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Johnstown, PA Birding Trails and Maps

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Looking for the best Birding trails around Johnstown?

Find the top rated birding trails in Johnstown, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.

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Name
Length
Most Popular

6 to 10 Trail

3.8 mi

State: PA

Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass

Apollo's Kiski Riverfront Trail

1.5 mi

State: PA

Crushed Stone

Armstrong Trail

36 mi

State: PA

Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass

Bedford Heritage Trail

2.65 mi

State: PA

Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Bells Gap Rail Trail

6.3 mi

State: PA

Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass

Blairsville Riverfront Trail

1.7 mi

State: PA

Asphalt

Butler-Freeport Community Trail

19.5 mi

State: PA

Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt

Carpendale Trail

0.8 mi

State: MD, WV

Crushed Stone

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park

184.5 mi

State: DC, MD

Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

Clymer Trail

0.25 mi

State: PA

Asphalt

Coal & Coke Trail

6 mi

State: PA

Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Cowanshannock Trail

1.27 mi

State: PA

Crushed Stone

David S. Ammerman Trail (formerly Clearfield to Grampian Trail)

10.5 mi

State: PA

Crushed Stone

Five Star Trail

7.75 mi

State: PA

Crushed Stone

Ghost Town Trail

47.3 mi

State: PA

Crushed Stone

Great Allegheny Passage

150 mi

State: MD, PA

Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Great American Rail-Trail

3614 mi

State: DC, IA, ID, IL, IN, MD, MT, NE, OH, PA, WA, WV, WY

Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Great Shamokin Path

3.5 mi

State: PA

Dirt, Grass, Gravel

Honan Avenue Trail

3.5 mi

State: PA

Dirt

Hoodlebug Trail

10.5 mi

State: PA

Gravel

Accordion

Houtzdale Line Trail

10.5 mi

State: PA

Gravel

Huntingdon and Broad Top Rail Trail

10.7 mi

State: PA

Crushed Stone

Indian Creek Valley Bike Trail

8 mi

State: PA

Crushed Stone

Jim Mayer Riverswalk

2 mi

State: PA

Crushed Stone

Ligonier Valley Trail

1 mi

State: PA

Gravel

Lincoln Avenue Rails to Trails Greenway

1.5 mi

State: PA

Asphalt

Little Crabtree Creek Trail

1.3 mi

State: PA

Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Lower Trail

16.5 mi

State: PA

Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Mahoning Shadow Trail

15 mi

State: PA

Asphalt, Crushed Stone

PWS Trail System

36 mi

State: PA

Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Path of the Flood Trail

4 mi

State: PA

Asphalt, Ballast

Roaring Run Trail

5 mi

State: PA

Crushed Stone

Rock Furnace Trail

1.5 mi

State: PA

Asphalt

Sheepskin Rail-Trail

5.9 mi

State: PA

Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Tredway Trail

2.5 mi

State: PA

Crushed Stone

West Penn Trail

17 mi

State: PA

Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt

Westmoreland Heritage Trail

14.4 mi

State: PA

Crushed Stone

Trail Image	Trail Name	States	Length	Surface	Rating
	6 to 10 Trail Following the corridor of a mountain-crossing railroad that operated 1834-1854, this trail has two segments approximately 15 miles apart. Both trail sections retain some of the original stones that...	PA	3.8 mi	Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass	8 reviews
	Apollo's Kiski Riverfront Trail 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...	PA	1.5 mi	Crushed Stone	2 reviews
	Armstrong Trail 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...	PA	36 mi	Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass	35 reviews
	Bedford Heritage Trail The Bedford Heritage Trail provides a safe and picturesque connection between a topnotch resort and a nationally recognized downtown. From the Omni Bedford Springs Resort and Spa, the trail snakes...	PA	2.65 mi	Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone	2 reviews
	Bells Gap Rail Trail The Bells Gap Rail-Trail is really two trails in one-a flat 2.1-mile southern section with smooth crushed limestone surface, and a rougher, more difficult northern section best-suited for mountain...	PA	6.3 mi	Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass	4 reviews
	Blairsville Riverfront Trail 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...	PA	1.7 mi	Asphalt	1 reviews
	Butler-Freeport Community Trail Built in 1871 to transport the region's high-quality limestone to support Pittsburgh's growing steel industry, the Butler-Freeport line was the first railroad in Butler County. After a two-day...	PA	19.5 mi	Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt	33 reviews
	Carpendale Trail The Carpendale Trail straddles the North Branch of the Potomac River between Carpendale in West Virginia and Cumberland in Maryland. The wooden bridge spanning 386 feet across the river is a...	MD, WV	0.8 mi	Crushed Stone	2 reviews
	Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (a.k.a. C&O Canal Towpath) follows the route of the Potomac River for 184.5 miles between Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and Cumberland, Maryland....	DC, MD	184.5 mi	Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel	69 reviews
	Clymer Trail 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....	PA	0.25 mi	Asphalt	0 reviews
	Coal & Coke Trail The scenic Coal & Coke Trail connects the communities of Mount Pleasant and Scottdale in Westmoreland County and offers many glimpses of the picturesque nature and local communities of Westmoreland...	PA	6 mi	Asphalt, Crushed Stone	7 reviews
	Cowanshannock Trail 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...	PA	1.27 mi	Crushed Stone	3 reviews
	David S. Ammerman Trail (formerly Clearfield to Grampian Trail) Once known as the Clearfield and Grampian Trail, in 2011, the name was changed to the David S. Ammerman Trail in memory of the man who championed turning the abandoned rail corridor into a...	PA	10.5 mi	Crushed Stone	17 reviews
	Five Star Trail 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...	PA	7.75 mi	Crushed Stone	5 reviews
	Ghost Town Trail 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 &...	PA	47.3 mi	Crushed Stone	67 reviews
	Great Allegheny Passage 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...	MD, PA	150 mi	Asphalt, Crushed Stone	125 reviews
	Great American Rail-Trail 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...	DC, IA, ID, IL, IN, MD, MT, NE, OH, PA, WA, WV, WY	3614 mi	Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone	0 reviews
	Great Shamokin Path 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...	PA	3.5 mi	Dirt, Grass, Gravel	1 reviews
	Honan Avenue Trail The Honan Avenue Trail is a 3.5 mile long community pathway in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The trail begins at the River Walk Trail in Cambria City, Johnstown, then heads north for three miles along...	PA	3.5 mi	Dirt	0 reviews
	Hoodlebug Trail 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...	PA	10.5 mi	Gravel	11 reviews

