The Ghost Town Trail In Pennsylvania Has Been Named The State's Best In 2020
By Beth Price-Williams|Published January 25, 2020
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Beth Price-Williams
Author
A professional writer for more than two decades, Beth has lived in nearly a dozen states – from Missouri and Virginia to Connecticut and Vermont – and Toronto, Canada. In addition to traveling extensively in the U.S. and the U.K., she has a BA in Journalism from Point Park University (PA), a MA in Holocaust & Genocide Studies from Stockton University (NJ), and a Master of Professional Writing from Chatham University (PA). A writer and editor for Only In Your State since 2016, Beth grew up in and currently lives outside of Pittsburgh and when she’s not writing or hanging out with her bunnies, budgies, and chinchilla, she and her daughter are out chasing waterfalls.
Pennsylvania boasts some pretty amazing hiking trails – trails that give us sweeping views of Pine Creek Gorge, of forests, and of mountains. We can hike along historic paths in Gettysburg and through eclectic neighborhoods in Pittsburgh. One trail, however, stands out from the crowd this year. The Ghost Town Trail in Pennsylvania, in fact, has been named the 2020 Trail of the Year by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The Ghost Town Trail winds 46 miles through Western Pennsylvania, passing through former coal mining towns and giving visitors a glimpse into the area’s rich industrial past.
A rails-to-trails success story, the Ghost Town Trail beckons around 80,000 visitors each year, according to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). Those visitors include hikers, bikers, walkers, and runners.
In the winter, the trail still attracts hikers, but it’s also popular with cross-country skiers and those who enjoy snowshoeing, making the award-winning trail a must-visit any time of the year.
Although it stretches 46 miles, the Ghost Town Trail is not yet completely finished. When an additional 5.5 miles is complete, the trail will earn a nod as “the first continuous loop of rail trail in the Eastern United States,” according to the DCNR.
The primary portion of the trail tallies 32 miles from Blacklick to Ebensburg while there are two extensions to the trail. Vintondale to White Mill is just four miles while Rexis Branch to Cardiff totals eight miles.
Hikers can hike the entire 46-mile stretch of the Ghost Town Trail or just one (or more) of the extensions. The main portion of the trail is divided into three sections: Blacktown to Dilltown, Dilltown to Nanty Glo, and Nanty Glo Ebensburg.
You can get on or off of the trail at several access points – Saylor Park, Heshbon, Dilltown, Wehrum, Vindondale/Rexis, Twin Rocks, Nanty Glo, and Ebensburg.
Have you ever hiked some or all of the Ghost Town Trail in Pennsylvania? Share your experience in the comments! Ready for another epic hike? See 21 waterfalls when you set off on just one trail, the Falls Trail at Ricketts Glen State Park.
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