So many of the old rail beds I used to walk as a kid have been turned into rail trails. It’s a good way to repurpose disused train lines—though I do miss the smell of creosote on a hot summer day, the thrill of an oncoming train, the melancholy cry of the whistle. Rail trails are nice when they run through rural areas, less so as they pass through towns. They almost always follow streams and rivers—like the incomplete Indian Creek Valley Trail in the Laurel Highlands, above photo. They’re groomed for both hiking and biking, but their industrial pasts make them a little too accessible for the hardy hiker. If you’re looking to escape the crowds, rail trails are not the way to go. When they run through populated areas, rail trails—like the railroads they replaced—traverse the busiest or grittiest parts of town, the places where trains would have gone in industrial times. And because trains cannot ascend steep grades, these trails are relatively level, making them a favorite place to walk a dog or push a stroller. The day may come when that’s the only way I can get my outdoor fix—on a level, bustling, easily accessible trail where joggers and cyclists make sport. But at this point in my life, I still need a little more wildness than a rail trail can usually offer.
