Permits & applications
Planning an event on the trail?
Organized rides, walks, races, and commercial activities need a permit from the Regional Trail Corporation. Find your trail below, download its application, and send it to us. We are a volunteer organization, so the earlier you apply, the better.
Start here
Do you need a permit?
Most people on our trails never need one. Permits exist for organized and commercial activity, so that big events are coordinated safely and the trail stays open to everyone else while they happen.
Yes, apply for a permit if
- Your event charges participants a fee, whether or not you are a non-profit.
- Your group is larger than 25 people.
- You are running a commercial activity on the trail, such as a guided tour or shuttle service.
- You want to set up tables, signs, rest stops, or transition areas on trail property.
No permit needed for
- A family ride, a training run, or a walk with friends.
- An informal club ride under 25 people that charges nothing.
- Any ordinary day on the trail. The trails are free and open to the public, dawn to dusk.
Applications
Choose your trail
Three applications cover the four trail systems RTC manages. The Westmoreland Heritage and Coal & Coke trails share one form.
Great Allegheny Passage
Special Activities Permit Agreement
- Apply by
- No fixed minimum, but call ahead for date availability
- Fee
- $25 for a single event, or $50 for a calendar-year permit
- Signed by
- The applicant organization
- Insurance must name
- Regional Trail Corporation
- Commercial operators must also enclose a Workers' Compensation certificate.
- Make checks payable to the Regional Trail Corporation.
- Events sponsored by a non-profit may be exempt from the permit fee, even when they charge participants.
Trail details: Yough River, Westmoreland Yough, Whitsett/Fayette, Steel Valley, Mon/Yough, McKeesport
Westmoreland Heritage Trail · Coal & Coke Trail
Special Use Application
- Apply by
- At least 2 full weeks before your date
- Signed by
- The permittee, who must be at least 18
- Insurance must name
- Regional Trail Corporation
- Unsigned applications are returned unprocessed.
- One form covers both trails.
- RTC asks groups to consider a donation of $1 per participant.
Trail details: Westmoreland Heritage, Coal & Coke
Five Star Trail
Special Event Application
- Apply by
- At least 3 full months before your date
- Signed by
- The chief executive officer of the applicant
- Insurance must name
- Regional Trail Corporation, Carload Express, Inc., Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad Company
- Permits are granted only to non-profits, fraternal organizations, businesses, and municipalities.
- The Five Star Trail runs alongside an active railroad line: stay on the trail, never cross the tracks, and keep everything at least 12 feet from the nearest rail centerline.
- Temporary event signs may be posted no more than 7 days and must be under 5 square feet.
Trail details: Five Star
Fillable: type your answers, then print and sign.
Download application (PDF)Before you send it
What every application needs
The same few things hold up most applications. Getting them right the first time saves a round trip.
A certificate of liability insurance
Minimum limits of $1,000,000 each occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, naming the Regional Trail Corporation as an additional insured. Check your trail’s card above: Five Star events must name the railroad companies too.
A real signature
Unsigned applications are returned unprocessed. Check who has to sign: some trails require the chief executive of the applying organization, others accept any permittee aged 18 or over.
Enough lead time
Applications are processed first come, first served by volunteers and staff, and each one is reviewed and approved by RTC. Three months for Five Star, two weeks for Westmoreland Heritage and Coal & Coke.
Where to send it
By email
By mail
Regional Trail CorporationP.O. Box 95
111 Collinsburg Road
West Newton, PA 15089-0095
Questions about dates or availability go to the RTC Business Manager at (724) 872-5586, Monday to Friday, 11am to 4pm.
One important exception
Events inside Ohiopyle State Park
If your event runs on the Great Allegheny Passage between Confluence (mile 62) and Connellsville (mile 88), it is inside Ohiopyle State Park. That stretch needs a Commercial Use License from the park, not a permit from us, and one-time and long-term agreements are both available. Contact the park directly:
ohiopylesp@state.pa.us · (724) 329-8591
PO Box 105, Ohiopyle, PA 15470
Common questions
Permit questions, answered
Do I need a permit to hold an event on the trail?
You need a permit if your event charges participants a fee, involves a group larger than 25 people, is a commercial activity such as a guided tour or shuttle, or requires setting up tables, signs, or rest areas on trail property. Everyday recreational use, informal rides, and small free group outings do not need a permit.
How far in advance do I need to apply for a trail permit?
It depends on the trail. Five Star Trail applications are due at least three full months in advance. Westmoreland Heritage and Coal & Coke applications are due at least two full weeks in advance. Great Allegheny Passage applications have no fixed minimum, but you should call the Regional Trail Corporation at (724) 872-5586 to check date availability before applying.
Do I need insurance to get a trail permit?
Yes. Every application requires a certificate of liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 each occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, naming the Regional Trail Corporation as an additional insured. Five Star Trail events must also name Carload Express, Inc. and the Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
How much does a trail permit cost?
The Great Allegheny Passage charges a $25 application fee for a single event or $50 for a calendar-year permit. Events sponsored by a non-profit organization may be exempt from the fee even if they charge participants. The Westmoreland Heritage, Coal & Coke, and Five Star applications do not carry a stated fee.
Where do I send my completed trail permit application?
Email your completed application to admin@regionaltrailcorp.org, or mail it to the Regional Trail Corporation, Post Office Box 95, West Newton, PA 15089-0095. Questions go to the RTC Business Manager at (724) 872-5586, Monday to Friday, 11am to 4pm.
Who issues permits for the Great Allegheny Passage inside Ohiopyle State Park?
Events on the Great Allegheny Passage between Confluence (mile 62) and Connellsville (mile 88) fall inside Ohiopyle State Park and require a Commercial Use License from the park, not a permit from the Regional Trail Corporation. Contact the park directly at ohiopylesp@state.pa.us or (724) 329-8591.
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