Find the top rated walking trails in Pittsburgh, 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.
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 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 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...
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 Tredway Trail's full name is the Wynn and Clara Tredway River Trail, a 4.3-mile run on the eastern side of the Allegheny River just north of New Kensington. The trail is included in an initiative...
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 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...
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 West Penn Trail is named for a branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad that paralleled the Western Division Canal of the cross-state Main Line of Public Works from Lockport to Freeport and then to...
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...
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 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...
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 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...
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 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 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...
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 Wellsburg Yankee Trail is a short, paved rail-trail that spans the entire length of Wellsburg, a small city on the Ohio River in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle. The community trail runs...
Morgantown is known as the home of West Virginia University, the inspiration for a Joni Mitchell song and the birthplace of Don Knotts. But it’s also known for its extensive rail-trail system along...
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 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 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 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...
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...
Morgantown is known as the home of West Virginia University, the inspiration for a Joni Mitchell song and the birthplace of Don Knotts. But it’s also known for its extensive rail-trail system along...
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...
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 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,...
Washington's Landing, a 42-acre island in the Allegheny River, is now home to a thriving mixed-use community after a successful brownfield reclamation. The Washington's Landing Trail forms almost a...
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 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 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....
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 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...
Built in 1871 to transport the region’s high-quality limestone to support Pittsburgh’s growing steel industry, the Butler Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad was the first railroad in Butler County....
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 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 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 Rotary Walk provides a pleasant stroll or roll through southern Pennsylvania's Uniontown. The crushed-stone pathway begins near the town's Five Corners intersection and heads southeast for...
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...
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 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...
To the residents of Latrobe, 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...
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...
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 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 West Penn Trail is named for a branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad that paralleled the Western Division Canal of the cross-state Main Line of Public Works from Lockport to Freeport and then to...
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...
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...
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 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 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...
Built in 1871 to transport the region’s high-quality limestone to support Pittsburgh’s growing steel industry, the Butler Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad was the first railroad in Butler County....
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 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 Harmony Trail in the North Hills is a work in progress, managed by volunteers with the Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy. So far, about 1 mile of a proposed 4.3 miles of abandoned rail corridor...
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...
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....
For those of you who are new to the northern section of this trail and are considering starting at Jones Mills--Don't! Go on to Champion, where parking is easy, and the trail is wide, well-marked, well-maintained, and lovely all the way into Indian Head. But if you're one of those who insists on going end-to-end, be aware that there is no parking whatsoever at the Jones Mills trailhead, which is actually right on SR31 across from the intersection with SR381. If you park where advised, a block down on the left of SR381, don't look for the bike trail head there; those trails are for hiking (as I learned the hard way). Instead, you'll need to backtrack to the intersection with SR31, cross this busy and dangerous road on foot, and search the roadside weeds for indications of the trail running down hill (with steps) from there. This trail terminus is COMPLETELY unmarked here and initially appears to be in someone's yard! If you're determined, you'll find it (as I did, with difficulty) right behind the metal highway sign directing people to the Oakhurst TeaRoom. As I later discovered from an ICVT map from one of the kiosks on the trail, this first segment from Jones Mills to Champion is actually an extension of the ICVT--the Alonzo Kalp extension--and is a narrow, poorly-maintained, grass/dirt/and limestone path with little to recommend it for the 1.7 miles to Champion, where the ICVT proper really begins. I rode that segment of the ICVT today in autumn splendor and it was a joy and made the whole trip worthwhile: Wide and pleasant crushed limestone covered with fallen leaves for the 5+ miles to Indian Head. The last 1.8 miles from Indian Head to the dead end is not well marked (I had to ask a local for directions and dog leg across the road to search out where it picks up) well used, or well maintained, so was a bit less pleasant. All-in-all an interesting Sunday afternoon in October with much beauty in the middle segment to make up for the crazy start and mediocre end.
We only rode a portion of the trail from Slickville to Saltsburg. Returning to Slickville was uphill but the fall views were amazing!
About 17 miles of the ICVT are open north of Indian Head and west of Route 381/Camp Christian. Those two sections are in excellent shape. Unfortunately there is a five mile gap between them that is not maintained and in poor condition. This section is passable but should only be taken on by experienced trail cyclists due to rocky surface, downed trees, standing water, and deep mud. There are two former railroad bridges in this section that are structurally sound but in need of new decking and side rails.
Those who venture on to the western terminus are rewarded with spectacular views of Indian Creek Gorge and the Yough River. The return four-mile climb is strenuous but not particularly difficult due to the bike-friendly railroad grade. Thanks to the friendly EMTs at the Salt Lick Township Fire Company for letting our group hose down our muddy bikes after the ride.
The trail managers want to eventually connect the ICVT to the Great Allegheny Passage Trail across the Yough River. However this seems unrealistic since the two trails are separated by the river and active railroad tracks. A more practical plan is to extend the northern end of the trail about 10 miles into the Forbes State Forest trail system.
