Five Star Trail
Parallel to US119 from Greensburg to Youngwood in Westmoreland County
The Five Star Trail is named for the 5 towns that cooperated to develop it: Greensburg, South Greensburg, Southwest Greensburg, Hempfield Township, and Youngwood. It parallels US119 for 6.1 miles from Lynch Field in Greensburg to the Railroad Museum in Youngwood and then to Hollis Rd. A branch trail, the Sewickley Creek Trail, runs 1.7 miles from Youngwood to Armburst.
For most of its length the trail is finished in packed crushed limestone and asphalt, though a mile is on a low-traffic road. Numerous trailside benches offer places to rest and enjoy the trail. Because of its urban character and location close to busy US119, and lack of connectivity to other trails, this may become foremost a transportation and local recreation trail rather than a major destination. The mileposts start at zero in Lynch field.
Five Star Trail
Location Greensburg to Youngwood to Armbrust, Hempfield Township
Trailheads Lynch Field, Highland Av near Pittsburgh St, Huff Av, Midway, Buncher Park, Youngwood
Length, Surface 6.9 miles packed crushed stone, 0.9 mile on road
Character uncrowded, mixed residential and industrial, shady, flat
Usage restrictions Stay off RR tracks and out of buffer zone between trail and tracks no motorized vehicles
Amenities Rest rooms, water, bike rental, food, lodging
Driving time from Pittsburgh 50 minutes southeast
This trail is unique in western Pennsylvania in sharing an unfenced corridor with an active rail line. The Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad runs 2 to 4 coal and freight trains daily. These are mostly short and slow, as trains go, but they still require caution. Please help make this combination “rail-with-trail” a success by avoiding conflict with the trains. Stay off the tracks
The trail begins at Lynch Field (MP0) in Greensburg. Bike riding in the park itself is restricted. The trail starts at the southeast corner of the western parking lot near the rest rooms. It switchbacks steeply uphill past the swimming pool and through the underpass that takes you beneath the active Conrail track. This underpass is unlighted, but short and has been decorated with murals. At the other end of the underpass, the trail continues up a short steep hill to the level rail trail. <<(MPxxx)>>From here for the next <<5 miles>> the trail is right next to the railroad tracks. On the level the trail continues alongside an old industrial area to the bridge over <<Pittsburgh St (MPXX.X)>>.
After the bridge the trail runs for a few blocks next to the Greensburg Shopping Center and residential back yards, then drops onto a bench cut into the hillside. Here the hill rises on the east side, punctuated by occasional access stairs and ramps. To the west the ground drops away, providing a great view of central Greensburg. After 0.7 mile, you cross a bridge and enter the mixed residential and industrial areas of Southwest Greensburg, then pass under the Greensburg bypass and into South Greensburg, at Huff Av (PA819) (MP2.7).
The half-mile from Huff Av to Fairview St runs close to the tracks behind industrial buildings. Be especially careful crossing Fairview St. Soon after Fairview St two bridges over Jack’s Run have been rebuilt for the trail. The obligatory wastewater treatment plant (every trail seems to have one!) <<(MP XX.X)>> is just past the second of these bridges. Past the water plant, the trail parallels Broadway St, the residential street of Midway. A mile from Fairview St you reach the road crossing at Shady Lane (MP3.8) in Midway;
After Midway the trail runs through woods beside Jacks Run for 0.7 miles to the entrance to the Buncher Commerce Park <<MPXX.X)>>. You’ll hear both birdsong from across the creek and traffic noise from parallel US119.The trail emerges at the entry road to the Buncher Commerce Park. The creek has been re-channeled away from the tracks, and the trail shares the low-traffic road that runs between the new creek channel and the warehouses. To continue on the trail, turn left where the trail emerges on the road and use the bike lane along the road for 0.9 mi. Where the road leaves the Commerce Park at Mt Pleasant Rd/Depot St, (MP5.5) the creek returns to its original channel and the trail forks..
The right fork is almost straight ahead. Cross the road and pick up the trail just across the tracks from the Railroad Museum on Depot St in Youngwood. The limestone surface resumes here, and the trail continues another half-mile alongside the tracks to Hillis Dr/Fairgrounds Rd, (MP6.1) where the trail ends.
At the end of the commercial area, left just across the bridge on Depot St, is the Sewickley Creek Trail. Cross the bridge and immediately turn right onto limestone-surfaced trail. This leads half a mile through a wetland, up a hill, and into the campus of Westmoreland County Community College. The trail winds through the college to John Wilkenson Rd <<MPXX>X>>. Here the trail narrows and parallels the road almost to Armbrust, where it ends at the creek where a bridge once crossed (MP7.0).
Local history, attractions
Current train traffic along the trail is operated by Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad on the former Conrail Southwest Secondary Branch, which runs from behind Greengate Mall to Connellsville. They operate 2 to 4 trains a day with 6-10 cars each; these trains shouldn’t run faster than 10mph. Before Conrail took it over, the line was operated by the Pennsylvania RR.
A Railroad Museum at Youngwood is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, possibly later on Saturday. <<check times>>
Youngwood was the north terminus for the Laurel Highland Railroad’s “Highlander”, a scenic passenger train, which no longer operates..
Development plans
To the north, there is no obvious rout to connect up to the Westmoreland Heritage Trail (in the Northeast volume)
To the west, there a hopes to continue the trail to Mammoth Park, running largely through the industrial areas the railroad once served.
