Find the top rated cross country skiing trails in Pennsylvania, 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.
Trail Image | Trail Name | States | Length | Surface | Rating |
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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...
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PA | 10.3 mi | Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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This trail is not groomed. Three stacked loops offer a variety of hiking and skiing opportunities at a range of difficulty levels. The trail starts out on a railroad grade along Big Mill Creek. This...
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PA | 7.7 mi | Ballast, Dirt, Grass, Gravel |
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This trail is not groomed. The trail is a combination of logging roads, railroad grades and pipelines that offer challenges to a wide range of skill levels. Trail is marked with blue diamonds.
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PA | 9 mi | Ballast, Dirt, Grass, Gravel |
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This trail is not groomed. The three loops are suitable for beginners. The trail is marked with blue diamonds. Check out the short 1.2 mile Hearts Content Interpretive Trail which offers a scenic hike...
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PA | 8.3 mi | Dirt, Grass, Gravel |
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The route is primitive and unimproved. The trail crosses several streams that are not bridged. The trail follows the scenic Tionesta Creek with lots of great scenery and fishing.
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PA | 12 mi | Dirt, Grass |
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The Mill Creek Trail serves as a connector between Twin Lakes Recreation Area and the Brush Hollow Trail. Just south of Forest Road 138, the Mill Creek Trail leaves the Twin Lakes Trail and heads...
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PA | 5.6 mi | Dirt, Grass |
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This moderately difficult trail features great views of Minister Creek and passes by several outstanding rock outcroppings, the latter about 1 mile from the trailhead parking lot. This heavily used...
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PA | 6.6 mi | Dirt, Grass |
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Located on the western side of the Allegheny National Forest, this trail extends north to south, parallel to the Allegheny River from the town of Tidioute to Grove Run. The trail retains much of the...
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PA | 4.5 mi | Ballast, Dirt, Grass |
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This trail passes through a variety of pleasing landscapes. The area near Crane Run is especially scenic. The trail is marked with white diamonds. The skill level of this trail is rated more...
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PA | 16.6 mi | Dirt, Grass |
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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...
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PA | 30 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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PA | 1.5 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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...
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PA | 35.5 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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The Wilkes-Barre and Harveys Lake Railroad—the rail corridor that is now the Back Mountain Trail—was acquired from lumber magnate Albert Lewis by the Lehigh Valley Railroad in 1887. Lumber, ice,...
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PA | 5.6 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The Bayfront Connector Trail, also known as the Bayfront Bikeway, offers a paved route across the city of Erie in northwestern Pennsylvania. At its east end is the Penn State Behrend campus; from...
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PA | 8.9 mi | Asphalt |
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Swatara Creek runs through the vast woodlands of Swatara State Park in eastern Pennsylvania. Bear Hole Trail traces the eastern side of the waterway, while the Swatara Rail-Trail runs along the other...
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PA | 5.5 mi | Crushed Stone |
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Located in one of Pennsylvanias most popular State Parks, the Beaver Dam Trail follows old railroad grades at Parker Dam State Park in Clearfield County. The trail runs past streams, beaver dams,...
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PA | 2.3 mi | Crushed Stone |
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Serene year-round, the Bellefonte Central Rail Trail (BCRT) in central Pennsylvania runs along 1.3 miles of the old Buffalo Run, Bellefonte and Bald Eagle Railroad corridor. The original 19-mile line...
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PA | 1.3 mi | Asphalt, Cinder, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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PA | 6.3 mi | Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass |
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The Blaisdell-Emery Trail follows an abandoned railroad bed between South Bradford and the borough of Lewis Run. This scenic trail parallels Tunungant Creek (locally called Tuna Creek) for part of the...
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PA | 3.8 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The Bloomsburg Rail-Trail runs for a short distance along the former rail bed on the northwest side of town. Following the east bank of Fishing Creek, the trail stretches between Millville Road just...
