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An Epic Story of Trail Bridges, Rail Tunnels, & other cool relics

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Part of a Series of Self-Guided Itineraries

Redbank Coaling Tower, Armstrong Trail

You don’t need to be a bridge or rail history buff to take pleasure in the “epic infrastructure” along the IHTC trails. Feel the cool air as you pedal through converted rail tunnels. Look out upon river valleys from elevated rail bridges and experience awe. Have fun and connect to regional industrial heritage with our Epic Infrastructure Story Map.

Our Epic Infrastructure Story Map showcases:
  • Nineteenth Century truss bridges (Caperton Trail, Oil Creek State Park Trail, and others)
  • 17 rail tunnels-turned-places to play (including 10 on the North Bend Rail Trail alone)
  • A covered bridge (Sheepskin Trail)
  • An old railroad turntable and a 1930 coaling tower (you’ll pass right under it) (Armstrong Trail)
  • A floating bridge (Towpath Trail)
  • Suspension bridges (Three Rivers Heritage Trail, Towpath Trail, Wheeling Heritage Trails)
  • Five stone arch bridges in a 15-mile span (West Penn Trail)
  • Beehive coke ovens and old canal locks (Sheepskin Trail, Towpath Trail)

This Story Map highlights dozens of bridges, tunnels, and other epic infrastructure – both new and old. The sites are spread across three states, so feel free to take your time and discover them at your own pace. This Story Map can easily be paired with our others:

 

West Virginia Rail-Trail Sojourn

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April 24-26

RTC is excited to be launching the first ever West Virginia Rail-Trail Sojourn in April 2015!

The 2015 sojourn in West Virginia will center on the city of Morgantown, home to West Virginia University and the burgeoning Mon River Trails system, 48 miles of rail-trail in the north central part of the state, connecting Marion, Monongahela and Preston counties.

With Morgantown, as the hub, riders will take a full day each to explore the region’s three premier rail-trails: the Deckers Creek Trail, the Mon River Trail North (including the Sheepskin and Cheat River trails) and the Mon River Trail South.

West Virginia has taken great strides recently toward developing a rail-trail system that complements its wonderful natural landscape of the Appalachians and its historic small towns and cities. The inaugural West Virginia sojourn will highlight key gaps in the Mon River Trails system that, if completed, would result in a 142-mile rail-trail system and unite with the Great Allegheny Passage in Pennsylvania to create an unrivaled two-state network.

Register Now!