Rode most of this trail 5/1/22, but rain forced us to cut our trip short. Very nice trail. Smooth. Saw 4 deer and lots of birds.

Rode this smooth trail on a beautiful spring day. We saw a variety of cyclists, walkers, birds- thanks to the many bird houses along the trail and even skaters. The signage was great- gives you detailed information on places nearby to eat, names of ponds and lake near the trail. Thanks !

I drove an hour to the trailhead in Lowellville, OH. Within five minutes, had a flat tire from a piece of shrapnel. Drove 20 minutes to the closest dicks to get a new tube. Went back to the trailhead and tried again. The trail is paved which could be nice but it was in such disrepair that it was hardly rideable. Two miles in, I got another flat tire, this time a large nail. It was not patchable and I had to walk my bike back. If there was scenery, this would have been worth it, but it was just abandoned factories and flop houses. There were beggars on the trail.

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.

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.

In Pittsburgh, if you are cycling enthusiast, you must experience Bicycle Heaven - It is a nonprofit, private collection with over 5,000 complete bikes and even more bicycle parts that it is overwhelming. Some bikes date back to the late 1800s to the present.

Departing Pittsburgh’s concrete jungle, I highly recommend that you have the GAP route available on a GPS device as it is marked but you can miss the signs as you are focused on the traffic. Once on the gravel portion, it is an easy navigation exercise!

At the trailheads, there were plenty of new bicycle repair/air pump stations.

The illuminated 3,000’+ Savage Tunnel was an amazing experience as was experiencing the Mason Dixon Line.

Also, confirm (call) your dining options along the trail as even if sites on the internet say they will be open during your visit, you may be disappointed and going hungry due to staffing issues.

We started in Independence, where there is a big parking lot and decent restrooms, and rode to Peninsula, where there are restaurants and a bike shop, and returned--about 23 - 24 miles. Found that the surroundings became more lush and wooded the closer we got to Peninsula. Next time, we'll start there and go south or ride on a day when we could take the train one way and do the whole trail. Signs indicated the train runs Wed. - Sunday, May - October. (We rode on a Tuesday.) The trail surface varies--a combo of asphalt, well-packed or uneven gravel, or hard-packed dirt. At this time of year (Oct) there were a considerable number of walnuts on the trail to navigate through, too. We did this trail as a break in a long car trip and it was worth it. Saw some amazing herons along the way!

Great walk today along the water near the mill. leaves falling, smell of fresh pine and nuts. great time!