Ernst Bike Trail

The Ernst Trail is a rail trail built on the roadbed of a railroad which connected Meadville to Conneaut Lake.  It is seven miles long, five of which are paved.  The non-paved portion is between Route 19 and Bailey Road. 

The trail is scenic and flat, passing over small creeks, through farm fields, and along French Creek.  There is a portion which parallels the Norfolk Southern line that runs from Meadville to Greenville, although it sees very few trains. 

The trail begins between Home Depot and Beans Auto on Route 322 in Vernon Township.  It goes south along French Creek and then turns west near Wilson Chute.  At Mercer Pike there is another parking lot.  After crossing Mercer Pike, it goes under I-79 and then continues on another mile or so until it reaches Route 19.  At this point it becomes packed gravel.  The trail goes through a trailer park driveway and on to Johnson Road.  At Johnson Road the rail bed merges with the route of the old French Creek Feeder Canal.  A little bit further west the trail leaves the rail bed and passes along a cornfield and around a pond to the Bailey Road parking lot. 

Near Bailey road the trail had to be routed away from the railroad bed thanks to uncooperative property owners in this area who were only interested in riding their ATV's on the rail bed and didn't want to share it with others.  Needless to say, there is a fence separating the trail area from the ATV area.  Please respect their property and stay on the trail here. 

Plans are currently in progress to construct a "Meadville Connector" which will make the trail more accessible from downtown.  Currently the trail starts on the outskirts of Meadville and is only accessible by car except for any hardy cyclist who is willing to ride on Mercer Pike (since the sidewalk on the Smock Bridge is indefinitely closed thanks to PennDOT).