Montour Trail GPS & Coffee Bicycle Ride

Groveton to Logan Road
Groveton to Ridge Road
GPS Map of the Montour
Montour Waypoints (work in progress)

In June 2006 I took two rides on the Montour Trail, starting in Groveton PA, going down to the eastern "ends" of the trail, and reversing to Groveton. I was very pleasantly surprised to discover a great coffee/espresso shop located on the trail, just turn off the trail and you're in their outdoor seating - I don't know what touring in Italy is like, but I think that riding the trail and stopping for coffee is pretty close.

Groveton to Logan Road (78 miles)

My first long ride on the Montour started in Groveton (on Route 51 near Coraopolis) and headed west. I got lost at Hendersonville, I followed the dead-end trail segment past MP28 to the closed Greer Tunnel; I should have taken the detour instead. I got way lost and ended up walking my bike out of the woods, then joined the roads and picked my way through to Route19 and the trailhead.

It was a little embarassing to get lost on a trail with my GPS. This ride was on National Trails Day, and the Peters Branch folks were having a trail celebration; I saw two volunteers with Montour Trail t-shirts and asked, where's the trail? And they said, right here, while somebody snapped this photo showing the back of my bicyle. Getting lost was my fault, I should have printed the detour directions.

I followed the trail and ended up riding to Logan Road before reversing course and riding back. I rode 40 miles from Groveton (south of Coraopolis, along Route 51) to Logan Road, and returned home in 38 miles, the difference being my poor navigation eastbound. I started riding at 9:30am, and was back in my car at 5:15pm.

It had rained until midnight the night before, but the trail had dried off pretty well, just a few isolated wet spots. Trail conditions were excellent for the length of the Montour. I did see a black snake crossing the trail, biggest one I've ever seen.

I thought I'd ridden the length of the Montour, but when reviewing the maps I realized I'd travelled on the Arrowhead Trail and the Bethel Branch of the Montour, but I hadn't exhausted the Montour yet.

Groveton to Ridge Road and Coffee (79 miles)

The following week I set out with Rusty to explore the other side of the eastern end of the Montour Trail. We rode east and at the split (Library Junction) we turned right; last week I'd completely missed the turn point, it's only marked by a single, low-profile Montour Trail sign.

The trail continued east until Route 88, and then Rusty ded.reckoned us around to Stewart Road where we rejoined the trail to Ridge Road, when we reversed and headed back.

Instead of going straight home, we stopped at a trailside coffee house, Farmhouse Coffee in McMurray. We each got lattes with extra shots, sat on their porch and munched pastries; this was very nice and it's my new Fav-Destination on the Montour Trail.

Fortified with caffeine and cake, we continued home safely. I was very surprised at how steep the climb is on the detour, just west of Route 19 going westbound. Both weeks I ended up getting off the bike and walking uphill. This is located in a hamlet called "Hill", now I know how it got that name.