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Ghost Town Trail

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Distance:
4.4 Miles / 7.1 km
Type:
Out-and-Back
Difficulty:
Easy
Time to Hike:
2 hours, ~12 minutes
Features:
Surface Type:
Universal Access
Town:
Vintondale, Pennsylvania
Get Directions:
40.485103, -78.923934
Added:
November 08, 2015
Updated:
September 30, 2022
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132'

Total Change
273'

Ascent
256'

Descent

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Key Takeaways

  • The Ghost Town Trail section near Vintondale, PA, is a short, easy 4.4-mile out-and-back hike along the South Branch Blacklick Creek.
  • The trail features Eliza Furnace, a well-preserved 1846 iron furnace and National Register site, and a small waterfall (dependent on rainfall).
  • The trailhead is located just east of the large parking lot and accessible by crossing a bridge; leashed dogs are permitted but waste must be removed.

Ghost Town Trail

This small 4.4-mile out-and-back section of the 36 mile Ghost Town Trail in western Pennsylvania is an easy hike that runs past Eliza Furnace and adjacent to the South Branch Blacklick Creek.

The hike is very flat and about 1.5 miles in is a small waterfall right along the trail if there's substantial rainfall. Earlier onto the trail, you'll cross a bridge with a view of the South Branch Blacklick Creek below. From one side of the bridge, the banks of South Branch Blacklick Creek appear to be mining or slag tailings; however, it's not clear how old or recent they are.

Eliza Furnace: Along the trail, closer to the parking area, the Eliza Furnace - a stone furnace that was once used to process iron ore into pig iron. The Eliza Furnace is a National Register site and is regarded as one of Pennsylvania's best preserved iron furnaces. Eliza Furnace was built in 1846 and is one of only a few iron furnaces remaining in the United States which still retains its original heat exchanger piping.

Parking
Hikers will find a large parking lot at the coordinates provided; however, the trailhead is located just down the road, east of the parking lot. Cross the bridge to find the trailhead.

Pets
Dogs are allowed if leashed and their waste should be carried out by the hiker.
Explore 17 trails near Vintondale, PA
  1. Parking

    40.485103, -78.923934
  2. Main Trailhead

    40.483748, -78.922023
No community routes found. To add your own hike as a Community Route for this Trail guide, leave a Trip Report with an attached GPX file.

Hazards

Ticks - Lyme Disease More Info (CDC)

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4.4 miles / 7.1 km
November 14, 2015
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In Vintondale, PA

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