OHIO RIVER TRAIL COUNCIL

Allegheny River Trail — Emlenton, PA to Kennerdell, PA

Erie to Pittsburgh Trail 26, 36, or 46-Mile Bike Ride

Come out for a ride! This is part of a trail ride series sponsored by the Ohio River Trail Council (ORTC) intended to bring awareness to the wonderful trails in our quad-state region (Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia). All cyclists are welcome for this rails-to-trails, moderate-paced ride.

Join us, as we visit the Allegheny River Trail portion of the Erie to Pittsburgh Trail. This scenic ride departs from town of Emlenton and travels 13-miles north along the Allegheny River to Kennerdell and back.

Choose from two other riding distances: 36-mile roundtrip from Emlenton to Brandon and a 46-mile roundtrip from Emlenton to Belmar, PA (Belmar Bridge).

There are two railroad tunnels on the Allegheny River Trail. The Kennerdell Tunnel, 3350’ long, is 15 miles south of Franklin and the Rockland Tunnel, 2868’ long, is 21 miles south of Franklin. The trail is paved through the tunnels and three rows of reflectors mark the trail edges and center. Both tunnels are very dark. Lights are mandatory. If you do not have a light, you should walk your bike through the tunnels.

Do not forget your camera!

Trailhead

Emlenton Trailhead - Emlenton U.S. Post Office, 718 Main St, Emlenton, PA 16373

GPS: 41.177399, -79.712401

Trail Mileage Chart:

Features and Points of Interest:

The complete Allegheny River Trail is 28.2-miles of flat, smooth, asphalt surface from Emlenton to Franklin. Bordered on the west by the Allegheny River and on the east mostly by woodland, the 8-foot wide paved surface built on an old railroad grade. To the south, the trail is complete through the old Quaker State Refinery in Emlenton and ends at the parking lot at the edge of town.

The natural beauty of the river and woodland is the greatest feature of this trail. In 1992, the portion of the Allegheny River from Franklin to Emlenton was included in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers system.

The spectacular Belmar Bridge over the Allegheny River was built in 1907 as part of a railroad built by local oil man Charles Miller and John D. Rockefeller intended to connect New York with Chicago. Ultimately, it transported much of the coal from Clarion County to Ashtabula on Lake Erie.

Approximately 8.5 miles south of Franklin is a reminder of the use of the river by Native Americans. A set of over 50 carvings dating between 1200 and 1750 AD were made on a large rock at the river’s edge. Known as Indian God Rock, this rock is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and can be easily seen from the trail. An observation deck marks the location.