10.82 mile hike with my husband, Stephen, on the Connoquenessing Valley Heritage Trail in PA (10/11/2020).
The Connoquenessing Valley Heritage Trail
The 8-10 mile trail circles Harmony, Zelienople, and Jackson Township with sections winding near and some overlooking the Connoquenessing creek.
There are also connecting trails and out-and-backs. The terrain varies. There is single track, gravel, sidewalk, and grassy fields.
There are somewhat big hills that will get your heartrate up and there are easy flat sections to enjoy the outdoors.
Parking is available at these four trailheads, Subway, Zelienople Park, Harmony Barn, and Glade Run area. Parts of the trail is on private property.
The trail is well-marked and maintained.
Trail history
The trail was unofficially started by Tom Murray in 1976. It carries a lot of historical significance, which dates back to when George Washington traveled through in 1753 and leading up to that.
To learn more, visit these links:
Harmony Museum – Western Pennsylvania’s First National…
Harmony Pennsylvania – Explore its History and Culture
Zelienople Historical Society: Home
Our hike
Stephen and I weren’t sure how long the trail was with the connectors and out-and-backs. Some of the trail was familiar to us and other parts we didn’t know existed.
We followed the one and only map that we could find to do the hike, still making small errors in direction, as there were smaller loops and connecting trails (how we hiked 10.82 miles).
We took our Garmin InReach mini to see if it would generate a better map.
I haven’t looked at the results yet, because the Garmin was short on distance compared to my COROS Apex and my husband’s Epson Runsense. We may or may not post a public gpx file because of the inaccuracy.
The weather was 70° F and cloudy, I took a ton of beautiful Fall pictures, despite the clouds. We saw squirrels, blue jays, a deer, ducks, and swans. We also found a pumpkin patch!
We were pleasantly surprised by some of the hills on the trail, they weren’t massive, but they were hills.
A few parts of the trail was grassy and had a lot of unevenness, with holes, some deep. Something that a trail runner should keep in mind, so they don’t break a bone darting through.
Elevation gain 1,335 ft
Descent 1,286 ft
You can learn about the history of Harmony, Zelienople, and Jackson Twp. online or visit in-person and schedule a tour.
“Like” the trail’s Facebook page to receive updates and find a color coded map to print out.
Follow George Washington’s trail and hike the Connoquenessing Valley Heritage Trail, it’s a pretty place, especially in the Fall.
Help take care of the trail
When you visit, please remember to respect the trail by staying on it. Do not disturb the wildlife. Leave no trace. Take nothing with you. Pick up trash if you see it. Be kind and courteous to others.
All of your efforts help maintain this trail, and it is appreciated.
Related reads
Pennsylvania’s Most Kickbutt Trails: 30 plus miles long, lots of vert, and mostly dirt
DinoBryte Dinosaur Headlamp from Big Discoveries
Only Eye Athletics Podcast with Dean Banko 09/04/2023
Glacier Ridge Trail Ultra 50 Miler Race Report (2022)
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Happy running,
Shannon
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