Peak Experience: Allegheny River Trail Bike & Hike

This excursion is an opportunity for new cyclists to experience a hidden gem: a relatively little-known paved rail trail that is thought by some to provide the best cycling experience in western Pennsylvania. Views of sweeping curves of the Allegheny River help make this segment of the trail a peak cycling experience. In this area the river and valley host tremendous diversity of wildlife. Sightings of Bald Eagles are common and there is a huge diversity of freshwater mussels including mussels with shells as large and thick as surf clams. Learn from Trip Leader, Fred Zelt of Earth Science Excursions, how river-rounded rocks were carried into this watershed from Canada by glaciers many thousands of years ago.

We will start in Emlenton, which has a trailhead parking area plus parking nearby in town. After an orientation at the trailhead and a couple of stops to enjoy sights along the way, about 6 miles up the trail we will come to the south portal of the 2,868 ft. long Rockland Tunnel, an abandoned railroad tunnel that hosts the paved path. The tunnel has a curve and no lights inside, but even in the middle you can always see a portal at one end.

Pace & Terrain
We will be cycling at a leisurely pace. In the 6 miles from Emlenton to Rockland we will gain less than 100 ft. of elevation. Our cycling route is entirely on the asphalt Allegheny River Trail in an area with no services. We will lock our bikes at Rockland for the hike to Rockland Furnace and Freedom Falls. The hike will require a mile of walking up and down moderate hills with gravel, uneven ground, roots, and rocks.