Samuel Justus Trail

The Samuel Justus Trail is a 6 or 7 mile long extension of the Allegheny River Trail. Paralleling the Allegheny River, it’s a rails-​to-​trails conversion that connects Oil City with Franklin. It’s a part of the Allegheny Valley Trails Association system, and using the Allegheny River Trail, it connects with the Sandy Creek Trail. Because it’s a rails-​to-​trail, most of the grades are relatively easy. The entire system is paved, so you don’t need a trail or mountain bike in order to ride.
That suited me and my husband Rick just fine. We have mountain bikes but we were itching to take our roadbikes out for a spin. We did an approximately 40 mile bike ride, using a combination of the Samuel Justus, the Allegheny, and the Sandy Creek Trails. We rode from approximately Oil City to the State Gamelands via Franklin. Oil Creek is a great place to start your ride on this trail because there are stores and services available if you need them. The trail begins at the corner of West Front Street and Wyllis Street. The address I gave you above is approximate. To reach the trail from Downtown Oil Creek, cross the Allegheny River on the Petroleum Street Bridge. Continue to the second light, and head right on West 1^st Street. Continue about 1.5 miles to trailhead parking on the right.
The ride out on the trail itself is a pleasant one along the bank of the Allegheny River. It follows the roadbed of the former Allegheny Valley Railroad. It goes through some beautiful woodlands as it makes its way west and south. Halfway between Oil City and Franklin is the historic River Ridge Farm and Mansion. It was once home of the late Senator Joseph P. Sibley who made his fortune in the oil industry. The gates to the farm remain standing. The servant’s quarters are visible through the gates. If you have time, you may be able to take a tour of the farm and mansion.
The trail then becomes the Allegheny River Trail and continues towards Foxburg and Emlenton. Once past Franklin, the curves and begins heading east as it’s still making its way south. It then curves directly to the south where it meets up with one of the scenic highpoints, the spectacular Belmar Bridge. This bridge once carried another rail company’s tracks across the Allegheny River Valley. Today it carries the Sandy Creek Trail
and you can connect between the two. But the connection is via a staircase, so it was to our advantage having our lighter roadbikes along. I suggest you roll your bike up the wooden bermway as you walk up or down the parallel staircase. Rick and I then continued our ride on the Sandy Creek Trail.
The Samuel Justus Trail is a very useful connector trail, especially if you are using the other trails in the area. Its scenery isn’t as majestic as some of the other trails, but it’s certainly a pleasant ride. If you are riding between Franklin and Oil City, it’s not as isolated as some of the other trails. Just remember that once you are beyond Franklin, and especially if you are continuing on either the Sandy Creek or Allegheny River Trails, it does start to get more remote. As always, I strongly recommend that you make sure your bike is in tip-​top mechanical shape. Also I strongly recommend having adequate water, snacks, tire repair kit, chain tool, mini air pump & cel phone with you.