nice to see is some picnic tables for resting along the way. The only nice rest area is at the bike shop at Kirk Road.
GLH 9/20/20
As others have described the PA side of this trail is fairly well maintained. There are a couple bad spots that are marked so you can avoid them as of September 2020. I crossed into Ohio and immediately had to turn around because the pavement was ridiculous. The trail has a few gradual inclines, if you park at the New Castle lot you will have that last little workout as its a gradual uphill to the parking lot.
My friend and I designed our bike ride for today to go to Washington’s Landing as our destination. Once you get over there, the bike trail is very rocky, which makes it difficult to ride. It’s narrow as well. We ended up ditching the trail and riding around the area on the sidewalks and roads since there was hardly any car traffic. Been there, done that - it’s an area we won’t go back to.
We rode out of Emlenton, where you can only ride north. We did a total of 24.5 miles, out and back. The trail blacktop was buckled in areas, it was worse coming back. Otherwise, it was a gorgeous ride. Heed the warnings about a flashlight. The tunnels were around miles 7 and 12.25 going north from Emlenton. You can’t see anything in the tunnels without light.
Started at Freeport and rode 7 miles and back. Slight uphill the way out, but not too difficult. Parking lots were full at every stop we passed, but the trail was never crowded. Enjoyed the shaded and wide trail. Spotted 2 deer chasing each other across the creek and 2 Great Blue Heron fishing for their lunch. We will return to complete the trail soon.
This 7 mile trail is very technical. Out and back, winding and uphill both ways. A great workout for sure.
Trail follows along the lake. Picnic areas and restrooms along the trail. Most of it is shaded traveling though the woods.
You have to really pay attention on this one as this trail is very well used by all out enjoying it. You may be cruising along then come to a quick turn to discover people out in the middle around the bend. So if you're out there going for speed, this is not the trail. If you're out for a leisurely ride, this is the right trail.
There is a bike rental at the trail head, call ahead for hours. Open most days throughout the summer and shortened hours off season. However if the weather is nice and people are looking to rent, they will be open.
I have been out of biking for a while, and figured this would be a great place to start out again. Word of warning, if you’re really out of shape like me, the trail is slightly downhill from the lake and pretty much all uphill on the way back. Not much of a grade, but I figured you should know. I love this area, my elementary school was not far from here. We used to take field trips down to Twin Lakes when the lakes were drained (one at a time). There was not much here then, and I don’t recall much evidence of the line that used to be here. Thank you Mr. Ballash for giving us a history on this line. You will enjoy this peaceful but short trail.
Gravel trail in multiple widths. Sometimes just a few feet wide and hope no one is coming the other way and other times very wide like a 2-lane highway.
High point on the trail is midway. Not exactly sure but I am guessing Cabot.
There is no water along the trail. No where to get water close to the trail. So be prepared.
Trail is 20+ miles and runs from Butler to Freeport. The name of the trail! Maybe a few blocks from the trail in Butler there is a convenience store to get water if needed. But along the trail, NOTHING!
However there is a bike shop along the trail near Bonniebrook that sells water but they are only open a few hours on the weekend (s).
Parked at Bonniebrook and biked downhill to Butler then uphill back. This was a 9 mile round trip. Then we biked the other direction towards Freeport.
It was hot (90 degrees) and we ran out off water. Next time we take extra.
All in all a great trail to ride on. We usually frequent this one one or two times a year traveling about an hour to get to.
On June 30, 2020, I started in Cumberland at first light. Bike was fully loaded for a self sufficient adventure. I was on a carbon road bike with 23mm tires. There were only a couple sections where the gravel was soft an pillowy slowing me down a bit to ensure I stayed upright. The key to getting through this brief section is to keep pedaling. The more you pedal the more your bike wants to stay upright. Beyond that the the trail is very isolated in sections. At some parks/ parking lots along the route There are tool stations with air pumps. There are bathrooms along the that I thought were few and far between, perhaps due to Covid and some being removed. I was able to do 122 miles in one day fully loaded at about 13 mph, just interested to see how far I could go. I noticed most others were not moving at that speed. I made the return trip back to Cumberland the next day.
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