wiggles

https://www.abandonedturnpike.com/

I went to this place about one week ago, and I must say it is incredible. Bring a mountain bike or a hybrid at the very lease as the riding is not very gentle - the roads are in pretty horrible disrepair.

Basically, this was one of the first turnpike expressways in the US. Traffic outgrew the one lane tunnels, and so the turnpike commission had to close off a pretty significant portion of the turnpike. Whats left is a four lane highway which runs about 13 miles end to end. This includes two tunnels, one stretching 0.7mi, and another stretching 1.6 mi (according to my cyclocomputer). The tunnels were NUTS. The first one you can see end to end so it isn't that bad. The second, well, its pitch black inside. We stopped midway through and all you could see was darkness, and all you could hear was wind and the dripping of water. Bring flashlights!

Its a rather smoothe ride except for the rough terrain, and the land was purchased to be used exclusively for cycling. We met a ton of cool people.

Its great if you like exploring because some of the tunnel maintainance rooms and stuff can be accessed. Definately worth the trip!

If any of you have been there, what were your experiences?

Little Darwin

That looks interesting. Although if the group did what they said they would and relit the tunnels and repaved part of the roads it looks like an incredible resource.

It seems to say that the entrance to both sides is accessible, then says that the bridge to one side has been removed (the one at the Ramada Inn).

Then it seems to say that you can be cited for tresspassing if you are caught going through the Turnpike Commission's maintenance area to get to it...

Sounds like a fun place to ride. Did you take any pictures?

wiggles

You can access both sides, albiet indirectly. The locals were a big help. Right off the breezewood exit there's a travelers lodge you can stop at and the people were super friendly and helpful. About 3 doors down? A Cannondale shop who were able to show us maps of the local trails.

The bridges that connected the old turnpike were removed in 2005 for safety reasons, but you can still access both ends of the trail in between. Its basically disconnected from the turnpike commission's property unless you climb up a steep rock bank where the bridge used to be. If you end up visiting you'll see what I mean. Just look for the PIKE2BIKE signs.

I have some pictures, I'll see what I can upload.

nismosr

how far is that from NJ ?

wiggles

From Bethlehem it was about a 3.5 hour drive down the PA turnpike. If you're near Phillipsburg NJ it'd probably similar times if you take 78 to the turnpike.

Ka_Jun

I read they filmed "The Road" there. Supposed to be really cool stretch of trail.

wiggles

https://picasaweb.google.com/floor9/A...lvaniaTurnpike

There are some pictures I found. Sadly my friend hasn't put her photos up on picasa.

keg61

a Cannondale dealer in Breezewood, really?? I used to be a truck driver passing thru Breezewood fairly often and never noticed it, is on US30 or a side road?

indyfabz

Zombie thread from 2008.


In any event, a bike shop there does sound odd. I rode the turnpike in 2012 while touring across PA. PA Bike Route S goes through Breezewood and then head on U.S. 30 east of there before turning off. I took the turnpike as an alternate. Taking the turnpike eliminates a big climb out of Breezewood, and It's easy to get back onto Route S once you reach the east end of the rideable section. Getting through Breezewood on a bike is a nightmare. Long lights and lots and lots of truck and other traffic. There is a small, unpaved parking area on Tannery Rd. just north of U.S. 30, which is the western terminus of turnpike.


It was a great ride. Saw only two other people (walkers) that weekday afternoon. It was a warm and humid day, so the coolness of the tunnels was a welcome relief. As for the tunnels, you need a good light. Heading east, the second (and longer) of the two tunnels has a crown closer to the eastern portal, which means you literally cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel until you get closer to the end. I used a very bright camping headlamp. At someone's suggestion, I simply followed the median striping, which was still visible. Road surface inside the tunnels were good. A friend of mine just road it back in September during a tour west to Falling Water. No problems to report.


And yes. It was a filming location for "The Road" starring Viggo Mortensen. Early on the film a band of bad guys drives a vehicle out of a tunnel. That was filmed on the turnpike.


BTW...I rode the ART from Franklin to Emlenton in 2013 as part of another cross-PA tour that started in Warren, OH. Pretty trail. Camped at the free, trailside campsite in Franklin and saw a pair of bald eagles about 15' above my head while drinking my morning coffee by the river.

keg61

yeah I find myself reading a lot of zombie stuff and not realising it, that turnpike thing is very interesting, I have fantasies about someday pedalling my tricycle from Pittsburgh to DC and if i could make the connection that would be a very interesting side trip... dam, i'll be back in a bit.. ok that was a pleasant break... had a really cute little blonde at my door needing a signature on some medical papers... I'm hoping that ART trail will be my portal to the world next summer, starting in Oil City on the Samuel Justice trail which connects to ART, i lived in Franklin when I first discovered this forum but I'm about 8 miles farther upstream now. I lived at the Emlenton end of the trail when I was riding back in the late80s/early90s when it was still just RR tracks and walked the Emlenton to Foxburg section, which is not yet built, because I worked for the trucking company that owns the property at the Foxburg end and from what I hear the boss man wants about a gazillion dollars too much to give it up which really sucks because it's a crappy old TINY railyard that really has no value to anybody but him and his two dozen trucks

Rollfast

Virtually all the links are zombies too, even for the Conservancy that is supposed to be in charge of the trails.


