Riders, walkers enjoy natural setting, wildlife along bike/hike trail
OHIOPYLE – It’s a hot, humid August afternoon in Ohiopyle State Park where the Great Allegheny Passage bike/hike trail still manages to attract its share of riders and walkers who come to enjoy the scenic beauty.Why do they like it? “The trees and water, the peacefulness and togetherness,’ Swiderski said. “I’m pretty much a walker. We do it to keep in shape.’
“It’s just nice scenery up here,’ Radenic said.
The couple also had a first-hand experience with wildlife, discovering a rattlesnake on the trail. The snake didn’t want to budge so the couple waited until some bikers came by.
The bikes scared the snake, causing it to leave the trail and allowed the couple to continue their walk.
Linda McCutchan, who rides her bike while wearing a jaunty straw hat, leads the way as a group of eight bikers approaches the end of the trail in Ohiopyle.
Her husband, Gordon, and Tom Crumrine, all of Columbus, Ohio, and Bob Dvore of Eighty-Four follow behind. Dvore has ridden the trail before while Crumrine has hiked it.
“It’s beautiful,’ McCutchan said. “It’s a lovely ride, very nice. Beautiful scenery, just pretty.’
“It’s fun to see the train,’ she added.
“And it’s nice to see the rafters and the fishermen – uh, fisherpersons,’ said Crumrine as he smiles.
Dvore, like Mrs. McCutchan, enjoys watching birds on the trail.
Crumrine grew up in Scenery Hill, which is located in Washington County, so he knew about the Ohiopyle trail. Dvore’s wife, Kathy, now joins the group.
“I’m soaking wet,’ she announces. “But it was gorgeous. They say it’s uphill that way and then down on the way back, but I still had to pedal.’
Nancy Crumrine shows up in a sarcastic mood: “It was wonderful. It was so much fun,’ she said, joking about the humidity. “I haven’t been on the trail long enough.’
They are finally joined by Ed and Linda Schultz, also of Scenery Hill.
“It’s very nice being out here. It’s beautiful,” Linda Schultz said. “It’s the first time I’ve been on the trail.’
“I’ve been on it before. It’s nice. I enjoy it,’ Linda Schultz said. “It’s not a weekly thing, but we enjoy it.’
The eight of them left the trail as they prepared to have a late picnic lunch.
Bill and Mary Claire Bavis of Gaithersburg, Md., are spending their fourth time biking at Ohiopyle.
“We’ve done the C&O Canal, this (trail) three or four times, Cumberland. We’ve been to Europe several times,’ Mary Claire Bavis said.
“We were introduced to this by our bike club, the Chain Gang out of Deep Creek,’ she added, noting the logo on the polo shirts the couple wears. “We just did 22 miles. We’re tired.’
When this bike/hike trail first opened at Ohiopyle State Park in 1986, officials estimated that 12,000 people used it during the first six months.
Today, park manager Doug Hoehn said, “We’ve been estimating that between 250,000 and 350,000 people a year go biking and walking on the sections within the state park.’
Starting as a nine-mile trail from Ohiopyle to Confluence, the trail is now about 28 miles. It runs from Confluence to just outside Connellsville.
A spokeswoman for the Allegheny Trail Alliance explained this is part of the Great Allegheny Passage, a 152-mile trail that will run between Cumberland and Pittsburgh when completed in 2005. She said the trail in Cumberland connects with the completed C&O Canal Towpath, which runs to Washington, D.C.
“Obviously, Saturdays and Sundays are the most popular days, but the trail is used fairly extensively every day,” Hoehn said. “You can go today, and there’ll be plenty of people around.’
He reported that maintenance of the trail is required, which includes adding stone where it’s dusty and removing grass where it is encroaching. Barricades – a split-rail fence – are added to places to keep vehicles out and, in some places, to keep bikers on.
“Nothing’s entirely perfect, but for the most part, people are satisfied,’ Hoehn said. “There are people, who are satisfied with the surface. It’s crushed limestone. Others would like to see it paved. We feel the surface is in character with the natural setting, and it’s easier to maintain.’
Generally, on hot days, people are more likely to ride in the morning and evening.
“Normally, on the weekends, the trail is peaking at 2 p.m. on Saturdays. On Sundays, it’s a little later. People get a later start after church,’ Hoehn said.
Parking is still a problem, Hoehn said. Vehicles parked throughout the town serve as an indication of the large number of people who are enjoying Ohiopyle. While the trail is full of activity in the summer, Hoehn said, “Some of the busiest times are in October when the leaves start turning.’
In the fall, hunters also use the trail for access to remote areas. However, they are not permitted to carry loaded weapons on the trail.
Fishermen use the trail extensively for access to the river, Hoehn noted. People are even on the trail in the winter, using it for cross-country skiing and winter hiking.
“The trail is open 365 days a year,” Hoehn said. He reported the trail is also being used more often for special events, including a bike-a-thon. Permission is required.
For information, call the park office at 724-329-8591. Information on the Great Allegheny Passage is available on the Internet by checking the Web site at www.atatrail.org or calling 1-888-ATA-BIKE.