Get Outta Tahn: Redbank Creek Trail
I haven’t ridden on the Yough, Montour or Panhandle Trails in….ages. Months? I’m delighted that so many people have discovered these gems in their backyard and have dusted off their bikes and walking shoes to get outdoors as a means to slog through this pandemic, but the trails are so crowded with people not wearing masks or having questionable skills or ear buds or kiddos learning to ride that it’s not the solitude I’m looking for. (BTW, become a member to support these volunteer-run trails!).
Before the fall semester starts at the end of August, there was not going to be any vacation, epic endurance ride down the GAP to D.C., or up the Pine Creek Trail aka Pennsylvania’s Grand Canyon. I just don’t trust staying places that I don’t know and potentially being around people who think science is a myth and that’s a lot of money to spend not feeling at ease in my surroundings. So I decided that it would be equally worthy to make a few day trips to explore rails-to-trails that are close enough to the city for a day trip and sleep in my own bed, but far enough away not to attract the crowds and find my solitude. Even better, I can drag along my dad and other club members who also enjoy exploring new trails. I’m calling it my Get Outta Tahn initiative.
First on tap was the Redbank Valley Trail an hour north of the city high in the headwaters of the Allegheny River. Between the western terminus on the Allegheny River outside of East Brady to the eastern end in Brookville the trail is 41 miles one-way. There is an option to take the Sligo Spur that is 9 miles one-way. If you did everything round trip you’re looking at 105 miles! That would be quite a day, but we’ll save that for another time. We were looking for a scenic and mellow three hour ride, and the Redbank delivered.
I’ll start off by saying that parking in East Brady is a great place to begin riding the trail, particularly because they have the best (clean! new! modern! roomy! a skylight!) trailhead bathrooms I have ever experienced. Game over.
Out of East Brady you actually begin on the Armstrong Trail that runs along the Allegheny River for 35 miles down past Kittanning. Well before that, we turned left where the Redbank Creek meets the Allegheny to begin the trail and right away you knew that you were headed into solitude. The Redbank Creek was well hidden behind the thick summer foliage, but it was cool and shaded and our only company for the first hour were herds of white-tailed deer and bambis hopping along the trail. The trail was in remarkable condition, dark crushed limestone and super smooth.
The Redbank has a series of tunnels that do require lights. Eight miles up the Redbank is the 640-foot Long Point Tunnel that transports you to the other side through its original, raw stone walls. At mile 17 of the Redbank trail is the 517-long Climax Tunnel that was built in 1872 and paved and renovated in 2018. We turned around after the Climax Tunnel, which gave us 43 miles round trip from East Brady. Along the trail you will find a few art installations, and for the bikepackers a well thought out camping shelter called Ray’s Place named after one of the trails volunteers.
One of the nicest parts of this trail was seeing new vegetation! We could tell that we were riding farther northeast into the mountains as mountain laurels and pine trees appeared along the trail. That in itself was worth getting outta tahn.
The Route
Most of the trail is described above. There are several options in this area, such as riding to New Bethlehem for lunch, or all the way to Brookville and staying the night before riding back (or doing it round trip all in one day!). Starting farther south, such as in Kittaning, and riding up the Armstrong Trail then connecting to the Redbank would also give a great tour of the area and potentially connecting to other trails and roads farther east.