Local outings and day trips can be a great way to add a little adventure to your family. These tiny trips can be used for research and also to simply get exercise and see something new. Research done on little trips can be extremely helpful on bigger trips, giving you clues about how many bathroom breaks you will need, how many snacks you need to bring, how far you can hike, what your family likes and doesn’t like, and many more possibilities.
On this tiny trip, we tried to stretch our usual adult/kid bike riding distance. Previous “research” showed that 3 miles one way is what some small people can tolerate well. I hoped that the sights along the Ghost Town Trail would keep interest and get us a little farther. It worked… a bit.
The Ghost Town Trail traverses through Indiana and Cambria counties and is named for several abandoned towns and sites it passes. We started at the first access point, in Saylor Park, where the trail begins. Saylor Park has ample parking, a small kids playground, a porta john and some picnicking areas. The playground can be a bit of a motivator for some young riders. On our 3.5ish mile stretch, we rode mostly next to beautiful Blacklick Creek. There were some old rusty things in the first mile, along with a plaque commemorating an old trolley bridge. Most of this 3.5 miles we rode is very slightly uphill, which can be a little harder on new or young bikers. We encountered a few benches but no picnic tables. Since the trail was not busy at all, it was no trouble to find a good spot on the side for lunch. Some photos from the trail:
Since we drove an hour northeast to Indiana county, it seemed wise to squeeze in another sight or two before we headed back. We went to Buttermilk Falls, one of the larger waterfalls in PA at 46 feet tall. It was only a 15 minute drive from the trailhead, definitely worth our time. The land was originally owned by Fred Rogers’s grandfather, who was really named Mr. McFeely. There is a McFeely trail on the property, and a very short trail to the falls, about 1/4 mile in our estimation. The trail begins paved, continues in packed dirt/rocks, and becomes stairs close to the falls. It even leads behind the falls, very exciting for children. Here are some photos of the area:
For our last stop, we couldn’t resist taking a photo of the intersection of Clyde and Harry Boring Roads. For more “interesting” place names, see my post here:https://www.respectthevan.com/curious-places/
Hope your travels are not boring!