ALLEGHENY RIVER TRAIL:
PARKER to EMLENTON & EMLENTON to FRANKLIN, PENNSYLVANIA
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Last Updated: July 28, 2025
Length: Allegheny River Trail; 34 miles.
Samuel Justus Trail; 7 miles.
McClintock Trail; 1.8 miles.
Oil Creek State Park Trail; 9.5 miles.
Queen City Trail; 1.5 miles.
Sandy Creek Trail; 12 miles.
Clarion Highlands Trail; 8.5 miles.
Difficulty: Allegheny River Trail; Easy. Flat paved rail trail.
Directions:
To Start from the Main Street parking lot in Emlenton for the Allegheny River Trail; From I-80 take exit 45 to Routes 28/208 west into Emlenton. When Routes 28/208 turn left across the river continue straight along Main St. When the road turns left continue straight past the Post Office to the parking lot. Signs lead the way through town.
The Allegheny River Trail follows the Allegheny River, North, from Parker, along the East Bank of the Allegheny River to Foxburg. A 4.5 mile Gap exists, North to Emlenton. Construction is underway in 2025, to finish this gap. From Emlenton, the trail continues North, through Kennerdell to Franklin. There are two railroad tunnels along the trail, the Rockland Tunnel, 2868’ long and the Kennerdell Tunnel, 3350’ long. The trail is paved through the tunnels and three rows of reflectors mark the trail edges and center. Both tunnels are very dark. Bring a light! Between Kennerdell and Franklin, in East Sandy, you can access the Sandy Creek Trail which travels West, across and then along the West Bank of the Allegheny River and also East, alongside East Sandy Creek, to Cranberry. This trail follows the former Jamestown, Franklin & Clearfield Railroad, a subsidiary of the New York Central Railroad. This trail is isolated, with no services at either end. The dirt & gravel Clarion Highlands Trail starts from the Eastern End of the Sandy Creek Trail and travels Southeast, to just North of Shippenville. It is one of the highest rail-trails in PA. It traverses the Allegheny Plateau, passing over the divide between the Clarion & Allegheny Rivers, and follows the Old Clarion Secondary Rail Corridor. Its highest point, at Phipps Cemetery near Elmo, is 1,472 feet above sea level. In Franklin, the trail continues North, along the East Bank of the Allegheny River, as the Samuel Justus Trail, to Oil City. Both the Allegheny River Trail & Samuel Justus Trail follow the former rail bed of the Allegheny Valley Railroad. In Oil City, you can connect to the McClintock Trail, which travels North, alongside an active RR to the site of "McClintock #1 - Oldest Producing Oil Well", just shy of Rouseville. North, in Oil Creek State Park, you can access the Oil Creek State Park Trail , which travels North, alongside Oil Creek, through the park. From the Northern End of the Oil Creek State Park Trail you can connect to the Queen City Trail which takes you Northwest into Titusville. This trail follows the rail bed of the first railroad to reach Titusville, the Oil Creek RR, which ran to a main rail line in Corry. It later ran the length of Oil Creek to Petroleum Centre and merged to become the Oil Creek & Allegheny River Railway in 1868, and still later became part of the Pennsylvania RR. For more information visit; ALLEGHENY VALLEY TRAILS ASSOC & ALLEGHENY RIVER TRAIL; PARKER to EMLENTON .
I only had time to bike a short section of the Allegheny River Trail from Emlenton North, to the Rockland Tunnel, so that's all I'll report on.
To Start from the Main Street parking lot in Emlenton for the Allegheny River Trail; You'll find a Map Board, Porto-Potty and gazebo at the start of the trail. Informational signs here as well. The paved Allegheny River Trail travels North, above the Allegheny River to your left and enters the woods after 0.5 miles. Mile Markers are placed every 0.5 miles along the trail. The trail parallels the river the whole way. Cross a creek at 2.9 miles. Pass by a platform at 4.1 miles overlooking the river. Look right to spot a nice stone arched bridge. After 5.5 miles you come to the stone arched Rockland Tunnel. Dark, no lights through the tunnel. Three sets of reflectors help guide you through. Try and stay focused on the center reflector. After 0.5 miles you'll emerge on the other end. Some informational signs located here, as well as a parking area off Rockland Station Road. The paved trail picks up again at 6.1 miles. This is as far as I traveled.
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CLICK HERE FOR CLARION HIGHLANDS TRAIL MAP
BEFORE YOU SET OUT BE SURE TO READ THE
WAIVER OF RESPONSIBILITY AND DISCLAIMER
BIKE IT OR HIKE IT