Connecting the Trails

A Network of Communities

The Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg Main Line Canal Greenway™ was conceived out of the opportunity for connectivity and identity as a unifying initiative, capitalizing on the readiness of groups throughout the corridor to create recreation, heritage, and environmental projects consistent with their community or organization’s vision and mission. These efforts project the idea of a large landscape initiative, or greenway, and serve as the connecting pieces.

The Greenway is divided into cluster areas that offer smaller, more workable boundaries for future planning and implementation. Within these clusters are contained smaller planning units called hubs. ARCorp has successfully used the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resource’s Hubs and Spokes Model to work with partners to develop canal towns. This success has been recognized by the American Trails National Trails Symposium.

The Greenway will not only connect communities, but connections will be made within those communities as the traveler seeking recreation opportunities utilizes the local outfitter, visits a heritage site, and patronizes local eateries and lodging facilities.

Implementing the vision of an interconnected system of paths, trails, scenic roadways, and corridors is an ambitious undertaking. An unprecedented level of cooperation among state, county, and local governments, business and civic leaders, private sector organizations, and community residents is necessary. A dedicated and visionary leadership structure empowers the reality of the Greenway.

Since designation of the Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg Main Line Canal Greenway™, named Pennsylvania’s Millennium Legacy Trail, partners throughout the 320-mile corridor have used the expertise of the Allegheny Ridge Corporation (ARCorp) to meet many of these initial goals and to expand their vision to include new initiatives like Arts Along the Greenway and the Kiski-Conemaugh and Juniata River Water Trails. Following the historic path of the PA Main Line Canal System in a two-mile-wide swath, the Greenway encompasses the Allegheny, Kiski-Conemaugh, Juniata and Susquehanna rivers, meandering through communities between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg as a network of individual initiatives managed by local partners throughout the corridor. Through a multi-disciplinary approach, the Greenway addresses recreation opportunities, heritage preservation, environmental stewardship, and economic development.

View our Places to Visit page to find out more about the Main Line Canal Greenway.