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PA | 1.5 mi | Asphalt, Gravel |
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Since it opened as a railroad spur in the 1800s, this pretty trail has always been about connections. In 1834 the Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad launched the spur to carry goods from Bristol,...
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PA | 2.5 mi | Asphalt |
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PA | 0.5 mi | Dirt |
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Currently, over 10 miles of the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail are complete. The trail runs between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg, and interpretive signs relate the region's history. The trail is mostly paved...
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PA | 10.3 mi | Asphalt, Gravel |
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Every year, tens of thousands of people take to the Capital Area Greenbelt looping around Harrisburg to play, exercise, and commute. The greenway completely encircles Pennsylvania’s capital city as it...
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PA | 21.2 mi | Asphalt, Cinder, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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The Chambersburg Rail Trail is a 1.6 mile paved urban trail that connects neighborhoods just a few blocks west of the community's central business district. Starting at South Main Street (Route 11),...
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PA | 1.6 mi | Asphalt |
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As its name implies, hikers on the Chickies Rock Overlook Trail will be rewarded with a beautiful vista at the end of their excursion. The trail follows an old trolley line route that once took...
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PA | 0.5 mi | Dirt |
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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...
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PA | 8.5 mi | Dirt, Gravel |
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The Clarion-Little Toby Trail lets you venture on the wild side for 18 miles as it traverses remote state hunting grounds adjoining the Allegheny National Forest. You’ll likely see deer and other...
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PA | 18 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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...
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PA | 6.1 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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Farms and pastures surround the Conewago Recreation Trail, but it was the discovery and mining of iron ore that led to the development of the railroad that eventually resulted in this trail. The path...
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PA | 5 mi | Crushed Stone |
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Crossing the state line into New York near Erie, Pennsylvania, the 7-mile trail runs through the beautiful Brokenstraw Valley, passing small streams, a tamarack swamp, deciduous woods and...
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NY, PA | 5.8 mi | Crushed Stone |
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This gently winding trail in Pine Grove Furnace State Park passes along the shores of two lakes and through the woodlands of Michaux State Forest. Pine Grove Furnace began operating in 1764 to take...
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PA | 2.2 mi | Asphalt, Cinder, Crushed Stone |
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The Cumberland Valley Rail Trail rolls 13.7 miles through a bucolic valley that’s hemmed in by the Blue and South Mountains in south-central Pennsylvania. Running from Shippensburg to east of...
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PA | 13.7 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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The Cynwyd Heritage Trail connects the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s (SEPTA’s) Cyn-wyd Station to Bala Cynwyd Park, the historic West Laurel Hill Cemetery, and Westminster...
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PA | 1.8 mi | Asphalt, Gravel |
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The 38-mile D&H Rail-Trail traces the former corridor of the Delaware & Hudson Railway, a line that primarily carried anthracite coal out of the Lackawanna Valley in the second half of the 19th...
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PA | 38 mi | Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous; please refer to the interactive maps on the websites in the Related Content section for updates and potential trail closures..
The D&L...
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PA | 142.2 mi | Asphalt, Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel |
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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....
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PA | 10.6 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The East Branch Trail is a rare dual-lane rail-trail. The 8-foot asphalt lane serves walkers, bicyclists, in-line skaters, and people in wheelchairs. Horses, specifically horses pulling Amish buggies...
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PA | 3 mi | Asphalt |
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The local riding club enjoyed this former rail line, which was purchased in 1944 for a dollar from the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, as a bridle trail for many years. It changed management...
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PA | 9.2 mi | Ballast, Dirt |
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Running east-west through southeastern Pennsylvania, the Enola Low Grade Trail is remarkably flat, even for a rail-trail—it says so right there in the name! Even across hilly terrain, the trail’s...
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PA | 29.15 mi | Ballast, Crushed Stone |
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Starting in Meadville, known as the home of the zipper, the 7.2-mile Ernst Trail closes the gap between the city and surrounding forests and farms for visitors. The trail is named for Calvin Ernst,...
