OHIO RIVER TRAIL COUNCIL

Great Allegheny Passage - Smithton, PA to Dawson, PA or Connesllville, PA

Great Allegheny Passage 26 or 40-Mile Bike 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 4-state region (Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia).

Join us, as we visit the Youghiogheny River Trail North portion of the Great Allegheny Passage. The ride departs Cedar Creek Park, Belle Vernon, PA 15012 (Smithton, PA) located at GPS: 40.176266, -79.770364 and follow the Great Allegheny Passage Trail south 13-miles to Dawson, PA. The roundtrip from Dawson is 26 miles of scenic biking. The optional ride to Connellsville completes a 40-mile excursion.

Trailhead

Smithton Trailhead - Cedar Creek Park - Evergreen Drive, Belle Vernon, PA (Near Smithton, PA)

GPS: 40.176266, -79.770364

Trail Mileage Chart:

Features and Points of Interest:

The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) is presently the longest rail-trail east of the Mississippi River and the crown jewel of the Mid-Atlantic Rail Trails. The GAP spans two states in its 150-mile course along scenic rivers and across mountain passes. The greenway connects with the 184.5-mile C&O Canal Towpath at Cumberland, Maryland to create a 334.5-mile route between Pittsburgh and Washington, DC. The Montour Branch links McKeesport to the Pittsburgh International Airport and Coraopolis, Pa.

The proposed Ohio River Trail beginning at Coraopolis links the Montour Trail to the 110-mile Great Ohio Lake-to-River Greenway in Ohio forming approximately a 500 mile contiguous trail from the Great Lakes Region to our nation’s capitol!

The Youghiogheny River Trail is a non-motorized multi-use rail trail that stretches 71-miles between McKeesport and Confluence, Pennsylvania. The north section of the trail runs 43-miles between McKeesport and Connellsville, and the south section runs 28-miles between Connellsville and Confluence. The Yough River Trail is a wooded trail that follows the Youghiogheny River and offers relatively easy going on trails of packed limestone. In 1994 Travel and Leisure Magazine named The Youghiogheny River Trail one of the World's Best Walks.