Indian Creek Valley Trail

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The Indian Creek Valley Trail is a walking and biking trail constructed on the former railway of the Indian Creek Valley Railroad. It is located in the Indian Creek Valley nestled between Laurel Hill and Chestnut Ridge in Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands region.

History

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The Indian Creek Valley Railroad was established in 1906 for Laurel Hill timbering operations.  By 1910, 22 miles of railroad were complete from the Jones Mills to the Youghiogheny River, passing through the small towns of Champion, Melcroft, Indian Head and Mill Run.  By this time, four passenger trains were running per day in addition to the freight trains carrying coal from local mines.  In 1969 the railroad was abandoned as timbering and deep mining declined and much of the coal that continued to be mined in the valley was transported by truck.

After abandonment by the railroad, Saltlick Township acquired ownership of the portion of the RR grade in their township, and MWA acquired the grade from Jones Mills to Champion and downstream from Indian Head approximately 2 miles.

Our goal is to develop the entire 22 miles of the former railroad into a bike, hike and ski trail, eventually crossing the Youghiogheny to join with the Great Allegheny Passage.

Watch the video outlining the history of the Indian Creek Railroad. It is very informational for the history buffs out there!

Visit the Trail

Currently, there are 10 miles of finished and 5 miles of unfinished trail.  The trail is open for four season use for activities including walking, biking, cross country skiing and snowshoeing.  Portions of the Saltlick Township section are plowed in the winter for walking.

To express any general trail concerns, please contact taylor@mtwatershed.com or 724-455-4200 ext 5#. If you have a concern about the County Line Road to Indian Head trail section, please contact Saltlick Township at 724-455-2866.

Follow us on the Indian Creek Valley Trail Facebook page to get up to date information about the trail!

JOIN A TRAIL WALK OR EVENT

Birds & Blooms Hike in the Gorge

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May 4 @ 8:00 am - 11:00 am

Kick off the spring with a relaxing, informative nature hike on the Indian Creek Valley Trail! Local naturalists, Josh Lawrey and Lisa Smith, will guide us into the Indian Creek…

Indian Creek Valley Trail Golf Scramble

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June 7

The Fourth Annual ICV Trail Golf Scramble will benefit the Gorge Washout Project! Join us for a fun day of golf and games at the Donegal Highlands Golf Course! Registration…

Celebrate Trails Day ICVT Walk

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April 27 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Join Lindsey, our Education Coordinator, for a guided nature walk on the Indian Creek Valley Trail in honor of Celebrate Trails Day! We’ll start walking at CW Resh Park in…

Current Trail Projects

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Indian Creek Gorge Washout

In July of 2021, the Indian Creek Valley Trail experienced a storm event which caused a portion of the “gorge” section of trail to wash away. The gorge wash out is a safety concern due to the steep drop off exposed by the storm and the trail is currently taped off around these hazards.

Mountain Watershed Association (MWA) has been in contact with local engineers to explore what MWA’s options are for fixing the wash out. It has been concluded that the estimated cost of repairs and engineering will total $160,000.

Fundraising Goal for Gorge Washouts
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Would you like to volunteer for the ICVT?

If you are interested in volunteering your time for trail maintenance, construction, fundraising, or information tabling, please contact our Conservation & Recreation Manger, Taylor Robbins, at taylor@mtwatershed.com or call 724-455-4200 ext 5# and leave your contact information.