Trail Heads
The Butler-Freeport Community Trail is about an hour northeast of the City of Pittsburgh. The 16-mile rail-trail on the corridor, open since 1989, is nestled in the scenic wooded valley that follows Little Buffalo Creek to Buffalo Creekand on to the Allegheny River at Freeport. The trail is flat and easy to ride. Heading north from Butler, you’ll be on a slight incline. The trail surface moves from crushed stone to dirt to asphalt.
This former rail corridor dating back to 1872 travels along the tranquil Little Buffalo and Buffalo creeks, and through farmland, rural villages and woodlands. The trail also allows hikers a glimpse of the remnants of industries that once flourished along the railroad route. Home to abundant wildlife, this trail offers trekkers scenic beauty, but also accessibility to camping, restrooms, grocery stores and even restaurants. While the trail passes close to these modern comforts, it still possesses the natural scenic beauty of the wilderness. The 20-mile Butler-Freeport rail-trail has an 11-mile section with a compacted crushed limestone base suitable for road bikes