Blog

A wide, gravel bike path leads away between some grain silos on one side and a treeline on the other

Cows, Goats, & Cats: The Cumberland Valley Rail Trail

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 celebrations. Best of all, the trail...

Uphill Both Ways: Blackwater Canyon Trail

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 absolutely, positively worth the drive...

York Heritage Rail Trail Re-Opens

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 north of the Route 30 trailhead...

East Sandy Creek flows through a heavily wooded valley, splitting in two smaller creeks along the way.

The Sandy Creek Rail Trail

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! History The history of the...

A paved road passes under an old iron railroad bridge. Dense forests surrounds both.

Tunnels & Trails: The West Penn

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 intermediate and beginner (with...

Industrial Heritage: The Ghost Town Trail

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 in Black Lick PA. This is one...