BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

Your best bet is to post the exact time of your arrival here, then ask if anyone would volunteer to guie you to the GAP.

I'll be arriving by Amtrak on a Thursday night, and beginning my ride on a Friday morning, as early as I can manage to get myself awake and ready to roll (train gets to Pittsburgh at midnight). Everybody makes a big deal that the mile from the city to Homestead is too dangerous to ride, but I can't imagine that it's too tricky.

The 'official' route is on a two-lane road that typically sees speeds upwards of 50 mph outside of rush hour. However, if you're okay with riding or walking a few dozen yards on railroad stone, there's an alternative that involves very little paved road. Somewhere on here someone posted a map of how to get to & through it, but I can't find it ATM.

(ETA: basically, you'll want to take the Eliza Furnace Trail from Downtown about 2.5mi upriver, then cross to the South Side Trail. Continue upriver another couple miles until the trail ends. There's a path down the railroad tracks, through a couple of private (but not terribly concerned) properties, and around the edges of Sandcastle amusement park, then through the Waterfront at Homestead shopping center to the trailhead.)

It's more like 10 miles.

The best way is kinda illegal - taking a path next to some railway tracks.

A legal way,with one hill that is a bear, is kinda similar to this

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=900+liberty+Ave+Pittsburgh,+PA&daddr=40.40985,-79.91746+to:40.41381,-79.90507+to:40.40129,-79.88066+to:40.39009,-79.86877+to:40.38408,-79.86031+to:Boston,+PA&hl=en&ll=40.412712,-79.94339&spn=0.059077,0.107632&sll=40.394934,-79.911118&sspn=0.118186,0.215263&geocode=FSscaQId1lM7-yn1Jgv1V_E0iDEJkPBL_W2WgA%3BFfqaaAIdbI48-yn_VRtZJ-40iDEdRJ2zSq3AGg%3BFXKqaAId0r48-ym_xmupPe40iDFxn0rkT0aVHA%3BFYp5aAIdLB49-yk1AE7EUO40iDEAqYQWt5mKXg%3BFcpNaAIdnkw9-yn3vHKHAe80iDFZL3Pvq5Wiqg%3BFVA2aAIdqm09-yk9QA8cG-80iDG6XX0ryKNf5w%3BFV0uZwIde_89-yl1CeYVeuY0iDGAyKOZf9NmmA&dirflg=b&mra=dpe&mrsp=4&sz=12&via=1,2,3,4,5&t=m&z=13&lci=bike

Google somehow won't let me get you on the bike path, but you can see it at the end of the Homestead gray's bridge.

Check back in a few days, someone might be able to guide you - this week, I can't, but maybe some other week, I could.

Per Abracadabra from another thread:

http://goo.gl/maps/RezW

EDIT

Link to other thread

http://bike-pgh.org/bbpress/topic/gap-trail-homestead-south-side-2012-edition

I could offer being a guide from the start in Downtown (The Point), to the Steel Valley Trail in Homestead. From there-on the path is pretty direct.

I would take the Jail Trail, Hot Metal Bridge to the Southside Trail, the bit of gravel path by train tracks on Greenfield, on to Sandcastle parking lot, the Waterfront and on-to Pump House/Steel Valley trail.

Send me a PM if interested!

^^^ I'd recommend BG's route as well, avoid Greenfield ave / Waterfront bridge, stick to the flats, & walk the stone into Sandcastle.

With the bonus of being able to swinging into r.e.i. after hot metal bridge for any last minute supplies.

I have Friday off, so I can also lend a pair of tour-guide wheels too. Grouped up ftw.

Ok, to be a contrarian, I am surprised that on one was suggested: Eliza Furnace Trail to new Hazelwood Trail. Short distance on Second Avenue. Hop RR tracks at structure for Glenwwod Bridge. Follow extended Duck Hollow Trail to Homestead Greys/High Level Bridge. Sidewalk to Waterfront ramps. Pick up trail there.

I'm booked this Friday, but I'm open most Fridays, if it's some other week send a PM and I'll ride with you to the Durabond Bypass at Boston. V.