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PA | 7.2 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Gravel |
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Explore Fairmount Park, the largest park in Philadelphia! Spanning over 2,000 acres, the park has lots to offer. The Schuylkill River runs through the park, which is composed of East Fairmount Park...
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PA | 0 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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PA | 7.8 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The Forks Township Recreation Trail follows the an old right-of-way of the former Lehigh & New England Railroad. Starting at the trail's midpoint behind the Riverview Country Club in Easton, you'll...
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PA | 2 mi | Asphalt, Dirt |
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The George B. Will Trail in Tiadaghton State Forest is named for an early 20th-century Pennsylvania forest ranger. The trail is popular with cross-country skiers and travels through a mixed-pine...
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PA | 5.6 mi | Ballast, Grass |
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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...
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PA | 48 mi | Crushed Stone |
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Constructed in 2012, the Gravity Trail is one of the newer additions to the extensive network of trails and greenways that criss-cross the Greater Reading metro area.
The trail's unusual name comes...
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PA | 4.15 mi | Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel |
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Ever since the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) was completed in 2013, overnight bicycle riders and backpackers have flocked to the 150-mile rail-trail that travels through Western Pennsylvania and...
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MD, PA | 150 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel |
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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...
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DC, IA, ID, IL, IN, MD, MT, NE, OH, PA, WA, WV, WY | 3743.9 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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PA | 3.5 mi | Dirt, Grass, Gravel |
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Like so many trails in this area, the Great Hazleton Rails to Trails occupies the former corridor of a railroad line that supported the local coal mining industry. After a half century of disuse, the...
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PA | 5.6 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The Greene River Trail provides an up close tour of riverside communities whose histories are steeped in the coal industry. You can see remnants of coal mining along the trail, as well as chipmunks,...
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PA | 7 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The Hanover Trolley Trail is being built along the 16-mile corridor of the York-Hanover Trolley Line that ran between the two cities in the early 1900s. Currently, about a quarter of that distance is...
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PA | 3.4 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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Heritage Rail Trail County Park (HRT), along with the connecting Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail that continues south through Maryland, are in Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Hall of Fame. Both trails follow...
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PA | 27.4 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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PA | 11.8 mi | Asphalt, Gravel |
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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...
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PA | 11.08 mi | Gravel |
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Stretching 12.6 miles through south-central Pennsylvania, this rail-trail follows the route of the former Huntingdon and Broad Top Mountain Railroad, a standard--gauge railroad founded in 1852 to...
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PA | 12.6 mi | Crushed Stone |
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Notice: As of November 2022, part of the Indian Creek Gorge trail section is closed due to a washout. Starting from the Indian Creek Reservoir Parking lot and heading into the gorge, about 1 mile of...
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PA | 13.7 mi | Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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The Iron Horse Trail follows two abandoned rail beds: the Path Valley Railroad and the Perry Lumber Company Railroad. Originally, the Path Valley Railroad was going to be an extension for the Newport...
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PA | 10 mi | Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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The Iroquois Trail is scenic and remote, stretching about 2 miles through Tunkhannock, a gateway community to the Endless Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania. The rail-trail follows the route of...
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PA | 1.8 mi | Crushed Stone |
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Although the J. Manley Robbins Trail spans only 2.6 miles, its rich history and natural beauty make a stop in the rural Pennsylvania borough of Danville worthwhile. The rustic trail—forming a loop of...
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PA | 2.6 mi | Grass, Gravel |
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The 11.7-mile John C. Oliver Multi-Purpose Loop Trail is a centerpiece of Maurice K. Goddard State Park, which spans 2,856 acres in northwestern Pennsylvania. The mostly shaded, paved, off-road trail...
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PA | 11.7 mi | Asphalt |
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The Joseph M. McDade Recreational Trail runs nearly the length of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River across from New Jersey. The protected...
