About the Trail
Currently, there are 14 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 (no ATV use allowed). 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.
History
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!
Current Trail Projects
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. We have concluded that the estimated cost of repairs and engineering will total $160,000.
Indian Creek Valley Trail News
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.