Pennsylvania trails · Great Allegheny Passage
Great Allegheny Passage
A 149.9-mile network in Pennsylvania, with 2,132 ft of climbing. Reaches Sugar Run Falls and other pass/spring/viewpoint/waterfall destinations. Managed by Pennsylvania DCNR.
Elevation profile
Most of the climbing sits in the first third — 82% of the ascent, between mile 0.0 and mile 50.0. It gives back about 3,061 ft along the way, so it rolls rather than climbing steadily.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Reaches
- Sugar Run Falls (waterfall)
- The Narrows (pass)
- Big Blue Spring (spring)
- Zorianna Bay (viewpoint)
- Red Waterfall (viewpoint)
Getting there
Great Allegheny Passage access — parking nearby. About 22 min drive (10 mi) from Pittsburgh. 40.35081, -79.86931 · directions
Daylight at the trailhead
On October 14, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 7:01 a.m., the sun rises at 7:28 a.m. and sets at 6:41 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 7:08 p.m. (EDT) — 11 h 12 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 149.9-mile route works out to roughly 56 h 35 min of walking — more than a single day of daylight here, so plan it as an overnight or hike it in sections.
Loop options
- Great Allegheny Passage — 6.5 mi loop, 105 ft gain
- Great Allegheny Passage + Erie to Pittsburgh Trail — 5.5 mi loop, 202 ft gain
- Three Rivers Heritage Trail + Erie to Pittsburgh Trail + Great Allegheny Passage — 6.2 mi loop, 361 ft gain
Nearby trails
- Rachel Carson Trail — 23.3 mi
- Raccoon Creek State Park Trails — 29.5 mi