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PA | 31.3 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The 13.4-mile Karl Boyes Multi-Purpose National Recreation Trail loops around the picturesque Presque Isle State Park, a peninsula in Lake Erie. Considered Pennsylvania’s only seashore, the 3,200-acre...
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PA | 13.4 mi | Asphalt |
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Deep within the Allegheny National Forest lies a rail-trail with a past. The Kinzua Valley Trail follows the route of the former Kinzua and Hemlock Railroad (later Valley Railroad) near the town of...
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PA | 6 mi | Crushed Stone |
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Winding through the fields and forests of northern Pennsylvania, the Knox & Kane Rail Trail follows a former railroad corridor. Spanning four counties (Clarion, Elk, Forest & McKean), the Knox & Kane...
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PA | 40.1 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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In 1979 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers saw value in this corridor near the Tioga River, which was part of the Erie Lackawanna Rail Line. It once passed through the village of Lambs Creek, which is...
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PA | 3.5 mi | Asphalt |
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Notice: A nearly four-mile section from the Eighth Street entrance south/parking lot to its Cornwall Road entrance (Root Beer Barrel parking lot) will be closed to the public until January 13, 2022...
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PA | 18 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The beautiful Lehigh and New England trail is a short, crushed-stone trail that follows a section of the former Lehigh and New England Railroad corridor just south of Tamaqua in eastern Pennsylvania....
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PA | 2.7 mi | Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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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...
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PA | 1.3 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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The Lower Trail ranks high on the list of many Central Pennsylvania residents when they’re searching for a remote path with a woodsy feel. The Lower (rhymes with flower, and named in memory of trail...
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PA | 17 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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Located in beautiful Sinnemahoning State Park in Pennsylvania, the Lowlands Trail uses the former corridor of the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad. The trail and park are now part of the tour...
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PA | 4.5 mi | Crushed Stone |
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Tracing nearly two miles of riverfront, the Luzerne County National Recreation Trail (also known as the Luzerne County Rail Trail) will eventually form a 16-mile pathway along an active railway. Chain...
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PA | 1.8 mi | Cinder, Concrete, Gravel |
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The Lycoming Creek Bikeway parallels a creek of the same name from Hepburnville to Williamsport in Central Pennsylvania. The 5.3-mile paved trail connects a village formerly named Eeltown due to the...
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PA | 5.3 mi | Asphalt |
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Lykens Valley Rail Trail is approximately half-way complete with 9 miles of trail open out of 20 miles planned. Those 9 miles are available in three disconnected segments. In Millersburg, a 0.4-mile...
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PA | 9.2 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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...
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PA | 15 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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The Marilla Bridges Trail provides a 1-mile loop around Marilla Reservoir in Bradford, not far from the Pennsylvania/New York border. The fine-crushed limestone trail offers a scenic trek through the...
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PA | 1 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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...
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PA | 61.5 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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PA | 6.8 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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Included in the seven-mile network of trails in Little Buffalo State Park are two small sections of rail-trail. Together they are called the Newport and Sherman's Valley Railroad Trace.
The...
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PA | 1.16 mi | Crushed Stone, Grass |
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The Newtown Rail Trail will one day stretch from the Fox Chase neighborhood of northeast Philadelphia to Newtown Borough, connecting Bucks and Montgomery Counties by trail. Along the way, the...
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PA | 2.55 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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In 2017 the borough of Northampton added a single mile of asphalt to the nearly 6-mile Nor-Bath Trail, effectively extending the use of the trail by more than 100 miles in eastern Pennsylvania by...
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PA | 5.9 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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The Northwest Lancaster County River Trail follows the route of the historic Pennsylvania Main Line Canal, tracing the Susquehanna River northwest from Columbia to Falmouth. The entire trail is paved....
