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7 Great Allegheny Passage

Counties

Allegany, Allegheny (PA), Fayette (PA), Somerset (PA), Westmoreland (PA)

Endpoints

Point State Park near Commonwealth Pl. and Liberty Ave. (Pittsburgh, PA) to Western Maryland Railway Station at Canal St. (Cumberland, MD)

Mileage

150

Type

Rail-Trail

Roughness Index

1

Surface

Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Now the longest rail-trail east of the Mississippi River, the 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) spans two states in its course along great rivers and across mountain passes. Running from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Cumberland, Maryland, the route traces the paths of railroads that helped build America.

Beginning in Pittsburgh’s Point State Park, the trail overlaps the Eliza Furnace segment of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. An array of signage interprets the area’s industrial past. The Hot Metal Bridge, once used to carry iron by rail from the Eliza Furnace to Pittsburgh’s South Side to produce finished steel, leads trail users across the Monongahela River to the Three Rivers Heritage Trail’s South Side and Baldwin Borough segments, which extend south to Homestead.

Cyclists flock to this scenic, shady pathway.

In the small Pittsburgh suburb, massive industrial furnaces from the Homestead Steel Works stand along with smaller artifacts, such as a ladle car. These industrial artifacts and interpretive signage add interest to both the trail and The Waterfront, a modern retail center with offices, restaurants, and entertainment, all rebuilt to reflect early 20th-century charm and its industrial past.

The Great Allegheny Passage heads south from Homestead to McKeesport through former steel mill sites along the banks of the Monongahela River. Here, the GAP splits into two, with the on-road Clairton Connector heading west through Glassport to meet the Montour Trail in Clairton, and the main trail continuing south along the former route of the Pittsburgh, McKeesport and Youghiogheny Railroad.

Built in 1883, the railroad carried coal and coke from the rich town of Connellsville to the Pittsburgh steel mills. Nicknamed the P-Mickey for its initials (P., McK., and Y.), it eventually merged with the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad. The freight and coal traffic that sustained the branch dried up by the mid-1980s, and the line fell into disuse in 1990.

As you travel south along the Youghiogheny River from McKeesport, you pass lush green hillsides and once-booming industrial towns. The first 40 miles of this segment go through the Pennsylvania towns of Boston, West Newton, and Dawson. Trailside B&Bs, bike shops, and cafés welcome trail users in these towns, making them great resting spots.

Eventually, the Great Allegheny Passage reaches the historic boomtown of Connellsville, where the industrial revolution is still alive. This self-proclaimed trail town offers wonderful parks, restaurants, and cafés. Near South Connellsville, hikers and bikers can hop on the short Sheepskin Trail to travel southwest to the tiny community of Dunbar.

For the next 28 miles, the Great Allegheny Passage follows the Youghiogheny River through Ohiopyle State Park. Take refuge under the dense canopy of the hardwood forest on the river’s edge. Before reaching the quaint town of Ohiopyle, you cross two impressive trestles. The town is a home base for adventure seekers. The trail is a central attraction, but the wild and untamed Youghiogheny River here makes it a popular whitewater-rafting destination as well.

The trail continues south along the river to Confluence. Aptly named, the town is built where the Youghiogheny River, Casselman River, and Laurel Hill Creek come together. It has plenty of great places to eat or get a good night’s rest.

South of Confluence, the trail leaves the Youghiogheny and heads northeast for 31 miles, following the Casselman River to Meyersdale. You bypass the 849-foot-long Pinkerton Tunnel along this stretch. This segment also features the Salisbury Viaduct, 1,908 feet long and more than 100 feet at its highest point, which you’ll cross shortly before reaching Meyersdale. The town offers a pleasant old trailside train depot that provides good local information.

You continue a gentle climb as the path heads southeast toward the Eastern Continental Divide. Here, the trail follows the route of the old Western Maryland Railroad, which began operations between Cumberland, Maryland, and Connellsville, Pennsylvania, in 1912. Sold to a competitor in 1931, the railroad was operational for many more years before falling into disuse. The Keystone Viaduct, a 910-foot-long bridge, can be found along this gorgeous part of the trail.

You cross the Eastern Continental Divide just before reaching the Maryland state line. From this elevation of 2,400 feet, it’s all downhill to Cumberland. Pass through the 0.5-mile-long Big Savage Tunnel just beyond the divide, and take in stunning views of the surrounding hills and agricultural valleys as you pass the Mason-Dixon Line into Maryland, just beyond the tunnel. Frostburg is the first town you reach, about 5 miles into Maryland. The city features a restored passenger and freight station—now open as a restaurant—originally built in 1891.

The trail leaves Frostburg and continues another 16 miles through rolling Maryland countryside to Cumberland. For much of this section, the route parallels the active Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, and you may catch glimpses of its steam locomotive. The popular excursion line provides scenic three-hour trips through the Allegheny Mountains.

Cumberland, the terminus of the Great Allegheny Passage, does not disappoint. A pedestrian mall downtown has many restaurants and shops. In Cumberland, the trail connects to the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park towpath (also known as the C&O Canal Towpath), which takes you another 184 miles to Washington, D.C., without ever leaving a trail.

Note that equestrians are permitted only on the grassy areas of the Great Allegheny Passage between Boston and Connellsville, Pennsylvania; Rockwood and Garrett, Pennsylvania; and the Maryland–Pennsylvania state line and Frostburg, Maryland. Before you set out on a long journey to explore the trail, check atatrail.org for updates on detours and other safety information.

CONTACT: atatrail.org

DIRECTIONS

Some of the best parking for the Great Allegheny Passage can be found south of Pittsburgh along Waterfront Dr. in the shopping area in Homestead. Take I-376 to Exit 74. Travel south on Beechwood Blvd., which turns into Browns Hill Road, for 1.2 miles. Cross the Homestead Grays Bridge, and take the first right onto Fifth Ave. After 0.4 mile, turn right onto Waterfront Dr. The shopping area will be on your right; the trail parallels Waterfront Dr. on your left.

To reach the McKeesport trailhead farther south, take PA 837 out of Pittsburgh and follow signs to McKeesport (about 13 miles south of downtown). Cross the McKeesport–Duquesne Bridge and pick up PA 148/Lysle Blvd. going right (west) toward McKeesport. Follow the road about 1.2 miles into town, and veer onto the Water St. ramp on your right. Take a left onto Water St.; parking is located at Richard J. Gergely Riverfront Park.

Parking can also be found near where the Great Allegheny Passage and Montour Trail meet just off PA 837 in Clairton, off N. State St.

Free parking is available at the trailheads in Confluence, Ohiopyle, Connellsville, Meyersdale, Garrett, Rockwood, Markleton, and Fort Hill as well.