The last updates are dated 2014. It's not like people really take care of these tiny curiosities well.

datlas 

Zombie thread but still pretty cool. Riding on this has been on my bucket list for several years. Maybe next year. Anyone ridden it recently??

katzenfinch

I’m putting this on my bucket list too. The drone footage of the trail in autumn was spectacular, even though the resolution wasn’t great.

There are some more recent ride reports here: Pike to Bike Trail - Pennsylvania | AllTrails.com

springs

The bike shop in Breezewood moved to Bedford, about 16 miles west. There are plans afoot to develop this abandoned stretch to make it more bike and tourist friendly. Pike2Bike I think the project is called.

datlas 

That's also cool, but also makes it more urgent to ride soon so we can boast how we rode it back before they dumbed it down for the masses.

indyfabz

As noted, I rode it in 2013. My friend rode it this fall. Going west to east, I started out in the westbound lanes, as they were in better condition. At some point, I switched over to the eastbound lanes. I was riding 32c tires, but I was fully loaded with camping and cooking gear. My friend rode his carbon Fuji as he was traveling light and moteling it. Probably with 25c tires. He enjoyed it a lot.


I doubt the Pike 2 Bike project will be going anywhere anytime soon.

keg61

I knew there was a bike shop in Beford, that's part of why I was so surprised when I saw a post about one in Breezewood

springs

The previous owner moved it from Breezewood to Bedford, but it has since been taken over by a new owner. The name stayed the same...Fat Jimmy's Outfitters.

Altair 4

Two of us rode it for the second time in mid October, 2016. The first time was back in 2012.

Here's a ride summary I wrote for the Abandoned Turnpike Yahoo group (which never got posted because it's poorly moderated):
The tunnels are still unlit. You definitely will need lights. We ran across a few other people riding that day, but otherwise it feels pretty desolate.

highmoonpurple

That sounds pretty amazing. I feel like you wouldn't really have to worry too much about getting cited for trespassing as long as you've trained enough!

indyfabz

Trespassing is not an issue. Neither is training. It's only about 8.5 in length, so a round trip is about 17 miles.


Home


Frankly, I hope it stays mostly undeveloped. That's the biggest draw for me. At most, maybe pave a relatively narrow strip off to the side for those who don't want to deal with the deteriorating surface. Definitely DO NOT light the tunnels or clean the graffiti off the portals. The latter would be like cleaning the short stretch of PA 61 in what was once Centralia, PA. The highway had to be relocated due to the underground coal fire. You can walk or ride the short section. It's covered with often funny message and drawings.

CliffordK

It sounds like a great resource, even if short. Hopefully the state will continue to preserve/maintain it for bikes and pedestrians. The bridge removal sounds frustrating.

Drjimh

I live in Mechanicsburg, What section and what tunnel did you ride. Also where did you access the Trail/road?
thanks
Jim

indyfabz

The rideable portion extends about 8 miles between Breezewood and Pump Station Rd. in Harrisonville. There are two tunnels in this section, both unlit.


I was heading west to east so I started at the Breezewood end. Access there is easy. Just east of the last hotel in town, after you cross under I-70 on U.S. 30 heading east, is Tannery Rd. Right at the beginning of Tannery is a small parking area. Walk you bike up the little knoll, go through the Jersey barriers and you are on the right of way. It's actually marked on Google Maps. You can see cars parked there on Street View.


Access on the eastern end is from Pump Station Rd. Just north or where the turnpike used to cross Pump Station Rd. (the bridge has been removed) there is an access road. leading up to the right of way. If you search Google Maps for "Pump Station Road, Harrisonville, PA" you can see it on Street View.


I'd start on at the western end as the first tunnel is not that far from the eastern terminus, and it's the longer of the two. That will give you more of a chance to get acclimated to riding the right of way before having to deal with tunnels. Also, if you ride out and back there are services in Breezewewood. There are none at the eastern end.

Altair 4

Here's a pretty nice map of the trail:

https://www.thealleghenies.com/images...h_sideling.pdf

Going West to East, Ray's Hill Tunnel (3,500+ feet long) is a little over a mile from the Tannery Road parking area just outside of Breezewood. Sideling Hill tunnel (6,700+ ft.) is closer to the eastern end of the trail. I'm thinking about getting out there for another ride this autumn, when the leaves change.