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 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...
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...
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 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...
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 Sheepskin Rail-Trail is a developing pathway located in rural Fayette County, Pennsylvania. It’s currently open in two disconnected segments, each spanning about 2 miles. Eventually, the...
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 &...
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...
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 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...
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...
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 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 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 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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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 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...
Redbank Valley Rail Trail follows the old Allegheny Valley Railroad, which dates back to 1873. Mile 0 for the trail is at its west end, where the trail meets the Allegheny River and the Armstrong...
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...
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...
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...
The Harmony Trail in the North Hills is a work in progress, managed by volunteers with the Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy. As of August 2011, about 1 mile of a proposed 4.3 miles of abandoned rail...
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...
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...
The Panhandle Trail is another jewel in the Pittsburgh metro area trail system. A Conrail line, known as the Panhandle Railroad, once connected Pittsburgh to Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis on this...
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 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 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 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 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 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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Situated in downtown Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, the asphalt trail runs through a park setting on the former Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad close to the Beaver River and ending near the rugby...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
Redbank Valley Rail Trail follows the old Allegheny Valley Railroad, which dates back to 1873. Mile 0 for the trail is at its west end, where the trail meets the Allegheny River and the Armstrong...
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
About 60 miles south of Pittsburgh, the beautiful Greene River Trail parallels the Monongahela River as it winds through the coal mining region of Greene County. Conrail originally used the rail...
The Harmony Trail in the North Hills is a work in progress, managed by volunteers with the Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy. As of August 2011, about 1 mile of a proposed 4.3 miles of abandoned rail...
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...
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 &...
My husband and I came to bike this trail. I believe it would be a better walking trail. It would be great if we lived around this area. It was awkward to bike because we were constantly crossing streets or riding on the road. However, it was a nice little area.
This was a fairly straight trail from Struthers, Ohio through Lowellville, Ohio and then on to close to New Castle, Pennsylvania. The trail follows pathway of an old electric rail line that traveled between the cities previously mentioned. I don't know if the original line was any longer than the route we traveled and I don't think that there is much chance of this trail being extended in either direction as it parallels a fairly active rail line.
This trail isn't exactly flat, but the length of climbs and the gradualness of the trails grade don't make this trail particularly difficult. I mention it simply because you find yourself comparing the elevation of the bikeway to that of the parallel active rail lines. Sometimes you find yourself looking down on the tracks, sometimes you actually find yourself several feet below them.
I rode this as an out and back on what was probably the first really hot day of the summer. Bring plenty of water, as the only source of water would be in Lowellville, Ohio at a grocery or convenience store. I did not see a source of water along the 10 miles of trail.
I rode the GAP /CO this past Labor Day weekend- best bike trip ever. 120 miles from Pittsburgh to Meyersdale (120 miles). Almost flat- never any sense of climbing, smooth trail on a road bike with 32mm tires and fenders. The ride from Meyersdale to Cumberland was easy- downhill the last 30 miles or so. Thanks to all the groups that put the trail together- what an asset to the region.
this trails amazing, i saw someone complain that they didn't like the new pavement. i can't understand why. it's flawless it's fast it dries fast, idk i love it, it connects to the Montour trail which is crushed limestone the whole way if u really hate pavement. i hate riding roads around here, it's literally a death wish and i don't even like sharing the roads with bikes when I'm driving. this trail is like riding a road with out any cars to worry about.
Rented bikes from Cumberland Connection (they were AWESOME!). We didn't get on the trail till 4:30 and made it to Gunter Hotel in Frostburg by sunset at 6:29. It is a lot of uphill walking from the trail to downtown Frostburg. Ask for room with new beds at Gunter and make sure and go to the mens bathroom to see the 'jail cell'. Ate at Shift which was amazing! We were on the trail by 8:40am, lunch at Rockwood (Rockwood Mills-the dessert were amazing!) by 12:30 and made it to Confluence by 3:30 for our shuttle pick up . We stopped many, many times for pictures! I hardly wanted to blink because this was such an amazing, beautiful experience!
Had a picnic lunch at old train station in Lisbon. Then biked 5 miles along trail and back. Lovely, well-maintained trail.
I strongly recommend doing extensive research before attempting to locate and ride the Allegheny River Trail. Please note the following. The Sandy Creek Road off of Coal City Road is not a recommended access point for the trail. The road is washed out and is not maintained in the winter. Anything smaller than a medium sized SUV would likely return without a muffler. Also note that the Allegheny River Trail is below the big bridge where the Sandy Creek Trail crosses the Allegheny River period on a GPS altitude is not available and so it appears as though the two Trails connect. The trail is beautiful but seven miles South of the bridge at East Sandy the trail is cut off and detours into rough gravel due to an earlier washout and the property owner not wanting bikers on his land. All in all the trail is beautiful but requires research and precise navigation. It is advisable to access the Allegheny River Trail from the opposite side of the river where there is a small parking area near the Sandy Creek Trail or the Brandon Trailhead south of East Sandy. The historic railroad tunnels are best accessed from the emlenton end.
This trail is only an hour and a half away from home and it was awesome. Weather was perfect
I rode almost all of this trail Thursday and Friday 10/19 10/20 The surface of the trail was excellent all packed small limestone except for one little spot at New Bethlehem where they took out a railroad bridge that you could easily bypass this by riding down route 28 a short 1/4 mile.
Thursday I started in New Bethlehem. There is a giant eagle there at the end of the trail in Brookville. Make sure you by something to eat and drink because there are few places with food along the trail rode new Bethlehem west to climax tunnel turn around to Brookville city back to New B total miles 51
Stayed at super 8 Brookville PA it was really quiet there is a buffet near the hotel yum
Friday I passed by the trail in Sligo the trail is not improved. Might need a ATB for this area I decided to drive all the way to Phillipston and found the extremely nice trailhead. maps and plenty of parking plus a large port a potty to change you clothes in. Passed by the coaling tower and followed redbank all the way to climax tunnel bypass. I was out of snacks so I decided to keep riding up the steep road and down the tunnel bypass toward New Bethlehem. Stopped at lifesaver gas station for a foot long sub cookies and large Gatorade. There were lots of leaves on the trail did not see much wildlife the trail is more remote than what I am used to. Returned to Phillipston miles 49 checked out the Armstrong trail also.
This trail is not a typical rail trail. It is hilly in the middle and challenging. Great scenery, wilderness, and I love the workout it provides. Plus you can extended your ride by combining your ride with the connecting Westmoreland Heritage Trail.
This is certainly a beautiful trail in a spectacular natural setting and with a lot of history, too. Thanks to all the other reviewers for their helpful comments. I'd like to add a stronger pitch for at least a few port-a-potties along the way. Seriously, 32 miles with hardly any public toilet facilities??? We started in Emlenton, where there IS a port-a-potty which we foolishly ignored, and biked up 10 miles, when we suddenly wished we could find a toilet. Finally we turned around when other riders told us that nothing was available. We're from Wisconsin where there is generally a little town every 5 to 7 miles from the days when steam engines need to take on water that often, and you can usually find a bathroom if you'd like to do the opposite. Wisconsin state trails require a pass which is about $20 for the year, and well worth it if it provides for these kinds of facilities. Maybe Pennsylvania could do the same.
This is a wonderful trail. If like me you read the other reviews and wondered exactly where the gap in the trail is, the north end starts at N Kent road, north of the tunnel by Kennerdell. So if you want to see either tunnel, start from the south end and ride north. Also: note that while this does intersect the Sandy River trail, they are not at the same elevation. You must climb a steep flight of wooden steps to get up to the other trail. Not a really big deal, as long as you’re okay carrying your bike up and down.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