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PA | 14.1 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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There are two trails named the O&W: one in New York and this one in Pennsylvania. Although the trail stretches 32 miles (as shown on the map), only the first 8 miles of trail (from Simpson to...
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PA | 8 mi | Dirt, Gravel |
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The Oil City Trail connects the Samuel Justus Recreation Trail and the McClintock Trail through the center of Oil City, Pennsylvania. The 2-mile walking and biking pathway runs along the Allegheny...
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PA | 3 mi | Asphalt, Boardwalk, Concrete |
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It’s hard to believe that the world’s first oil boom occurred along the path of what’s now the Oil Creek State Park Trail. The park’s forests, beaver ponds, and trout streams were once the site of oil...
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PA | 9.7 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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PA | 36 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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The Palmer Township Recreation Trail (a.k.a. the Towpath Bike Trail) is a terrific community asset for Palmer and Bethlehem township residents and a great destination for visitors as well. Three modes...
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PA | 7.8 mi | Asphalt |
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The Panhandle Trail offers the most direct and scenic route for self-propelled travel between the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia and the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Although the trail...
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PA, WV | 29.2 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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PA | 11.8 mi | Asphalt, Ballast, Crushed Stone |
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A renovated former railroad tunnel that features a separate entrance for bats is a highlight of the Penns Creek Path. The path is a relatively flat segment of the 328-mile Mid State Trail that runs...
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PA | 2.7 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The Pennypack Trail travels through wooded parks in Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties along Pennypack Creek, which derives its name from a local American Indian term for a slow-moving creek....
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PA | 16 mi | Asphalt, Cinder |
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The Perkiomen Trail provides so many interesting historical and natural sites along its 20.6-mile length that visitors may have to ignore some of the trailside distractions to reach the other...
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PA | 20.6 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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The Pine Creek Rail Trail is one of Pennsylvania’s destination trails, and for good reason. The 62-mile well--maintained trail runs at the bottom of überscenic Pine Creek Gorge, commonly called the...
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PA | 62 mi | Crushed Stone |
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You’ve heard of the Steel Belt and the Sun Belt. The 6.7-mile Plainfield Township Recreation Trail passes through an area known as the Slate Belt. The quantity and quality of local slate made this...
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PA | 6.7 mi | Asphalt, Ballast, Grass, Gravel |
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The paved Power Line Trail carries users between residential neighborhoods, parks, schools, and other destinations in Horsham Township. The 5.5-mile utility--easement trail also heads north to green...
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PA | 5.5 mi | Asphalt |
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Located on the abandoned Erie and Pittsburgh branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, this short but intriguing paved trail runs through Pymatuning State Park, a large and popular two-state recreation...
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PA | 3.2 mi | Asphalt |
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This 2.4-mile paved trail provides a quiet, scenic escape northwest of Philadelphia, from Encke Park at Radnor-Chester Road to the shopping center at Sugartown Road and Route 30. The trail travels...
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PA | 2.41 mi | Asphalt |
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Rail 66 Country Trail is a rustic trail paralleling Route 66, that begins in the community of Marianne near the Clarion Junction (SR 322/SR 66) and extends north to the Clarion/Forest County...
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PA | 20 mi | Asphalt |
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North of Mansfield lies the Railroad Grade Trail, know to locals as Ives Run. The 2.5-mile trail begins on the north end at the Ives Run Recreation area, near the boat launch parking lot. Travelers on...
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PA | 2.6 mi | Ballast, Cinder |
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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...
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PA | 51 mi | Ballast, Crushed Stone |
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Located in Media Borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Ridley Creek State Park encompasses over 2,600 acres of woodlands and meadows. The park is only 16 miles from Center City, Philadelphia, but...
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PA | 4.8 mi | Asphalt |
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The Rim Trail offers a 2.2-mile route in Hibernia County Park, following a former railroad bed along the West Branch Branywine Creek. This southeastern Pennsylvania excursion is one of a handful of...