To the south, there is an 8-mile gap between the end of the trail and the Coal and Coke trail in Mt Pleasant. << See p 39>> Some day this gap may be developed, but for now nothing is in the works.
Access points
Vicinity: Directions begin headed east on the PA Turnpike from Exit 6 (Monroeville). To reach this point from Pittsburgh, take the Parkway East past Monroeville.
Lynch Field (north) trailhead: Get off the PA Turnpike at Exit 7 (Irwin) headed east on US30 toward Greensburg. Go east 6.4 miles on US30 and take the Pittsburgh St exit. This is the first Greensburg exit, just past Greengate Mall. Go 1.2 miles on Pittsburgh St and turn left on US119 at the county courthouse, an ornate stone building with a gold dome. Follow US119 past the Sheetz store at PA819, and look for a place to turn right into Lynch Field parking. The trail starts near the oval track and passes the swimming pool as it leaves the park.
Highland Av near Pittsburgh St trailhead: Get off the PA Turnpike at Exit 7 (Irwin) headed east on US30 toward Greensburg. Go east 6.4 miles on US30 and take the Pittsburgh St exit. This is the first Greensburg exit, just past Greengate Mall. Go 1.6 miles on Pittsburgh St, passing the county courthouse, an ornate stone building with a gold dome. A third of a mile after the courthouse, you pass under a railroad bridge. Immediately after the bridge and before the Greensburg Shopping Center, turn right on Highland St and look for inoffensive parking. The ramp up to the trail is about a block down Highland St, across from a cleaning shop.
Huff St trailhead: Get off the PA Turnpike at Exit 8 (New Stanton) following signs to go north on US119 toward Greensburg. After a mile and a quarter of highway interchanges, you’ll be on US119 entering Youngwood. Follow US119 for about 1.5 miles until the northbound and southbound lanes rejoin. Continue about 2.8 miles to Huff St, turn right, and cross the creek and the trail. Parking is on the left.
Midway (Willow Crossing) trailhead: Get off the PA Turnpike at Exit 8 (New Stanton) following signs to go north on US119 toward Greensburg. After a mile and a quarter of highway interchanges, you’ll be on US119 entering Youngwood. Follow US119 for about 1.5 miles until the northbound and southbound lanes rejoin. Continue about 1.3 mile to the second stop light (Willow Crossing Rd), turn right, and cross the creek and the trail. Parking is on the left.
Buncher Park (Trolley Line Av) trailhead: Get off the PA Turnpike at Exit 8 (New Stanton) following signs to go north on US119 toward Greensburg. After a mile and a quarter of highway interchanges, you’ll be on US119 entering Youngwood. Follow US119 for 1.5 miles until the northbound and southbound lanes rejoin. Continue about 0.8 mile to the next stoplight (Trolley Line Av) and turn right into Buncher Industrial Park. The parking lot is on the left, just across the trail.
Youngwood (south) trailhead: Get off the PA Turnpike at Exit 8 (New Stanton) following signs to go north on US119 toward Greensburg. After a mile and a quarter of highway interchanges, you’ll be on US119 entering Youngwood. In a few blocks US119 splits, with the northbound lanes a block away from the southbound lanes. Continue for 0.6 miles after the split to the Depot St traffic light and turn right on Depot St. This is the fourth traffic light in Youngwood; the street sign may be missing, but it’s marked as the turn for the community college. Go two blocks on Depot St to the Railroad Museum; the trail and parking are just past the tracks at the museum.
Westmoreland County Community College trailhead: Get off the PA Turnpike at Exit 8 (New Stanton) following signs to go north on US119 toward Greensburg. After a mile and a quarter of highway interchanges, you’ll be on US119 entering Youngwood. In a few blocks US119 splits, with the northbound lanes a block away from the southbound lanes. Continue for 0.6 miles after the split to the Depot St traffic light and turn right on Depot St. This is the fourth traffic light in Youngwood; the street sign may be missing, but it’s marked as the turn for the community college. Go two blocks continue past the Railroad Museum and Youngwood trailhead parking. Follow Depot St, which turns into Armbrust Rd for about 0.6 miles. Turn right/south onto Community College Dr. Go about 0.2 miles to the last parking lot on your right. The trail is along the far edge of this lot.
Amenities
Rest rooms water: In Lynch Field, Chemical toilets at most trailhead.
Bike shop, rental: Several bike shops in Greensburg.
Restaurant, groceries: Several restaurants within a block of the trail in Greensburg. Many restaurants along US119. Lots of chain fast-food places near Huff Av. Convenience stores within a few blocks of Lynch Field and the Railroad Museum.
Camping, simple lodging: Motels in the Greensburg and Youngwood, including one adjacent to the trail near Huff Av
Swimming, fishing: There’s a swimming pool at Lynch Field.
Wheelchair access: All trailheads accessible, but there’s a steep grade from Lynch Field to the railroad underpass. There are several street crossings with moderate traffic.
Trail organization
Five Star Trail Council of the Regional Trail Corporation
RD12 Box 203
Greensburg PA 15601
(724) 830-3959
co.westmoreland.pa.us/index.aspx?nid=1007
Maps, guides, other references
Trail brochure: www.co.westmoreland.pa.us/DocumentCenter/View/43/Five-Star-Trail-Brochure?bidId=
USGS Topographic Maps: Greensburg, Mount Pleasant.
Version
Text version of 08 May 2021 based on personal observation while bicycling 5/2021. Conditions may have changed; you are responsible for your own safety. Oldest segment check 5/2021.
