AVTA and the Great American Cleanup April 27, 2024

Sandy Creek Trail


Description
Belmar Bridge The Sandy Creek, built between 2000 and 2005, has 12 miles of asphalt surface, 7 pedestrian-safe bridges and a tunnel. The eastern section of this trail winds 8 miles along East Sandy Creek through some of Pennsylvania's most spectacular hills, valleys, and forest.

The trail runs east and west, crossing over the Allegheny River and the Allegheny River Trail 5 miles south of Franklin. The Belmar Bridge is 1385 feet long with a wooden deck and railings and a great view of the river valley. To the west of the Belmar Bridge, the trail runs four miles along the Allegheny River to the Fisherman's Cove Road where it crosses Big Sandy Creek. The area is almost entirely undeveloped, remote, and of great natural beauty.

Facilities
Bring your own food, water, spare tire and pump. Bring a cell phone if you have one. A Porta-Potty has been at the Belmar Trailhead from May through September. Also a couple picnic table are near the trail at Belmar and one about a half mile from each end of the trail. You'll find sporadic benches and there's an Adirondack Shelter just east of the 7 mi. marker near Van.

Special Features
The spectacular Belmar Bridge over the Allegheny River was built in 1907 as part of a railroad built by local oil man Charles Miller and John D. Rockefeller intended to connect New York with Chicago. Ultimately, it transported much of the coal from Clarion County to Ashtabula on Lake Erie. Creek vistas and occasional benches dot the trail.

Location
Deep Valley Tunnel
Deep Valley Tunnel
Sandy Creek from 5th Bridge towards Van
View from one of the seven bridges