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PA | 2.2 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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...
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PA | 4.8 mi | Crushed Stone |
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Oil flows through the veins of the Samuel Justus Recreation Trail. Its northern departure point is Oil City, which was founded during the 1860s oil boom and became the headquarters for several...
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PA | 6 mi | Asphalt |
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You’ll want to pack water, food, and flashlights to travel the Sandy Creek Trail, as it crosses 12 miles of remote, but scenic, countryside in Northwestern Pennsylvania. Named for separate Sandy...
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PA | 12 mi | Asphalt |
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Saucon Rail Trail connects four communities: Hellertown, Lower Saucon Township, Upper Saucon Township, and Coopersburg. The trail has a slight 1% grade traveling from north to south and is easy for a...
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PA | 6.9 mi | Crushed Stone |
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At one time an important thoroughfare for commerce carried by canal barges and railroad cars in southeastern Pennsylvania, the Schuylkill River corridor now accommodates walkers, bicyclists, and...
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PA | 71.7 mi | Asphalt, Boardwalk, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel |
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The Schuylkill Valley Heritage Trail passes through the rolling green hills of the Schuylkill River Valley, from just outside of Tamaqua to Middleport. The trail runs immediately adjacent to US...
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PA | 7.3 mi | Dirt, Gravel |
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Primarily a cross-country ski route, the 13.4-mile Sentiero DiShay Trail can also be enjoyed for hiking and mountain biking. The trail winds through a mixed forest of conifer and deciduous trees. The...
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PA | 13.4 mi | Dirt |
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The Shawmut Trail begins in the southwest corner of the small, charming community of Smethport and continues southwest out of town along Marvin Creek. Along the way, views are a mix of woodlands,...
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PA | 0.6 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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...
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PA | 6.1 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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The Shenango River Trail once served as a towpath along the Erie Canal Extension. During the mid-1800s, mules pulled boats along the canal, linking goods from the Great Lakes to Pittsburgh and beyond....
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PA | 7.5 mi | Dirt |
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The Shuster Way Heritage Trail (formerly known as the Bedford Heritage Trail) provides a safe and picturesque connection between a topnotch resort and a nationally recognized downtown. From the Omni...
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PA | 2.65 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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The South Bethlehem Greenway is a linear park that follows a former Norfolk Southern rail line through the southern neighborhoods of Bethlehem. The paved pathway begins just north of Lehigh University...
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PA | 1.9 mi | Asphalt |
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Also known as the Mill Creek Trails, the State Game Lands 326 Trails meanders through a protected wooded area in Central Schuylkill County. The State Game Lands 326 (SGL) stretches across the...
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PA | 6.1 mi | Dirt, Grass |
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Fifty years after the last trolley cars ran on the Penn-Ohio Electric System between Youngstown, Ohio, and New Castle, Pennsylvania, in 1932, travelers on foot, bikes, and skates began using the...
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OH, PA | 10 mi | Asphalt |
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Note: During hunting season, Pennsylvania Game Lands Regulations require ALL non-hunters present on game lands between November 15 and December 15 (excluding Sundays) to wear a minimum of 250 square...
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PA | 19.7 mi | Dirt, Gravel |
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The Chester County Parks & Recreation Department opened this trail in 1979 on part of a former Pennsylvania Railroad right-of-way. Today the 2.6-mile trail attracts more than 125,000 visitors each...
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PA | 2.6 mi | Asphalt |
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The Swatara Rail-Trail uses the corridors left behind by a canal and a railroad to snake around an Appalachian mountain in eastern Pennsylvania, passing through the forests of Swatara State Park most...
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PA | 10 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass |
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Tatamy Trail begins in West Easton and heads north to Tatamy Borough, primarily along a former railroad corridor. On its southern end, it meets the Palmer Township Recreation Trail, which connects the...
