Welcome to the Ernst Trail
Meadville to Conneaut Lake
Explore
Crawford County
Traversing terrain with imprints of ice-age glaciation, the trail passes through the lush bottom lands of French Creek Valley. With 66 species of fish and 27 species of mollusks, French Creek is Pennsylvania most biologically diverse body of water. The landscape is pastoral with varied environments of meadow and marsh, hardwood stands and hemlock thickets. The segment from Route 19 to Conneaut Lake parallels Conneaut Marsh, an ancient river valley infilled with glacial debris, and home to nesting bald eagles and migrating waterfowl.
Local History
The Meadville-Linesville Railroad was built from 1880-1892 by a group of Meadville entrepreneurs to gain access to the Pennsylvania Railroad at Linesville. Despite the involvement of some of Meadville’s best-known citizens, the railroad did not flourish. In 1891, the Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad Co. leased the right-of-way and for a time its most profitable use was as a passenger line, transporting visitors to Exposition Park (renamed Conneaut Lake Park in 1920). With the rise of the automobile, passenger service declined, and in 1934, rail service to the park was discontinued. In 1996, Calvin Ernst, the right-of-way’s owner, donated the property to French Creek Recreational Trails and the Ernst Bike Trail was born. The trail follows the former rail line from Meadville to Conneaut Lake.
Welcome
By foot, stroller, wheelchair, bike, rollerblades, or skis, you are welcome to experience all that our trail has to offer. Cross bridges, wind through deep valleys, listen to birds, spot wildlife, discover a historic canal, and experience ecosystems of farmland, forest, river, and marsh.
Announcements
The trail is open, but snow removal is not provided, so use caution. Winter conditions including ice and snow are present in parking lots and trail surfaces.
Ernst Trail 