Regional Trail Corporation
We Are TrailKeepers
We make sure the trails are there for you.
- 85+
- miles of trail
- 10,000+
- volunteer hours a year
- 9
- local chapters
- 35
- years of stewardship
across four trail systems
one of PA's largest volunteer-powered trail programs
rooted in their own communities
building trails since 1991
Who we are
Transforming old railroad lines into greenways
The Regional Trail Corporation (RTC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1991. We were at the forefront of a wonderful, growing phenomenon: old abandoned railroad lines transformed into greenways, creating new ideas in recreation, conservation, and tourism, and tying cities, small communities, and municipalities together. Today RTC and its local chapters care for more than 85 miles of rail-trail across Allegheny, Fayette, and Westmoreland counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
Almost all of that work is done by volunteers. The people who mow the corridors, resurface the limestone, clear downed trees after a storm, and staff the visitor centers are TrailKeepers, the name we give to everyone who gives time, money, or a voice to keep these trails open and free to use.
6 of our 9 chapters maintain sections of the Great Allegheny Passage, the 150-mile rail-trail connecting Cumberland, Maryland to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At Cumberland it meets the C&O Canal Towpath for a continuous, car-free route all the way to Washington, D.C.
Many communities, one trail
New concepts in recreation, conservation & tourism
Explore the interactive map
Many communities. One shared responsibility.
- Bicycling
- Walking
- Running
- Hiking
- Skiingcross-country
- Horsebackselect trails
What TrailKeepers do
It takes maintenance.
Every mile you ride or walk is the product of three ongoing efforts, and each one needs people.
Maintenance
The physical work that keeps trails open and safe: resurfacing, mowing, clearing downed trees and landslides, and building the benches, kiosks, and shelters trail users rely on.
Advocacy
The quiet, persistent work of protecting trail access: coordinating with railroads, municipalities, and the state, and securing the licenses and grants that keep corridors public.
Community
The visible presence that grows the movement: annual events, visitor centers, and local chapters that turn a trail into a place where neighbors meet and the next generation falls in love with the outdoors.
Nine local chapters
Find a trail near you
According to the Pennsylvania DCNR, the Great Allegheny Passage is one of the most-visited rail-trails in the United States, drawing an estimated 1 million visitors a year, and TrailKeepers volunteers are the primary workforce keeping it and three more trail systems maintained. Each chapter is a local volunteer group caring for its own named section.
- Great Allegheny Passage
12.6 miles · Fayette County
Yough River Trail Council
A flat, 12.6-mile stretch of the Great Allegheny Passage along the Youghiogheny River through Connellsville and the Fayette County countryside.
GAP mileposts 89-102
Explore this trail 
Great Allegheny Passage4.5 miles · Fayette County
Whitsett/Fayette Yough Trail Council
A short, family-focused section of the Great Allegheny Passage around mileposts 102–106 with a playground, ball field, pavilions, and paved parking.
GAP mileposts 102-106
Explore this trail- Great Allegheny Passage
9.3 miles · Westmoreland County
Westmoreland Yough Trail Council
9.3 wooded miles of the Great Allegheny Passage along the Youghiogheny River through southern Westmoreland County, with a visitor center in West Newton.
GAP mileposts 106-115
Explore this trail 
Great Allegheny Passage15.8 miles · Allegheny County
Mon/Yough Trail Council
The Mon/Yough section of the Great Allegheny Passage along the Youghiogheny River, with a seasonal visitor center at the Boston trailhead.
GAP mileposts 115-131
Explore this trail
Great Allegheny Passage1.8 miles · Allegheny County
McKeesport Trail Commission
The city-appointed commission that connects, maintains, and improves the GAP and the McKeesport LOOP through the City of McKeesport.
GAP mileposts 131-133
Explore this trail
Great Allegheny Passage9.6 miles · Allegheny County
Steel Valley Trail Council
The Mon Valley section of the Great Allegheny Passage, linking McKeesport, Duquesne, and the Homestead Waterfront on the doorstep of Pittsburgh.
GAP mileposts 133-142
Explore this trail
Regional Trail6.1 miles · Westmoreland County
Coal and Coke Trail
A history-rich rail-trail between Mount Pleasant and Scottdale, following Jacob's Creek past old coke ovens in the heart of the coke region.
Mile markers 0-5, Mount Pleasant to Scottdale
Explore this trail
Regional Trail7.8 miles · Westmoreland County
Five Star Trail
A flat, accessible rail-with-trail from Greensburg to Youngwood, popular for walking, running, and easy family rides in the heart of Westmoreland County.
Mile markers 0-6.1, Lynch Field to Youngwood
Explore this trail- Regional Trail
8.5 + 10.2 miles · Westmoreland County
Westmoreland Heritage Trail
A scenic, wide, accessible rail-trail through Westmoreland County's heritage communities, two growing sections aimed at a 22-mile route that will one day reach the GAP.
Mile markers 0-22, Saltsburg to Trafford
Explore this trail
Three ways in
There’s a place for you on the trail
It starts with showing up. The trails exist because people built them, and they stay open because people maintain them. Visit, volunteer, or simply represent: every bit keeps the next mile open.
Visit a Trail
Explore our trails and we're certain you'll gain an appreciation for their beauty, and a reason to help keep them open.
See our trails
Volunteer
Organized trail-maintenance days run year-round across all four trail systems. No experience required; training is provided on site.
Find opportunities
Represent Us
A TrailKeeper jersey on the GAP, a cap at a club ride, a patch on a pack: each one extends the community into places no newsletter can reach.
Shop merchSupport the trails
Keep the trails open and free.
The Regional Trail Corporation is a volunteer-powered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your gift pays for the corridor itself: surfacing, signage, bridges, and tools.
Regional Trail Corporation · 501(c)(3) nonprofit · EIN 25-1660116
- Resurfacing & grading
- Bridges & trailheads
- Signage & kiosks
- Fuel, parts & tools