Trail Features Category: Arts and Interpretation

From Tanks to Trail Art

Youghiogheny River Trail segment of Great Allegheny Passage, near Connellsville PA

As part of an ongoing effort to help communities near the trail integrate the trails in the towns and their economies, a number of art projects have been developed along the trail. Here, three tanks at an industrial plant adjacent to the trail have been decorated.

Trail Features Category: Urban Trails and Greenways

This photo was also selected by the Friends of the Riverfront as the illustration for the 2010 Three Rivers Heritage Trails map

Hot Metal Bridge

Three Rivers Heritage segment of Great Allegheny Passage, Pittsburgh PA

Two near-identical railroad bridges share a single set of piers. The Monongahela Connecting RR bridge on the left once carried general rail traffic and was converted for vehicle use. The Hot Metal Bridge on the right was used to shuttle hot metal from the Pittsburgh Works furnaces to the South Side Works rolling mills; it was converted for bike/ped use. Because of the strategic concentration of rail traffic and steel production, this pair of bridges was the nations’ highest-priority bridge for protection from enemy attack during World War II.

Allegheny Highlands segment in Maryland

Trail with Steam Train

From Cumberland MD to Frostburg MD, the Great Allegheny Passage shares the railbed with the Western Maryland Scenic RR, which still operates a steam train.

Allegheny Highlands segment in Pennsylvania

Historic Bollman Bridge

This historic 135-year-old cast-iron Bollman bridge once carried the B&O railroad over Wells Creek. It has been moved to carry the Great Allegheny Passage over Scratch Hill Rd.

Salisbury Trestle

The Salisbury Trestle carries the Great Allegheny Passage high above the Casselman River valley just west of Meyeersdale, with spectacular views up and down the valley. This photo is from the valley floor, showing the trestle and wind farms on the next ridge

Youghiogheny River Trail segment

Touring the Passage

Three bicycle tourists stop to admire the view of the Youghiogheny River. They are traveling from Washington DC to Pittsburgh, camping along the trail.

Trail Art near Connellsville

As part of an ongoing effort to help communities near the trail integrate the trails in the towns and their economies, a number of art projects have been developed along the trail. Here, an arch marks the entry to Connellsville.

Camping at Round Bottom

This is part of the best bicycle camping trip in the east because of the primitive campsites for hikers and bikers located alongside the trail. Here a party of bicycle tourists  arrives at Round Bottom campsite

Camping at Round Bottom

This is part of the best bicycle camping trip in the east because of the primitive campsites for hikers and bikers located alongside the trail. Here one camper enjoys coffee early in the morning.

Steel Valley segment

Ribbon Cutting at the Riverton Bridge

The challenge a safe trail crossing of the Monongahela River near McKeesport was resolved by rerouting the little remaining traffic that used the Riverton Bridge, abandoning the bridge for railroad use, and converting the bridge for trail use. The major conversion project was just being completed during the ribbon-cutting ceremony

Three Rivers Heritage Trail segment

4th Avenue Canoe Launch

This little piece of riverfront was formerly used by the water rescue group of the Pittsburgh Police. It was converted to a canoe/kayak launch area adjacent to the trail (and sharing trail parking).

Steelworkers Monument

This is a public art project of the South Side Works development, a shopping area built on the site of the former J&L South Side Works, which rolled steel that was produced at the Pittsburgh Works across the river

Pittsburgh from the Trail

The Eliza Furnace trail provides a transportation and recreation link between the university area of Oakland and downtown Pittsburgh. It runs beside the Pittsburgh Technology Center, which is the redevelopment of the J&L Pittsburgh steel works.

First Avenue Bike Station

Just on the edge of downtown Pittsburgh and nestled under a railroad bridge converted for trolley service, this bike/blade rental and service shop serves the urban trails

Pittsburgh Entry

From the end of the Eliza Furnace Trail at Grant St, this shared use path leads trail users into downtown Pittsburgh and to the Smithfield St Bridge crossing to the Southside Trail

Duquesne Bridge Bike/Ped Ramp

On the north side of Point Park, the Ft Duquesne Bridge crosses to the North Side. A bicycle/pedestrian ramp cantilevered from the downstream side provides an easy crossing from Point Park to the stadiums and science center on the North Shore

Duquesne Bridge Bike/Ped Ramp

On the north side of Point Park, the Ft Duquesne Bridge crosses to the North Side. A bicycle/pedestrian ramp cantilevered from the downstream side provides an easy crossing from Point Park to the stadiums and science center on the North Shore.

Photo by Roy Weil

North Shore Trail

On the North Shore of the Allegheny River, a wide esplanade passes the baseball and football stadiums and leads to the science center

Watersteps

This very popular public fountain cascades down to the edge of the trail, which is right beside the river. This is part of Pittsburgh’s very successful redevelopment of the riverfronts as public recreational space. To the enormous credit of the Powers that Be, playing in the fountain is not forbidden

Watersteps

This very popular public fountain cascades down to the edge of the trail, which is right beside the river. This is part of Pittsburgh’s very successful redevelopment of the riverfronts as public recreational space. To the enormous credit of the Powers that Be, playing in the fountain is not forbidden

Trail Opening in West Peters Twp

One of the most difficult construction challenges on this trail has been the section in western Peters Township, which involved replacing a railroad bridge that had been removed and rehabilitating two other bridges and a tunnel. This was an especially important section because the road detour was unsafe. This bridge crosses Chartiers Creek

Trail Opening in West Peters Twp

One of the most difficult construction challenges on this trail has been the section in western Peters Township, which involved replacing a railroad bridge that had been removed and rehabilitating two other bridges and a tunnel. This was an especially important section because the road detour was unsafe. This tunnel nestles between two bridges

Scout Project on New Trail

One of the most difficult construction challenges on this trail has been the section in western Peters Township, which involved replacing a railroad bridge that had been removed and rehabilitating two other bridges and a tunnel. This was an especially important section because the road detour was unsafe. A scout project to install a bench and overlook was being completed just in time for the opening. Here the scouts put the finishing touches on the path to the bench

Replacing the Dilltown Bridges

The Ghost Town Trail has long had a gap of about two miles west of Dilltown because two bridges were lost in a flood. Those bridges are now being replaced. This is the construction site of the western bridge

 Playground at Star City

At the trailhead in Star City, an elaborate playground sits just beside the trail

 Power Plant on Mon River

Just south of the WV/PA state line, a power plant dominates the view across the river from the trail