Kiski Riverfront Trail Dedicated at North Apollo Border

By Jonathan Weaver

Even though snow is starting to fall in the region, a free space for cross-country skiing, hiking and hunting is always open: the Kiski Riverfront Trail.

And to make sure trail-goers have a place to park, Roaring Run Watershed Association members made another access point in North Apollo Borough.

The trail head was completed in Spring 2013, but Roaring Run Watershed Association Vice-President Rich Dixon of Apollo

“We wanted to make sure people were aware there was additional parking – if you ride your bike, it could add four miles to your trip,” Dixon said.

All privately-funded, it cost about $40,000 to expand the trail a half-mile and add the parking lot.

In 2007, the RRWA entered into a sales agreement with the former railroad right-of-way and made an agreement a few years later with Apollo Borough during their sewer separation project – including a 100-year lease.

“It was a good project for everyone involved,” Dixon said.

A 21-year member, Dixon initially became interested after a littler cleanup and has ridden three-four day trips with his son, a junior at Apollo-Ridge High and a group of friends since their involvement.

“When I started, the initial mile-and-a-half was put in 1991, and through a number of grants over the years, we’ve extended it to seven miles of surface trail – 12 miles of biking along 650 acres,” Dixon said.

“We’re more than just a trail.”

Hikes are usually held in February and April

The watershed association hopes to continue the trail about two miles to Avonmore further into Westmoreland County.

Apollo Borough Mayor Jeff Held described the work done along the trail as “tremendous” as watershed members preserve the area natural resources and utilizing the area legacy in the canal bed.

“In the past couple years as the trail gets recognized as a destination, we’ve seen a gradual increase of traffic into the Borough specifically because of the trail,” Held said. “I think it’s a valuable amenity that we need to learn to capture business from.”

“We all need to work with the Roaring Run Watershed Association to help them because they’re helping us – it’s a win-win situation.”

Tourist Bureau Director Kevin Andrews said the trail connects to a bigger trail network called the Trans-Allegheny Trails – a series of 13 trails that will one day be connected to make a circle – and led to $89.8 million in tourism revenue in 2012.

“A lot of hikers or bikers who are using this trail like that concept because they can park their car and travel around the trails - stay in the hotels or campgrounds, go to the restaurants, buy at little stores along the way to buy supplies,” Andrews said. “It brings a lot of outside money into the area.

“From a tourism perspective, that’s great – and it’s reducing the tax burden.”

A biker both in his job and spare time, Andrews looked forward to exploring the trail.

A Lifetime Service Award was also given to Max Sapinsky – a 15-year watershed volunteer instrumental in all the building projects – including two bridges and permitting parking lots, Dixon said.

 

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