OHIO RIVER TRAIL COUNCIL

Three Rivers Heritage Trail — Pittsburgh, PA

Three Rivers Heritage Trail 25-Mile Bike Trail Ride

Come out for a ride! This is part of a trail ride series sponsored by the Ohio River Trail Council (ORTC) intended to bring awareness to the wonderful trails in our quad-state region (Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia). All cyclists are welcome for this rails-to-trails, moderate-paced ride!

Join us, as we visit the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. For this ride, we bike Pittsburgh's growing trail system. Starting at the Three Rivers Heritage Trail Oxline Street Trailhead near the Bicycle Heaven Museum on the Northside or Southside Riverfront Park near the Birmingham Bridge, we will pedal most of the trail system within the city of Pittsburgh - along the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers.

Trailhead #1

Three Rivers Heritage Trail Oxline Street Trailhead - 1836 Oxline Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15233

GPS: 40.454058, -80.033819

Trailhead #2

Southside Riverfront Park - 4 South 18th St, Pittsburgh, PA 15203

GPS: 40.432072, -79.980236

Features and Points of Interest:

The Three Rivers Heritage Trail is a multi-use riverfront trail system in the Pittsburgh region. The Three Rivers Heritage Trail highlights Pittsburgh’s history with Interpretive Signage. Along the trail, signs call attention to significant places, historical events, and native wildlife. The trail also serves as the Pittsburgh hub for other trail system connections such as the Great Allegheny Passage, the Erie-to-Pittsburgh Trail, the Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg Main Line Canal Greenway, and future connection to the Montour Trail and Ohio River Trail.

In 2010, the Three Rivers Heritage Trail was awarded National Recreation Trail status by the U.S. Department of the Interior. This designation is granted to trails that are considered to be locally or regionally significant, open to the public for at least 10 years, and practice proper management and maintenance.

The highlight of the ride are the popular bald eagles located on the Monongahela River in the community of Hays, which is just five miles from Point Park. The bald eagles' nest is located on the hillside adjacent to the Baldwin Borough segment of Three Rivers Heritage Trail near the end of the concrete wall at the opposite end from the Glenwood Bridge and near the Keystone Iron and Metal scrap yard. The nearest trail access points with parking are either via Hot Metal Street or from The Waterfront. When you arrive at the viewing area, there will likely be a large group of birdwatchers. Please be aware that the viewing area is along an active segment of trail and stay to the side of the trail, avoid gathering in the center. Cyclists, walkers, and runners must have a clear path to pass through the area. The eagles have drawn a lot of interest both locally and nationally and can be viewed onlineusing the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s video nest cam www.aviary.org/BE-NestCam1 or www.pixcontroller.com/eagles.

The trail ride includes an optional visit to the Bicycle Heaven Museum and bike shop located in the R.J. Casey Industrial Park, (1800 Columbus & Preble Ave.) on Pittsburgh's North Side. The museum is dedicated to all things two-wheeled. The 1860’s "Boneshakers" handcrafted wooden bikes can be seen along with the largest Schwinn Sting-Ray collection in the world including the ultimate 1960s pedal-driven dream, the Schwinn Sting-Ray Krate. The museum also displays the rare "Bowden Spacelanders valued up to $20,000. Only thirty-eight of these fiberglass Bowden Spacelanders are known to exist, nevertheless the museum owns thirteen! This will be more casual then most of our rides, with stops for riders to photograph the city's vistas.

Do not forget your camera!

Social

During the ride we may stop for food and beverages at the Over The Bar Bicycle Café (OTB) located at 2518 East Carson Street on Pittsburgh's South Side. Alternatively, following the ride a social gathering and dinner may be held at a local restaurant like the Rivertowne North Shore, 337 N Shore Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15212. Visiting the Bicycle Heaven Museum is highly recommended.