Montour Trail | |
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The Montour Trail between miles 3 and 4,
photo taken March 2006 |
|
Length | 59.3 mi (95.4 km) |
Location | Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA |
Trailheads |
Coraopolis, Pennsylvania 40°30′17″N 80°08′42″W / 40.5048°N 80.1450°W Clairton, Pennsylvania 40°18′18″N 79°53′02″W / 40.3051°N 79.8838°W |
Use | Multi-use |
Hiking details | |
Trail difficulty | Easy |
Season | Year-round |
Sights | see Points of Interest below |
The Montour Trail is a multi-use recreational rail trail near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It used to be the Montour Railroad.
It has a mosly crushed limestone with partially asphalt surface, appropriate for bicycling, walking, running, and cross-country skiing. Eventually, this trail segment will extend 47 miles (76 km) from Coraopolis, Pennsylvania to Clairton, Pennsylvania.
The trail is part of a 204-mile (328 km) rails to trails project between Pittsburgh and Cumberland, Maryland. When completed, it will be part of a 400-mile (640 km) trail system between Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C, known as the Great Allegheny Passage.
The Montour Trail is managed and maintained by The Montour Trail Council (MTC). The MTC is a non-profit all-volunteer group which builds, operates, and maintains the trail. It is a registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation, relying on corporate, foundation and government grants and private donations for funding. As of 2012, MTC maintains net assets in excess of $9,300,000.00.
The Montour Trail has four branches: Bethel, Muse, Westland, and the Airport Connector. The Bethel Branch extends from the trail in Peters Township into Bethel Park. The Muse Branch is a planned, undeveloped branch in Cecil Township that goes to the town of Muse. The Westland Branch is a branch that extends from the trail in Venice to the town of Westland. The Airport Connector is a branch of the trail that goes from the mainline trail in Imperial to Pittsburgh International Airport. The Connector does not follow any of the Montour Railroad grade, rather it follows roads to the airport.