Cowanshannock Trail

The short but scenic Cowanshannock Trail is a great pathway for hikers, walkers, and bikers to use to link to the larger Armstrong Trail. The Cowanshannock is 1.27 miles long, and plans are to extend it as much as four miles. The trail follows the Cowanshannock Creek on an abandoned Pennsylvania Railroad Company corridor. In the early part of the 20th century, the trail corridor was used to haul coal mined by the Kittaning Iron and Steel Manufacturing Company as well as brick made by the Cowanshannock Brick and Manufacturing Company and the Willard Brick Company. The trail begins at the Bernard Snyder Picnic Area, a beautifully landscaped area with views of the Allegheny River. About halfway into the trail you will come to a beautiful waterfall on the right side of the trail. A pretty wooden bridge crosses the creek here. The trail ends at a cul-de-sac on the banks of the creek.