Accordion

Houtzdale Line Trail 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...	PA	10.5 mi	Gravel	15 reviews
Huntingdon and Broad Top Rail Trail The Huntingdon and Broad Top Rail Trail follows a former rail corridor stretching just over 10 miles from Riddlesburg to Tatesville in southern Pennsylvania. The trail's name comes from the Huntingdon...	PA	10.7 mi	Crushed Stone	17 reviews
Indian Creek Valley Bike Trail Open since 1989, the creek-side Indian Creek Valley Trail traces the route of the Indian Creek Valley Railraod (ICVRR). Just north of Indian Head, you will come to a cluster of acid mine drainage...	PA	8 mi	Crushed Stone	7 reviews
Jim Mayer Riverswalk The waterway implied in the name of the Jim Mayer Riverswalk is the beautiful Stonycreek River. The trail, also named for a local conservationist, hugs its eastern bank, providing a natural retreat in...	PA	2 mi	Crushed Stone	4 reviews
Ligonier Valley Trail The first 0.5 mile of the Ligonier Valley Trail and Bikeway is now complete, linking the town's popular attractions: Fort Ligonier from the days of George Washington and the French and Indian War, the...	PA	1 mi	Gravel	3 reviews
Lincoln Avenue Rails to Trails Greenway 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...	PA	1.5 mi	Asphalt	0 reviews
Little Crabtree Creek Trail 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...	PA	1.3 mi	Asphalt, Crushed Stone	2 reviews
Lower Trail Grab your bike or your walking shoes, or saddle up your horse, and head for the cool breezes and dappled shade of the 17-mile Lower Trail. The name "Lower," which rhymes with "flower," refers to...	PA	16.5 mi	Asphalt, Crushed Stone	54 reviews
Mahoning Shadow Trail Western Pennsylvania had a booming coal industry during the late 1800s, and a number of coal mines and coke ovens sprang up along Mahoning Creek, a tributary of the Allegheny River that runs through...	PA	15 mi	Asphalt, Crushed Stone	13 reviews
PWS Trail System 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...	PA	36 mi	Asphalt, Crushed Stone	1 reviews
Path of the Flood Trail Though it memorializes a sad occasion, the Path of the Flood Trail is a beautiful, tranquil trail. In the Johnstown Flood of 1889, the South Fork Dam failed and more than 2,200 townspeople lost their...	PA	4 mi	Asphalt, Ballast	6 reviews
Roaring Run Trail 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...	PA	5 mi	Crushed Stone	10 reviews
Rock Furnace Trail 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....	PA	1.5 mi	Asphalt	5 reviews
Sheepskin Rail-Trail 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...	PA	5.9 mi	Asphalt, Crushed Stone	4 reviews
Tredway Trail 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...	PA	2.5 mi	Crushed Stone	10 reviews
West Penn Trail 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...	PA	17 mi	Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt	22 reviews
Westmoreland Heritage Trail The Westmoreland Heritage Trail is an excellent example of a family-friendly multi-use rail-trail. This crushed-limestone trail features reclaimed railroad bridges over the Conemaugh River and...	PA	14.4 mi	Crushed Stone	18 reviews

Accordion

More Johnstown bike trails

Accordion

More Johnstown walking trails

Accordion

More Johnstown running trails

Recent Trail Reviews

Great Allegheny Passage

WASHINGTON TO PITTSBURG

January, 2019 by rayfelins

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.

