Mon Yough Trail

one moment while we fetch a trail picture

Mon Yough Trail - Amenities Overview

Rest rooms, water: SSTs (“sweet smelling”, or composting, toilets) at Dravo Cemetery and Buena Vista; Roundbottom should get one soon. Seasonal chemical toilets at Boston, West Newton, Smithton, and Dawson/Dickerson Run trailheads and at ball fields in Greenock, Industry, and Blythedale. Rest rooms at Cedar Creek Park all year, at Linden Hall, at Yough River Park (may be closed in winter), and eventually at the restored yard office near mile 58. Drinking water at Dravo Cemetery, the playground in Industry, Cedar Creek Park, Roundbottom, River’s Edge Campground in Adelaide, and Yough River Park in Connellsville.

Bike shop, rental: Bike shops with rentals at shops in Boston, Greenock, West Newton, and Connellsville. Rentals at the restored train station in Cedar Creek Park (mile 36.7) and Adelaide Campground (mile 55.1).

Restaurant, groceries: There’s plenty of food, though it may be a few miles away when you want it. There’s a restaurant in McKee Point Marina on the trail in McKeesport. There are several restaurants near the trail in Boston, along Smithfield St parallel to the trail in Boston, and just across Bos­ton Bridge; the church near the trail sometimes serves dinner, too. Trailside shops in Boston and just before Greenock offer snacks. Three blocks from the pavilion at Buena Vista, the Volunteer Fire Department operates a seasonal snack bar next to the swimming pool. A dairy stand half a block from the Sutersville trailhead offers ice cream and sandwiches. Sutersville, across the Yough at mile 29.5, has restaurants. Half a block from the West Newton trailhead are a deli store, an ice cream store, and a drug store offering snacks and light groceries. West Newton, across the river at mile 33.2, has a Giant Eagle 0.7 miles north of the bridge plus several restaurants and pizza shops. The rental shop at Cedar Creek Park (mile 36.7) has snacks (seasonal). At Layton (mile 45.3), snacks are seasonally available at Hazelbaker Canoe livery, across the river and a quarter mile up the road. Dawson (across the river, at mile 52.8) has groceries, snacks, and sometimes a restaurant. There’s a restaurant at Linden Hall, at top of the Stone Bridge Trail spur. The campground at Adelaide (mile 55.1) has a camp store with groceries, and a restaurant (The Coke Oven). In Connellsville, there’s a restaurant where the trail crosses PA711, and a Sheetz market and a Wendy’s are just a couple of blocks south on PA711; there are many other restaurants in town. Soft drink or juice vending machines have been installed at Dapul Company (mile 26.4) and near the old company store in Van Meter (mile 40.8).

Camping, simple lodging: Primitive camping at Dravo Landing (mile 24.9) and Round Bottom (mile 47.5). Primitive group camping at Cedar Creek Park (mile 36.7) by prior arrangement with Westmoreland County Parks at (724) 830-3950. River’s Edge Campground lies along the trail near Adelaide (mile 55.1). Two B&Bs in West Newton. Linden Hall, at the top of the Stone Bridge Trail spur, has motel rooms. Several motels uphill from Smithton near PA51.

Swimming, fishing: Swimming pools at Buena Vista, Linden Hall, and River’s Edge Campground (all fee). The Youghiogheny may look enticing for unsupervised swimming, but the water can be of questionable quality. Exercise caution, especially if the water is high. Swimming is prohibited at the Fish Commission access at Boston and at Cedar Creek Park. Signs at Connellsville Riverfront Park remind you that the park was not created to entice swimming and you do so at your own risk. Fishing is good to excellent all along the trail. Common catches are trout and small-mouth bass plus other varieties including catfish. The Yough is stocked with trout at West Newton. Record-size bass have been caught near Smithton. We see fisherfolk all along the river; one day we met a fisherman with a 35” muskie.

Winter sports: Cross-country skiing. No snowmobiles

Wheelchair access: OK at most trailheads, though many parking lots are gravel. Ramp down to Yough River Park is steeper than most of the trail; avoid this by parking in the upper lot. Wide gates; the ones we measured were all 44” or wider.

Summary Rest rooms, water, bike rental, food, camping, lodging, swimming, fishing

Amenities are organized by major trailheads. These trailheads are listed in order from the start of the trail to the end of the trail. In the trailhead listing the amenities are grouped around the nearest access place, and listed in the order of those closest to the trailhead to those farthest from the trailhead.

The following table amenities in oder of their access point along the trail. if there are multiple amenities of the same type at a given access point there are listed in closet to farthest from the access point.