Latest News
HEADS UP – Heavy vehicles on the GAP
Somerset County is resurfacing the GAP between the Mason & Dixon Line (Mile 21) and Miller’s Run Trail Access/Sand Patch (Mile 28). Between November 15th and the 24th. That includes the Big Savage Tunnel. The tunnel WILL NOT BE CLOSED during the work, but there will be big trucks coming through while trail users are going…
Read More9/11 Memorial Trail Milestone & Volunteers Needed
On October 13, President Biden signed H.R. 2278 into law, designating the 1,300-mile 9/11 National Memorial Trail linking the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York City, the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, VA, and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County, PA. The Trail Alliance is now recruiting volunteers to further trail…
Read MoreGAP scenic views protected.
Somerset County Recreation & Trails Association (SCRTA) and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy worked together to protect 50 acres of woodlands along the GAP. The land includes mature hardwood forests between the trail and Casselman River. Dense rhododendron thickets line the opposite steep hillside. SCRTA provided funding for the project from the GAP Land Acquisition Fund of the…
Read MoreFall Color at Peak
Fall color is a highlight of the season along the GAP in Somerset County. The following two weeks will feature kaleidoscopic views all along the trail. Some Suggestions; Starting in Confluence, ride south 9 Miles to the Pinkerton Horn. At Pinkerton, views from the High Bridge are spectacular. Add the Pinkerton Tunnel and the…
Read MoreWalk, Run, Bike Race – @ Rockwood, PA
GAP Trail Access and Sembower Visitor Center (Click for Directions) Saturday, October 23rd. Registration 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM Bikes start, 24 Miles, at 9:00 AM Runners start, 5K, at 9:05 AM Walkers start, 5K, at 9:10 AM Register, start, & finish at Rockwood Trail Head / Sembower Visitor Center. $25 Pre-Registration due October 8th…
Read MoreThe color of Autumn
Fall foliage is coming soon, and where to ride the GAP and enjoy the color in Somerset County is the question of the day. Early October, consider a ride 7.5-mile ride between Garrett and Rockwood. This trail segment follows the Casselman River through a deep, densely forested valley, perfect for enjoying fall color. This…
Read MoreHappy Birthday to the Bollman Bridge.
At Mile 30.1, the Bollman Bridge carries visitors over Scratch Hill Road. It has been carrying people, bicycles, automobiles, trucks, tractors, and even steam engines over things for 150 years! First used by the Pittsburgh & Connellsville RR, it lasted only 15 years, when the railroad expanded. Then the 81-foot bridge moved to Somerset County…
Read More20th Annual River and Wind Challenge – Saturday, Sept. 18
The Salvation Army’s 20th Annual River and Wind Challenge – Saturday, Sept. 18 Be there to enjoy a day of biking with the whole family and directly raise funds supporting local neighbors in need. The rides start at 8 a.m. at the Meyersdale Train Station; registrants will ride bikes along the Great Allegheny Passage between a 50 or…
Read MoreProgress at Somerset Lake Nature Park
Work toward refilling Somerset Lake moves forward on two fronts. First, the spillway control structure is taking shape at the dam. This will control the water level allowing adjustments as needed. Once all the pieces are in place, a test will fill the lake partially. The contractor can check the dam and structures to see…
Read MoreAvailable now – THE GREAT ALLEGHENY PASSAGE COMPANION – Vol. 2
The updated and expanded edition of Bill Metzgar’s “THE GREAT ALLEGHENY PASSAGE COMPANION – Vol. 2” is available now. The first edition of The Great Allegheny Passage Companion told stories of the trail’s first 100 miles from McKeesport to Meyersdale. Now, Bill Metzger takes you along the completed GAP Trail from Cumberland to Pittsburgh. In Bill’s inimitable…
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