Ghost Town Trail - Eliza Station Access Area - Vintondale, Pennsylvania
N 40° 28.887 W 078° 55.101
17T E 676440 N 4483277
The Eliza Station Trailhead of the Ghost Town Trail is located at 1069 Main Street in Vintondale Borough, Cambria County, Pennsylvania.
Waymark Code: WMF7FR
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 09/05/2012
Views: 3
The Ghost Town Trail totals 36 miles in Indiana and Cambria Counties, Pennsylvania. The trail was originally established in 1991 when the Kovalchick Salvage Company donated 16 miles of the former Ebensburg & Black Lick Railroad to Indiana County. In 1993 the Cambria & Indiana Railroad donated an additional 4 miles from Rexis to White Mill Station known as the Rexis Branch. In 2005 an additional 20 miles were added to the trail - 12 miles in Indiana County and 8 miles in Cambria County. The trail is designated as a National Recreation Trail by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
The Ghost Town Trail derives its name from numerous mining towns that once existed along the railroad corridor. Wehrum, the largest of the former towns, once had 230 houses, a hotel, company store, jail, and bank. Warren Delano, uncle of President Franklin Roosevelt, developed the town. Other ghost towns include Bracken, Armerford, Lackawanna #3, Scott Glenn, Webster, Beulah, and Claghorn.
The Eliza Furnace, located nearby, is one of Pennsylvania’s best preserved iron furnaces. An interpretive exhibit is located at the site. The furnace operated from 1846 to 1849 and is a unique relic of the Black Lick Valley’s early industrial era. The furnace is on the National Register of Historic Places.
A short distance from the parking lot, you will find sanitary toilets, drinking water, and a small shelter, as well as a connection to the Rexis Branch of the GTT.
Country: United States
State/Province/etc.: Pennsylvania
Trail Start (town): Black Lick, Pennsylvania
Trail Finish (town): Ebensburg, Pennsylvania
Trail Length: 32
Trail Surface: Gravel/Stone
Pack Animals Allowed: yes
Fees: no
Rail-to-Trail Sign: Eliza Station
Indiana County Parks & Trails
Internet Link(s): http://www.indianacountyparks.org/trails/gtt/gtt.html
|
Visit Instructions:
A Trail Review
Please tell about the trail conditions the day you were there, If you used the trail please share your experiences. Things to see and do, possible problems etc.
If possible please post a photo of you OR you and interesting things along a trail OR just interesting things along the trail.
Also if you know of any additional Internet links not already mentioned about this rail trail please include that in your log.