The Ghost Town Trail Loop is Complete!
A Historic Moment: The Ghost Town Trail Loop is Complete!
After years of vision, planning, and dedicated work, we are thrilled to announce the completion of the Ghost Town Trail loop—making it the second largest looped rail trail in the United States!
The C & I Extension: A Dream Decades in the Making
The Ghost Town Trail’s story began in 1991 when the Kovalchick Salvage Company made a generous donation of 16 miles of the former Ebensburg & Black Lick Railroad to Indiana County. What started as a 12-mile stretch between Dilltown and Nanty Glo has grown into an incredible 54-mile trail system that now includes a spectacular 32-mile continuous loop.
In 1993, the Cambria & Indiana Railroad donated an additional 4 miles known as the Rexis Branch along the C & I Extension of the Ghost Town Trail. Over the years, segments were added as funding became available. And now, with the completion of a ~2-mile section in Nanty Glo, we’ve closed the loop and created something truly extraordinary for residents and visitors in the Cambria County region.
The final $4.6 million project included constructing two bridges over Cardiff Road and Beulah Road, building a pedestrian box culvert under Church Street, and reclaiming former mine lands. The work was carefully planned in two phases, with the final bridges installed to close the gap and create an uninterrupted loop that allows visitors to experience the full breadth of the trail without retracing their steps.
A Legacy of Collaboration
This achievement represents the power of collaboration. Designated as a National Recreation Trail by the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Ghost Town Trail has benefited from partnerships between county government, state and federal agencies through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Protection, and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, local agencies such as the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies and the C & I Trail Council, contractors, and countless community supporters who believed in the vision.
The trail is also part of the larger Trans Allegheny Trails system and the Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition’s developing 1,500-mile trail network through Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and New York. Each connection strengthens our region’s position as a premier outdoor recreation destination.
Come Experience History
With the loop now complete, there’s never been a better time to explore the Ghost Town Trail. Whether you’re a serious cyclist tackling the full 32-mile loop, a family looking for a scenic afternoon ride, a history buff eager to explore industrial archaeology, or a nature lover seeking beautiful woodlands and wildlife, this trail system offers something special.
The Ghost Town Trail tells the story of where we’ve been—the boom and bust of the coal industry, the hardworking communities that powered America’s industrial revolution, and the resilience of nature reclaiming its place. There’s a reason it was recognized as Pennsylvania’s 2020 Trail of the Year!
We invite you to lace up your shoes, hop on your bike, or put on your cross-country skis (in winter) and discover why people from around the world are coming to experience this remarkable achievement.