My husband & I bicycle all over the US (Rails to Trails only) and this little section of trail was a huge surprise. We live in Latrobe PA & use the GAP & Ghost town trails mostly. Plus we have used the Saltsburg side of the WHT a lot. But we never used the Export-Trafford side. WOW what a surprise. The infrastructure of this trail section is special. Whoever was involved in building this one; hats off to you and thanks! The bridges: quality. The road crossings: very safe. The bathrooms: abundant. Just cant say enough about the infrastructure. The trail itself was not paved, but no issues there, most are not. Well maintained trail - both the surface & the green growth on the banks of the trail. Most of this section of the trail is very beautiful, woodsy. Other parts going through Murrysville has traffic noise but that is just an indicator that there are lots of options for food & shopping off the trail. Lots of parking options at varied access points along the trail. The only negative thing i could say is that there were no trail maps (printed) in the map pocket cases at any of the trail heads. I suppose that means the trail is "just that popular". Again - try this section of the WHT - Don't put it off because its a nice stretch of the legs for either a morning ride or after work stress reliever.
2nd visit to this trail in 2020. Trying to complete the whole thing. Parked in Summerville and biked to Brookville. Had lunch in Brookville. There are several places in town just off the trail. Biked back to Summerville and past it towards New Bethlehem. 35 miles on the trail this day.
Surface is packed crushed limestone but bumpy in some places.
Saw all kinds of cool history along the trail. This section crosses the Redbank Creek quite a few times via very nice wooden bridges. In Summerville there is a service station a few blocks from the trail if you need water and/or snacks.
Enjoying this trail very much and hope to visit again this Fall. Right now still very green.
Stopped at this trail while in the area. Nice trail runs from the Blairsville Memorial Veterans Park on West Brown Street to Wyotech Park.
Asphalt trail is a little bumpy/rough in some areas and is 1.7 miles in length along the Conemaugh River. Very shaded. Off the trail there are some ballfields. This day the trail was used by walkers, dog walkers and joggers and found the people to be friendly. There is parking at each end of the trail.
Located a block from town square where you can find trail services. This very old historic and quaint town has a new roundabout and gazebo.
A group of us traveled about 90 minutes to ride this trail and it was surely worth it!
Trail is packed crushed limestone in very good condition. The trail offers a lot of history including several ghost towns, hence the name, Ghost Town Trail. Trail follows very shallow and orange Black Lick Creek.
We parked in Saylor park at mile 0 and biked to Vintondale (mile 19) and back. It is a gradual incline the entire distance making the return trip very easy.
Trail services: have never seen so many nice restrooms....located every few miles, and some had picnic areas as well. There isn't any where along the trail for water so make sure you have some, and food.
In Dilltown there is a B & B and gift shop which sells water and snack but make sure they are open first.
We passed two furnaces on our journey, the Beuna Vista and Eliza Furnaces.
All in all a great trail and worth the drive to get to. Most importantly, research the elevation, you will want to start in Black Lick and head towards Ebensburg.
We did not cover the entire trail and plan to go back to finish.
First, I am an amateur rider, just started biking only 6 weeks ago and I am 61. The many hill climbs are not for your Rail-Trail, flat riders.
The bridges over the Conemaugh, and 1 tunnel that you can go through, are as spectacular as you will find anywhere. Some climbs are over 10% for a sightable distance, and one section over 12%.
The key to the climbs, are low air pressure and good off-road knobby tires. Also, of course, you must be able to crank very hard for some distance.
I made all but one hill, as my back tire with semi-road-off road tires, spun out on me and I lost 100% traction and bailed out. NOT easy when your clipped into your pedals!
All I can say, is this is the most beautiful Trail I have ridden to date (done a good bit so far). If your fit, then go for it. The rewards are many!
Just make sure you have low pressure and good tires, and maybe a pump on board, so you can repressurize for the flat sections on both ends.
We road from East Brady to Kittanning and back for a total of 44 miles. Riding that direction, you first go through about one mile of shared gravel road with private homes. The trail winds along the Allegheny River with beautiful scenery. It also follows a few camping areas. When in Kittanning a must stop to eat is at the Allegheny Mariner restaurant. West coast atmosphere, the best Mac and cheese ever (an we are M & C connoisseurs) and a skillet fresh-baked warm chocolate chip cookie with ice cream that is to die for! The rest of the food was homemade and excellent also. The Armstrong Trail is one of many great trails in PA!
What a beautiful ride! Gorgeous view of the river. Traveled 22.2 miles of quiet easy beauty! One small stretch of gravel was a drag by will be back! Traveled from Cleveland
Parked at the Redbank Valley and Sligo Spur intersection. I have rode the Redbank many times and decided to ride the Sligo today. From mile 0 to 4.8 is all up hill. Supposedly less than a 4% grade. The next 2 miles are down hill, next 1.6 uphill, and the last .6 downhill. The trail will just end at a dirt road. The trail is mostly through woods and cinder trail that is in very good shape. You will also see three beaver dams(mile 1.0, 1.2, and 6.8). You will also crossover three streams that are orange from mine run off. This is not a trail for beginners. The uphill is some work. Most of the downhill part you will coast. RPD1 Sept 21, 2020
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