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Montour Trail
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The Montour Trail makes a sort of 3/4 circle around Pittsburgh, from Coraopolis to Clairton. A connecting spur reaches into Bethel Park. There are more access areas than you can shake a kick-stand at. See the Montour Trail website for directions and maps.

The Montour Trail is planned as a 47-mile rail trail reaching from Coraopolis to Clairton. Although not all sections are complete, the vigilant efforts of the Montour Trail Council keep the completed length changing constantly. Check their website for current status. The Montour Trail's greatest asset may its proximity to the Pittsburgh and environs. With numerous access points, it's a great way to get out of the city when you don't have enough time to actually get away from the city.

The character of the trail varies from suburban to rural, level to sloping, quiet to busseling on its long loop. The busiest areas are around Coraopolis and Peters Township (where it has incorporated the existing Arrowhead Trail).

The long hill between Imperial and McDonald may well be the least traveled section. Most visitors to this area won't notice that they're passing through reclaimed strip mines; reclamation efforts have effectively restored the area to a green condition. After the crest of the hill, the trail descends to the outskirts of McDonald, and crosses over the newly restored McDonald Trestle. This impressive structure takes you over the tree tops as it crosses Rt. 980.

Beyond McDonald, the trail is fairly rural until McMurray, where the asphalt section draws roller-bladers and baby strollers.

  • Completed Length: About 40 miles. Some sections in the south are short and disconnected, but connecting route directions are included on their website. The section from Coraopolis to Hendersonville comprises a 29-mile nearly continuous stretch, with only a short jump around a missing bridge at around the 24-mile mark.
  • Connecting Trails: The Panhandle Trail doesn't exactly connect yet, but a short hop into McDonald will let you pick it up at the McDonald Trail Station. The Coraopolis-to-Hendersonville Section plus the hop onto the Panhandle give you a 36-mile section of trail.
  • Surface: Packed stone (some asphalt in the vicinity of McMurray and Bethel Park)
  • Topography: Unlike many of the rail-trails here, this one crosses through multiple drainage basins, allowing for a lot of variety in topography. Elevations are 720 ft MSL at Coraopolis; 1250 ft at the top of the hill near Rt. 22; 1000 ft MSL at Hendersonville; 1200 ft at the tunnel; 1020 ft at Venice.
  • Enlow and National Tunnels
  • 960-foot McDonald Trestle

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