Grand Views Coming to the Rachel Carson Trail

An unpleasant and dangerous segment of the Rachel Carson Trail has been transformed from a hazard to a highlight thanks to our largest property acquisitions to date.

Over the past year, the Conservancy has purchased 17 acres at the corner of Murray Hill and Riddle Run Road in Frazer Township and 43 acres to the north of the Murray Hill Estates community in East Deer Township. The two purchases are supported by grants from Pennsylvania’s Community Conservation Partnership Program and the Allegheny Regional Asset District. But the opportunity to even consider the acquisitions came from the contributions of members and hikers enjoying the trail and the annual Rachel Carson Trail Challenge.

Since late 2017, the Conservancy’s Safer Trails committee has been researching routes and reaching out to property owners to move the trail off roads. Along with the aforementioned acquisitions, four generous private landowners on the west side of Riddle Run Road consented to hosting the trail on their properties. Together, this has completely changed the character of the section between Springdale and Creighton. The trail is now almost entirely off-road, making it safer, sylvan, and serene. And soon, the trail will no longer pass through the backyards and patios of Murray Hill Estates residents and will instead feature grand views up and down the Allegheny River.

Trail stewards and volunteers have been busy building the new trail all summer long. An open house will be held in early spring to celebrate the effort and energy of our volunteers, thank landowners, and introduce the trail to our neighbors. Stay tuned to the RCTC social media and website for details.