Harmony Trail Extends North to Bradford Woods
The Conservancy has taken some initial steps toward the long term vision of blazing a hiking trail from Route 910 in Pine Township to McConnells Mills State Park and the North Country Trail. The first successes are a result of the outreach work of the Conservancy’s Harmony Trail committee and partnerships with the municipalities promoting the Commodore Perry Trail Network. A new sidewalk along Brennan Road is scheduled to be constructed over the winter. Not everyone will see this as the start of a path to Slippery Rock Creek…but for members of the Conservancy and hikers of western Pennsylvania it will be seen a crucial baby step toward closing the largest gap of the Rachel Carson Loop.
The Harmony Trail grows as we stitch together the remnants of the former Harmony Short-Line railway right-of-way with walkways of new commercial and residential developments, long term municipal trail plans, and innovative trail blazing partnerships facilitated by the Conservancy.
This first extension is an example. The trail will cross Route 910 (thanks to Pine Township) and use the walkways of the new Wexford Station Development until it reaches Brennan Road in Pine Township. A little north, the Harmony right-of-way is owned by Penn Power. At this point the Bradford Woods Conservancy has agreed to partner with us to blaze the trail beneath the power lines and into and through the tree-lined and traffic-calmed neighborhood.
Forest Road in Bradford Woods Borough is already enjoyed by walkers in all seasons. The two non-profit conservancies will work on a complementary and subtle blazing and signage system that both highlights the role that the Harmony Short-Line played in the Borough’s founding and recognizes the role the Harmony Trail will play in the community’s future quality.
The vision of extending a walking route toward the North Country Trail will require a series of sections, each with its own character, challenges and opportunities, to link through Marshall, Cranberry, and Jackson Townships; Zelienople and Harmony Boroughs; and Beaver and Lawrence Counties.
Over the winter the Many Trails, One Community page of our website will be updated with descriptions of the different sections and status of efforts to stitch the vision together. The next update will feature the work of volunteers growing and maintaining the Connoquenessing Valley Heritage Trail system around Zelienople and Harmony.