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park

Needs Maintenenace badly

January, 2019 by kirkdw

Rode from Williamsport MD upriver to Ft Frederick in 2018. Same potholes and other trail safety issues (only worse) that we saw on our first ride in 2014. Shame there is no biking group in the area to take over and maintain what could be a fantastic ride.

I won't ride this part of the trail again.

Lower Trail

Favorite trail of the 6 we rode Oct. 2019

December, 2018 by aeboe

We spent a week riding 6 different trails in PA (Alleghany River Trail, Oil Creek State Park Trail, Presque Isle State Park, Kinzua Trail, Pine Creek, and Lower Trail). We rode the GAP trail last October. Because of my fear of snakes, we do a fall ride, hoping the snakes have all gone to their dens! My favorite PA trail is the GAP. My second favorite is Lower. I found Pine Creek well maintained and beautiful, but a bit remote (for me) and saw snake tracks on the path. We rode Lower (33 miles) the next day and this was my favorite of the 6 this year. Path is well maintained and beautiful(rocks, trees, and stream!). You do hear rode noise during small portion of trail, but I didn't mind it at all. We parked at Flowing Spring Station by Canoe Creek State Park. They are working on connecting the path to Canoe Creek. As a side note, we stayed at Reynolds Mansion (loved it!) the night before and got a massage by Lisa at Cloud 9. It was an amazing way to finish our bike week! It was the best massage we have gotten and such a treat for our bike muscles!

Accordion

Ghost Town Trail

Awesome trail, tons of history and the views are spectacular

December, 2018 by reangered1

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 :)

Butler-Freeport Community Trail

Uphill Both Ways!

October, 2018 by vicki1960

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.

Great Allegheny Passage

Awesome

October, 2018 by vikkb34

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..

Great Allegheny Passage

great trail

October, 2018 by tradrrr

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.

Great Allegheny Passage

Riders of the Purple Gap had a GREAT TIME!

September, 2018 by utpaduke

My friend Tom Crotty and I rode the GAP Aug 2017-we had a great time but it was HOT!
This time we came a month later (sept 24-26) and brought along 5 riders new to the GAP!
We used same logistics again riding 1-way from Pitt to Cumberland:
* Day ONE 60 miles to Connelsville Pa -- stayed @ Seems Like Home B&B - Rick took excellent care of all of us and the breakfast he served was awesome!
* Day TWO - 45 miles to Rockwood PA - stayed @ Husqy Haven Cabin and at the Hostel-both were GREAT!
* Day THREE - 45 miles to Cumberland MD!
We hired the Cumberland Trail Connection to shuttle us with our bikes back to Pittsburgh. - Chuck was an excellent driver and took good care of us and our bikes!
The GAP must be one of the most beautiful rail-trails in the USA. Even though we got rained on for at least half of Day One and half of Day Two, none of us slipped, fell, or had any bike troubles... We still had a tremendously wonderful experience!
The sights are absolutely stunning - we heard and saw more running water than we would have if it had not been raining... the temp was very moderate
A GREAT time was had by all!
We already have a plan for the next time we return: We will stay in Cumberland and do a 4-day out and back ride to Connelsville!
Put this one on your Must-Ride list!

Lower Trail

Awesome Ride when visiting PSU for a Wedding.

September, 2018 by sassaro

I had the morning open so I found this trail on Rails to trails.org. It had great ratings and I agree and give it 5 stars.
Path was wide and well maintained.
View was great with Juniata river flowing on one side and often large rock formations on the opposite side.
Highly recommend this trail if you have a few hours.

Armstrong Trail

trail was well maintained. rode right along river. we started at cowanshannock trail and headed up river. parking easy to find. mild grade nothing exceptional. after bike ride, we walked cowanshannock trail to see buttermilk falls.

September, 2018 by bpatch

trail was well maintained. rode right along river. we started at cowanshannock trail and headed up river. parking easy to find. mild grade nothing exceptional. after bike ride, we walked cowanshannock trail to see buttermilk falls.

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park

Absolutely terrible and unsafe

September, 2018 by muskrat91

Towpath is nearly impassable from lack of basic maintenance over the past 20 years. Mud in places is over 8" deep. The tunnel has trees growing out of its face and the boardwalk has holes rotted through in many places. Such a shame that America can't maintain a simple bike path.

David S. Ammerman Trail (formerly Clearfield to Grampian Trail)

Trail condition

August, 2018 by byron 5007

Today Aug 23, 2018 we biked the trail from Clearfield to Curwensville. Our first problem was not finding the trail head. The route is unclearly marked. Thanks to one of Clearfield ' s police officers who helped us locate the trail head. The other thing is the trail needs the brush and weeds cut back. Over all it's a nice trail. Just need a bit of upkeep.

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