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Print Friendly MapThe 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 Carson Trails Conservancy and is part of the Harmony Trail corridor.
The southern entrance into the trailhead parking lot is at the intersection of Pine Creek Road & Bellcrest Road in Wexford, PA. There is a nicely built wooden bridge that heads eastward from the trailhead and traverses over Pine Creek. At the east end of the wooden bridge, one needs to make two sharp left turns (almost a U-turn) to continue on the Vestal trail, otherwise, one will terminate at the ball fields. The trail weaves along Pine Creek crossing over several short bridges heading in a north westward direction and terminates onto Oakridge Drive. The trail surface is comprised of a mix of grass, crushed limestone and small asphalt/ cinder- like material.
Despite being a very short trail, the mix of wild flowers, tree saplings and other flora along the trail and the creek make it a picturesque location.
Park at Vestal Park, which is located on Pine Creek Road across from Bellcrest Road.
The (short) trail is well-maintained, but there is quite a bit of traffic noise. It is a bit difficult to find the trailhead parking (I ended up parking at the baseball field). Having a road bike, I thought trail was better (for me) on foot since it is very short, although it would have been doable on a bike.
This is a lovely short trail near a neighborhood in McCandless. It's just over half a mile each way and is well-maintained. It's a combination of gravel and flat earth and is typically quiet. You can park next to the ball field in Vestal Park or in a parking area off Pine Creek Road (not marked on the map, but easy to locate). It's a lovely spot for a leisurely dog walk or pleasant stroll. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here, but it's a beautiful spot if you're local.
Beautifully kept, flat, easy to walk. Took about 30minutes there and back
I commenced my bike ride from the Pine Creek Rd Trailhead which is located at the intersection of Belcrest Road and Pine Creek Road in Wexford,PA 15090. From the trailhead, one will travel eastward across a wooden bridge that traverses over Pine Creek. At the eastern end of the bridge, one will encounter a junction. If one continues going straight at the junction (traveling eastward), this section of the trail terminates at the Vestal ball fields in about 75 feet. The main section of the trail makes a very abrupt U-turn into the woods at the junction. One will travel over a mix of cider like material, grass and crushed limestone as the trail weaves its way through the woods along Pine Creek, passing over a couple of make shift bridges before it eventually dumps out onto Oakridge Drive. The trail is probably used mostly by residents that live on Oakridge Drive as a means to get to the ball fields. As one visiting the area, I found the trail a nice respite hidden in the midst of a thriving community.
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