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PA | 6.6 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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PA | 33 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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The Trolley Trail uses a former interurban line to link several communities north of Scranton. The trail comprises two disconnected sections that total 4.7 miles, although the nonprofit Countryside...
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PA | 4.7 mi | Boardwalk, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass |
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Tyler State Park, located in Newtown, Pennsylvania, covers over 1,700 acres on the grounds of an old farm in a charming woodland setting. The park features a network of interconnected trails,...
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PA | 10.8 mi | Asphalt, Gravel |
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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...
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PA | 0.5 mi | Grass, Gravel |
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Located along the banks of Conewango Creek, the open 3-mile segment of this proposed 11-mile trail follows an old New York Central branch north from the city of Warren. Designed to serve primarily as...
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PA | 3 mi | Asphalt |
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The Warrington Township Multi-Use Trail spans nearly 3 miles on the west end of town. The trail is part of an effort to make the community more pedestrian-friendly, connecting major points of...
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PA | 2.8 mi | Asphalt, Dirt |
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The Warwick Township Linear Park Trail is a joint project of Warwick Township and Lititz borough. The pathway extends from Market Street north, following the Santo Domingo Creek, to Newport Road....
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PA | 1.2 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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The West Creek Recreational Trail connects St. Marys and Emporium in a forested area of northern Pennsylvania known as elk country. The 19.5-mile trail follows the route of the Philadelphia and Erie...
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PA | 19.5 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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...
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PA | 21 mi | Crushed Stone |
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Visitors to northwestern Philadelphia can acquaint themselves with the parks that surround Wissahickon Creek on a nearly 9-mile system of multiuse trails. In the north, the Wissahickon Trail (also...
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PA | 8.5 mi | Asphalt, Dirt, Gravel |
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Checked out this trail for the first time recently. We enjoyed the sights and sounds of the trail and the creek was beautiful. We had a limited amount of time before dark, so we only went a little over a mile before turning back. We were surprised to see a sizable, established homeless encampment along the trail. Some unhoused folks can be considered high-risk in regards to safety, but we did not have any issues. We were in a group, so it wasn’t greatly intimidating, however I felt less safe on this trail due to the presence of the encampment.
I just discovered the trail and rode it for a few miles earlier today, starting in Bristol. I thought the trail would have gone right next to the Delaware River (like the Schuylkill River Trail), but the path is a bit inland from the river. The path is small gravel. It’s not the most scenic path, but it’s in decent shape. I’ll probably only ride it again if I have the time to make it up to. We Hope.
It's nice to be able to ride all the way through again but Too bad they had to build this hideous concrete and steel bridge though, instead of finding the person who burned the old one and hanging them from the trestle as an example.
Most of the surface a strange packed sand. It had rained a bit the night before and the trail was almost impossible to ride on my hybrid with 700x32 road tires. Would need a gravel/mtb/fat tire bike to ride. Disappointed because I've not seen other trails around here with this surface that makes it hard to ride.
Most of the surface a strange packed sand. It had rained a bit the night before and the trail was almost impossible to ride on my hybrid with 700x32 road tires. Would need a gravel/mtb/fat tire bike to ride. Disappointed because I've not seen other trails around here with this surface that makes it hard to ride.
We rode this trail on a Monday in early December when the temp. was in the low to mid 40s. We rode past the gate at the end of the parking lot and onto a wide path with a fine stone surface. After about a half of a mile the trail surface changed to a more coarse stone surface. The is one short steep section near the end of the trail. The scenery is very nice, even with leaves on the trees.
Its been 5 years since we last did this trail and not much has changed. Starting at the Brentwood parking lot the trail descends on a paved surface that has many stones, up to 2" to 3" in size, from a road running parallel to the trail, making the decent less fun and more stressful. The trail turns right at the bottom of the hill and becomes a wide path covered with fine stone. It doesn't last long and soon the trail surface is a mix of mid size stone and gravel. The trail improves for a short time near the education building but not for long. There are several intersections that are not marked as which way to turn and the trail, while paved, is in need of repair. After crossing a road and climbing a short but quite steep hill the trail resembles more a mountain bike trail, little more than a dirt single track. After a short (a block or 2) on road the trail again is more like a mountain bike trail. Just before it reached the end there was a 12 inch rock in the middle of a narrow section of trail. The only reason for giving the 2 star rating is the pleasant scenery along most of the trail.
