One of my favorite hometown trails is the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail. It’s a peaceful ride through the scenic rolling farmlands of the Cumberland Valley in my home state of Pennsylvania. Flanked by Carlisle (one of the most walkable small towns in PA) and Shippensburg, the town offers tons of options for pre- and post-ride...
West Virginia is home to some of the most beautiful scenery in the country. So when TrailLink described this trail as “picturesque” and “rough”, I knew I had to make the trip. I waited until we had a few solid days of warm, dry, weather, loaded up the Forester, an made the 3-hour trek into Thomas. It was...
A construction project on the York Heritage Rail Trail in York, Pennsylvania has concluded. The trail is now entirely open from John Rudy park to the Pennsylvania / Maryland border! The trail was shut down at the Norfolk Southern Blackbridge Railroad Bridge in 2020 due to falling debris. The exact location of the closure is one mile...
I was blown away by the beauty of the Sandy Creek Trail. Located in western Pennsylvania, about halfway between Franklin and Clarion, the Sandy Creek Trail links up with the Allegheny River Trail and the Clarion Highlands Trail (almost). If photographing creeks, bridges, and/or and valleys is your thing, you’ve found your new home...
The West Penn Trail is what you get when you cross a well-maintained, paved, road-bike friendly trail with a well-maintained, single-track, goat-friendly mountain bike trail. The trail is located in western PA and runs between the towns of Saltsburg and Blairsville. It’s got three distinct personalities and as such will give both...
The Ghost Town Trail gets its name from the ghost towns and abandoned industrial sites it winds through as it follows the path of the Ebensburg & Black Lick Railroad. It’s located in Indiana County PA and currently clocks in just shy of 50 miles, but I rode the 32-mile segment from to Ebensburg War Memorial Park to Saylor Park...
Hi! I'm Dave. I ride rail trails all over Appalachia and the northeast United States, especially throughout the coal mining region.
In the 19th and early 20th century, railroads were the lifeblood of industry and transportation. As the 20th century progressed, many of those railroads -- and the industries they served -- collapsed, leaving a network of easements, bridges, and tunnels behind.
Today, more and more communities are reclaiming these abandoned or disused lines. Rail trails bring cyclists, hikers, and runners to town. Abandoned factories are being reborn as brewpubs. Company stores are reopening as B&Bs. Vacant downtowns are blossoming with restaurants, bike shops, and storefronts.
I started Appalachian Rail Trails to share my adventures on rail trails with others. When I'm not pedaling, I'm writing about coffee roasters, craft breweries, coal mine tours, and everything else that makes Appalachia unique!
