Find the top rated cross country skiing trails in Indiana, 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.
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...
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...
Forbes State Forest and the adjacent state parks (Linn Run, Laurel Mountain, and Laurel Ridge) maintain the PWS Trail System, a network of snowmobile trails and forest service roads though the...
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 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 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...
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 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...
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 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...
If you have a tendency to tootle along when you walk or bicycle, then consider taking the Hoodlebug Trail. You’ll find many diversions in and around the college campus in the borough of Indiana and...
The old railroad line known as the Moshannon, or the Mills Branch, crossed the Moshannon Valley during the mid- to late 1800s. The line was the foundation of the region's late 19th- and early...
The David S. Ammerman Trail rolls through Pennsylvania coal country for nearly 11 miles between Clearfield and Grampian, skirting the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and two of its tributaries....
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 Indian Creek Valley Bike and Hike Trail winds through the rugged hills in the former coal-mining region of southwestern Pennsylvania. Although remote, the trail passes through several small towns,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Spurred by the success of New York’s revolutionary Erie Canal, Pennsylvania started constructing its own canal system in 1826 to link Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. But the Allegheny Mountains...
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...
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 old railroad line known as the Moshannon, or the Mills Branch, crossed the Moshannon Valley during the mid- to late 1800s. The line was the foundation of the region's late 19th- and early...
If you have a tendency to tootle along when you walk or bicycle, then consider taking the Hoodlebug Trail. You’ll find many diversions in and around the college campus in the borough of Indiana and...
The Bells Gap Rail-Trail is really two trails in one-a smooth 2.1-mile southern section with crushed limestone surface, and a rougher, more difficult northern section of 4.2 miles that is best-suited...
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...
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 Indian Creek Valley Bike and Hike Trail winds through the rugged hills in the former coal-mining region of southwestern Pennsylvania. Although remote, the trail passes through several small towns,...
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...
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 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...
Forbes State Forest and the adjacent state parks (Linn Run, Laurel Mountain, and Laurel Ridge) maintain the PWS Trail System, a network of snowmobile trails and forest service roads though 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...
The Path of the Flood Trail might be unique among rail-trails for being named after a tragedy, the Johnstown Flood of 1889, considered the nation’s worst catastrophe of the 19th century. Some 2,200...
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...
Forbes State Forest and the adjacent state parks (Linn Run, Laurel Mountain, and Laurel Ridge) maintain the PWS Trail System, a network of snowmobile trails and forest service roads though 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 Bells Gap Rail-Trail is really two trails in one-a smooth 2.1-mile southern section with crushed limestone surface, and a rougher, more difficult northern section of 4.2 miles that is best-suited...
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...
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...
If you have a tendency to tootle along when you walk or bicycle, then consider taking the Hoodlebug Trail. You’ll find many diversions in and around the college campus in the borough of Indiana and...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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 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...
The Indian Creek Valley Bike and Hike Trail winds through the rugged hills in the former coal-mining region of southwestern Pennsylvania. Although remote, the trail passes through several small towns,...
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 David S. Ammerman Trail rolls through Pennsylvania coal country for nearly 11 miles between Clearfield and Grampian, skirting the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and two of its tributaries....
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...
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...
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...
My daughter and I did a round trip from Pittsburg to Cumberland! Then Cumberland back to Pittsburg! Camped and did motel. Just awesome! We have made a few extra trips driving from Mansfield, Ohio to Cumberland to just do the Cumberland to Eastern Continental Divide and back spend night in Cumberland and biked a few miles down the C&O and back before driving home!
Another great trail maintained by great people. And it’s free so I can’t complain about anything.
Trail was nice to walk our dogs; areas of full sun and shade.
Rode the trail from Pittsburg to Cumberland. had a great time and the views were amazing. My wife and I are planning to hike a portion of the trail. If anyone has done this please let me know what part you hiked. we want to hike from Rockwood to Cumberland. Any advise or tips would be greatly appreciated.
We appreciate the trail year round. A suggestion from us who like to x-country ski. Either avoid plowing or make a more narrow plowed path so we can enjoy the trail longer. Thank you.
My brother had submitted his review of the ART when we rode it in November. Just wanted to add that it was a lot of fun and I will be posting some pictures. We started at the trailhead that was right where the Rockland tunnel is. It was not the easiest to find as it is located at the bottom of hill. The road is gravel and bends a bit and is narrow as well. Actually, I told my brother when we were going back up it, don't veer off to the right, we are done as there are steep drops :). We enjoyed the 2 tunnels a lot (Rockland and Kennerdell) and you definitely need lights. The Rockland tunnel was completed in 1916. It is the shorter of the 2 and has a small bend in it. Both tunnels are just amazing to see and ride through just in the construction and length. The town of Emlenton is where we rode to on the one side of our trip and then to Brandon on the other side. Our entire trip ran along the Allegheny River and the late Fall colors made it still very beautiful to take in. A lot of fun and I would do it again. There are some cottages on the way to Kennerdell that would be fun to rent as the trail is right there and the evening night by the river would add to the enjoyment.
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.
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.
Rode the Lower Trail on a weekday in September from Alexandria trailhead to Williamsburg and back. Saw 5 other riders and one trout fisherman. Crushed gravel trail surface was good; the several miles of pavement near Williamsburg were rougher. The trail was clear of branches and shaded. Frequent birdhouses and benches along the trail. Unfortunately the Lower Creamery in Williamsburg was closed until next summer.
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