I rode this route for the first time today. It’s a very well maintained paved trail. I really enjoyed the ride. The creek is very nice, and you can hardly tell you’re in the city. There are many more hills on this section of trail than the more northerly sections.Looking forward to the next time.
In late October, my brother and myself rode a small section of this trail starting at the Belmar Bridge as a part of riding the Allegheny River Trail (ART). We had parked at the Franklin trail head - The Belmar Bridge is 5.1 miles south of this trail head. There are steps you can walk your bike up to get to it from the ART. The Belmar Bridge is over 1300 feet in length. The views of the river and region below were well worth it. My brother took a video that made for nice memory going over the bridge. Our trip was only from the Belmar Bridge thru the Mays Mill Tunnel. We had crossed multiple smaller bridges that carried you over the Sandy Creek on our way to the tunnel. The views were beautiful and with the autumn season, the colors added to a nice time and more picture taken.
A portion of the trail, from the Root Beer Barrel parking lot to the Eighth Street parking lot is closed until Jan. 13, 2023 due to electric lines being repaired.
Late in October, my brother and myself rode the trail starting from the Franklin trail head thru the Kennerdell tunnel. The trip was around 15 plus miles (30+ total). The trailhead at Franklin is where the Samuel Justus Trail begins as well from its southern point. The Allegheny River was next to us for the entire trip and the scenery was beautiful. With the Fall colors, picture taking was an often occurrence. Shortly into the trip, an information board will tell the story of the assassin John Wilkes Booth as an Oil Man. 5 miles into the ride, the Belmar 'trestle' Bridge will appear. The bridge is over 1300 feet in length and is a part of the Sandy Creek Trail. There are some steps you can walk your bike up to get to it. Would encourage to do this as it is amazing to cross the bridge and see the view of the river and the area. The next item of interest was the Indian God Rock. A rock with Indian carvings that was used as a landmark for the earlier steamboats. We were cautioned to avoid getting close to it as the area around it is slick. Our end point for the trip was the Kennerdell Tunnel. It is 3350 feet in length and was constructed in the time range of 1913-1915. You definitely need a light to ride thru it, and like the Belmar Bridge, is something special to check out. Our ride was mostly on asphalt; however a few miles before the tunnel there was about a 3/4 mile section where you will ride on gravel as the trail was re-routed. The entire trip was enjoyable as there was plenty to see.
Like a long slow roller coaster ride
WOW!!!…no boring flat straight rail trail here….this trail has it all:
- curves….and more curves
- varying grades….typical easy RR grade but some felt like maybe 3% to me…see the elevation pic…I wonder if there is even a flat spot?
- Tunnels…3 of them!
- Viaducts
- A short section of trail-with-rail
- Spur trails
- A connection to the Panhandle Trail
- Lots of shade
- Historical signs….lots of them….with wonderful pictures…nice to learn some history and get out of the saddle for a few minutes…THANK YOU!
- A campsite at Boggs
- And even a SuperFund Cleanup Site near the end in Coraopolis
- And best of all, it looks like a crew of volunteers that are always working on the trail surface
A great ride through varying terrain and scenery and learned some history along the way. Can’t ask for much more than that. Thank you…bikin-Mike…Sep 2022
See Elavation Pic
Low MM0 Coraopolis
High MM12 Rt 22
Low MM13.5
High MM15
Low MM17 McDonald Viaduct
High MM19.25 Peacock Cut
Low MM23 Cecil
High MM25 National Tunnel
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