Pittsburgh has a wealth of outdoorsy attractions all around, many of which are even closer than most residents might think. The 150-mile-long Great Allegheny Passage, which turns 40 this year, connects Downtown with Cumberland, Md., and the C&O Canal Towpath that goes on 185 miles to Washington, D.C. The route is mostly flat along the picturesque Youghiogheny and other rivers, and there are a number of trail towns to explore, whether you’re a self-propelled GAP tripper or driving in for a day or a weekend adventure. One town worth visiting, less than an hour away for many people, is West Newton in Westmoreland County.
Location: West Newton is at Mile 114 of the GAP Trail, so it’s an easy 33-mile bike ride from Downtown, or a 25-mile car drive down state routes 51 and 136. The latter is the Main Street of this spread-out town of about 2,600 residents.
Where to start: The gorgeous reproduction brick train station along the former railroad tracks on the west side of the river is the town’s visitors center and is said to have some of the nicest restrooms on the GAP Trail (Trail Appreciation Day there is June 3, with free hotdogs). The tracks on the east side of the river are very active with trains, including Amtrak’s Capitol Limited passenger train, which end-to-end trail riders use.
Where to eat: The Trailside is the veteran landmark, offering good wings and other American pub food, daily specials and cold beer to drink on the big deck or to go from its six-pack and bottle shop.
Other options include Gary’s Chuckwagon, “Home of the Famous Hamburger” (but locals say the Thursday pork chops are better), which is open for breakfast and lunch, and Gingerbread House bakery/subs/ice cream.
Fully opening soon is Crooked Creek Distillery, in a former Model T and Model A Ford dealership, serving its own moonshine and eventually other spirits with barbecue.There are other pizza places and taverns and a Subway.
Where else to drink: Bloom Brew has since 2014 rented space in the West Newton Volunteer Fire Department, from which it dispenses an amazing range of two dozen brews (noon to 6 p.m. Sat. and 4 to 8 p.m. Weds.). Only a few miles away and open Tues.-Sun. for tastings and bottle sales is the opulent Vinoski Winery.
Where to stay: Bright Morning Bed & Breakfast offers 14 guest rooms ($99 to $155) in four renovated frame houses beside the trail, with add-ons including picnic lunch and dinner at its bistro. Packages include a two-night Outdoor Weekend for two with bike and canoe tours for $360.
What to do: If you don’t arrive by bike or bring bikes on your car, you can rent them at West Newton Bike Co. Or rent a canoe or kayak or even a campsite from Youghiogheny Canoe Rentals. Performance Kayak also offers some classes and group trips. Fishing can be good — trout, smallmouth bass — or just picnic and people watch on Simeral Square, named for Alexander Simeral who once operated a river ferry.
The town has a library and a pool and many interesting buildings. Downtown West Newton Inc. offers a self-guided walking tour of local landmarks, including the 1908 bridge and the 1928 former fire station and municipal building that is now Contemporary Design. A “hidden gem” at the north end of town is Goehring Recreational Park, which has a pond and a fishing deck, says Mayor Mary Popovich, who runs Tumbledown Collectibles.
Where (else) to shop: You can spend hours exploring the town’s thrift and consignment stores. There isn’t much other retail yet, but, by appointment, you can hunt for rocks and gems in Burtner’s Jewelry, an old sign on which describes it as “the woman’s hardware store.” There is a dollar store, drug store, hardware store, grocery store, gas station and PNC ATM. The town no longer has a newspaper, but it does have its own community-access cable TV station, WNCTV (channel 7).
Other nearby attractions: There are some great nearby parks, including Round Hill Park and Cedar Creek Park (check out the Port Royal tufa, a cool geologic formation), as well as the 1850 Bells Mills Covered Bridge, Westmoreland County’s only one. On Saturdays and Sundays, mid-August through September, you can go way back in time at the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival.
Extending your trip: Whether by bike or otherwise, you can explore other GAP towns including Connellsville, Confluence and Ohiopyle. Or strike out for other destinations in the Laurel Highlands, from Uniontown to Mount Pleasant to Ligonier. Get ideas here.
Bob Batz Jr.: bbatz@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1930 and on Twitter @bobbatzjr.
First Published: May 24, 2018, 12:00 p.m.
