My son and I have hiked this trail a couple times. It is wonderful. Beautiful Allegheny river views, waterfalls and an eagles nest are some of the many things to see. Would highly recommend!
The trail is awesome! It’s an old rail bed that follows the river south for 4 miles from Tidioute. It’s soft, grassy ground (not gravel or cinders) is flat. There are some puddles when wet but the trail is well maintained and a real treat use! Will use it for running and biking every chance possible when in the area.
I know this trail very well as I am on it almost every week. Trail users need to know that there is no entrance or exit on the southern end. The northern end and the only entrance is behind the Tidioute sewage treatment plant at the lower end of town. The trail follows the abandoned grade of the former Pennsylvania Railroad. The first 4 miles to the Warren/ Forest county line are in the Allegheny National Forest. This is public land and is open for hike and bike use. From there on the land is privately owned. If one were to follow the old railroad grade they would come to the settlement called Trunkeyville. One would come out onto a mowed lawn near a house and garage. The property owner doesn't want people crossing their land. I was told that NO TRESSPASSING signs have been put up recently. Trail users should turn around at the National Forest boundary sign.
Duchess and I hiked the Tidioute Trek and Rec Trail yesterday on 9/05/2012. The trail was also called the Tidioute Bird Trail by the forest service and a sign listed the many types of birds that “birders” have seen in the past. We saw some ducks, about a million ground squirrels, deer and are pretty sure we heard eagles several times on the islands in the Allegheny River. The trail was very shady most of the way and followed the river the whole way. Some group, possibly the Tidioute Lions Club or the forest service, had obviously cleared brush and line trimmed the area nicely for about 4.5 miles. The trail had mileage markers at most 1/2 mile locations. The maintenance ended at about 4.5 miles- we continued on the weedy section of old rail-bed to try to find the southern end and possibly found it. We turned around then and I figure it was at least a 9 mile to a possible 10 mile walk.
My family did 3 miles of this trail in june 2010 on our mt bikes pulling a bike trailer with our 3 year old. Trail is ok, there was one spot were a tree had fallen over on the path. grass and weeds got kind of high in a few spots. there is a nice little waterfall about 1.5 miles down the path. has a lot of potenial if it were maintained a little bit.
Last time I went to the trail there was a sign just past the water plant that said the trail was closed due to sensitive wildlife area. What's up with that?
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