[Originally published in the Bedford Gazette, August 27, 2026)
Planning for potential rail trail expansion in Saxton Borough and neighboring Liberty Township is advancing, project officials noted during a recent committee meeting held in the OIP Restaurant in Saxton.

Updates about the “Saxton Trail Connectivity Study” were discussed and suggestions shared by representatives of the borough and township, along with representatives from Broad Top Township and the H&BT Rail Trail Advisory group during the recent Saxton session.

The 43-page study, funded through the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) in cooperation with Bedford County and the Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission (SAP&DC), is looking at potential connections with existing trails in and around the Borough of Saxton and Liberty Township, explained Jason Graham, outdoor recreation coordinator with the Bedford County Development Association (BCDA).

Four trail routes situated in the Saxton area include the popular H&BT Rail Trail, Terrace Mountain Trail, Huntingdon and Broad Top Mountain Railroad Trail and the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River (Water) Trail.

Other local recreational opportunities also involve the nearby Mid-State Trail which follows the top of Tussey Mountain, and the 30-mile-long Raystown Lake, Standing Stone Trail, added Graham.

“The SAP&DC and the local and regional community seek to connect these trails through and around Saxton Borough, effectively designing Saxton as a ‘trail town’ and potentially spurring economic development through tourism,” Graham told members of the local planning committee.

The outdoor recreation coordinator cited the Mid State Trail as being a major hiking trail system which traverses 324 miles from north to south through Pennsylvania while the 80-mile Standing Stone Trail is approximately 20 miles east of Saxton and includes the historical “1,000 Steps” near Mapleton, Huntingdon County, which is visited by trail enthusiasts and locals.

Present for the recent meeting were Broad Top Township Supervisors chairman Donnie Hedge Jr. and Donald Black, who updated the group on upcoming improvements to the H&BT Rail Trail, a popular recreational route that connects Tatesville with the Warriors Path State Park south of Saxton, all located in northern Bedford County.

With an eye on potential future development that would focus on hiking, walking and bicycling, the “Saxton Trail Connectivity Study” also desires safe routes for pedestrian and bicycle travel and exercise, opportunities for business expansion, community improvements, activities and public spaces for social bonding between residents and neighbors and programs and events that promote healthier lifestyles and outdoor activities, the study notes.

In summary, the local trail study focuses on four priority trail routes:

–the 13-mile H&BT Rail Trail, constructed in phases by the Broad Top Township Supervisors over the past decade that that would connect with the Saxton area via a three-mile “Blue Route.”

–the “Orange Route” linking the 27-mile Terrace Mountain Trail which closely parallels the eastern side of Raystown Lake.

–the “Pink Route,” which would connect Saxton to the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River (water) Trail and the Captain Phillips Veterans of Foreign Wars Post softball/picnic pavilion facility in Stonestown.

–the “Green Route” which has the potential for linking East Saxton with the Carbon Township Park in Huntingdon County via the former H&BT’s Shoup’s Run branch.

In addition to potential trail development, the proposal would include ADA accessible upgrades, traffic signal and crossing improvements, bike lanes or shared lane markings and wayfinding.

Preliminary budget estimates range from $988,000to $3.2 million using public bid pricing and construction material and labor costs, the study suggests.

In addition, the proposed project also includes trailheads and public space improvement recommendations and locations, noted the trail connectivity study.

During its July meeting, the Liberty Township Supervisor unanimously adopted a resolution for the submission of a $3 million funding grant application to state officials for the proposed trail development initiative that would encompass the township and neighboring Saxton Borough.

The proposal would support Saxton as a “Trail Town” while following up on future expansion of the H&BT Rail Trail, along with proposed plans by the Warriors Path State Park for improvements to its access road (former H&BT mainline right of way) connecting the state park with the Saxton area.