Panhandle Trail

Good trail to run or bike on. Never seems too crowded due to the width of the trail itself and plenty of area to relax and lounge on either side. Runs along the creek which makes for a nice view and sound when the water is higher in the spring and early summer. Has several side trails that are single tracks. Good for pets. Really nice bring a stroller if one is wanting to walk or run with a little one.

The Panhandle Trail presently stretches from Rennerdale, PA to Weirton, WV although the Rennerdale trail head has a Carnegie mailing address. Eventually it will go to Stuebenville, OH when completed, a three-​state, 34-​mile ride will be possible. The Panhandle Trail isn’t named because there are a lot of beggars on the path! Although if the economy continues the way it has been, that just might be the case! «Brother, can you spare a quarter so I can work the airhose?» No, it’s a rails-​to-​trails conversion and the Panhandle Trail is named for the former Conrail Railroad Panhandle Line over whose route it traverses. My husband Rick and I are avid trail riders and we did about 50 miles today round trip on the Panhandle Trail.
The trail itself is an easy grade although it gets a bit rough in places. Portions of it are paved, but much of it is gravel. I strongly recommend a good mountain bike or trail bike, unless you know you’re sticking to the paved portions. It goes through some very pretty rural areas and some scenic small towns too. Along the way you’ll notice that many of the locals have created colorful sculptures out of recycled materials and have built homemade bird houses to enhance the trail.
Rick and I began our ride right at the eastern trailhead at the corner of Walker’s Mill Road and Scott Avenue in Rennerdale/​Carnegie, across the street from The Market. There’s trail parking available there. A secondary access point in Rennerdale is at Sunnyside Avenue, about two blocks south of the fire department. So if the lot at the trailhead is full, you can try your luck there. One thing we noticed was that a lot of train stations and station sites (from when this was a passenger train line) remain as point of refernces for cyclists. About ¼ mile into our ride we saw a windmill, which provided aeration for a quarry.
About 1 ¾ mile we entered a cut through the rocks and we saw some very intersting formations on both sides of the trail. Just beyond that we saw a mile marker left over from the railroad. It’s milepost 13 because it was 13 train miles from Pittsburgh. Between Gregg Station and Oakdale Station, we traversed a double arch stone bridge over a river. If you need to make a pit stop, Sturgeon is the place to do it. There are permanent restrooms, vending machines, and a water fountain here. I’m told that just outside Sturgeon, goats frequent the trail. The trail is paved between Sturgeon and Montour, but it’s kind of rough.
One of the scenic highpoints between Sturgeon and Primrose is the Montour Bridge. This carried the Montour RR across the Conrail RR and it’s now where the Montour Trail goes across the Panhandle Trail. Rick and I rode the Montour Trail last year and the bridge across the Panhandle Trail is an absolutlely spectacular ride! A one mile trail connects the two.
Between Bulger and Burgettstown, the trail gets really rough. You have to ride with caution for about a 2.5 mile stretch because the trail is really rutted in places. Plus it can get very muddy in through here after a storm. The next town is Burgettstown. If you are going any further, be advised. There are no services between Burgettstown and the end of the trail at Collier, which is a distance of about 12 miles. So if you need food or fluids be sure to stop at the IGA here
because it’s your last chance!
From Burgettstown to the State Line, the path travels through some scenic rock cuts, over some streams, and through some short tunnels under the roads. At MP 17.47, there’s a bench – the Beer Bench because it supposedly smells like beer! Hmmm!
Rick and I wrapped things up at MP 24.67, the state line. A marker leftover from the railroad days marks the border here. It is marked for the P.C.C. & St.L. RR. I have no idea what that stands for (Pittsburgh, Columbus, Cincinnati, & St. Louis?). Conrail was the last rail company to run trains here and Rick says that line was most famously known as the Pennsylvania RR.
This is a fantastic ride and you should really take your time and enjoy it. Once again, here are Susan’s bike tips:
1) Wear a helmet. Yes girls, we get helmet hair from it – deal with it.
2) When doing a long ride such as this, ride with someone.
3) Bring a chain tool, tire repair kit, & mini pump. It’s easy to learn how to do quick repairs. Remember, few things can spoil a ride like a breakdown. Ain’t much fun walking your bike several miles!
4) Be sure to bring plenty of water, snacks such as dried fruit, nuts, etc, and a cell phone.
5) Make sure your bike is in tip-​top mechanical condition.