Stavich Bicycle Trail

The Stavich trail starts just west of Lowellville, Ohio and briefly follows Rt. 289 back into town. Since you are not likely to find Lowellville on any Ohio map, look for Struthers (2-3 miles west of Lowellville) which is just southeast of Youngstown. This Mahoning County bikeway begins near the eastern edge of the state. At the 3-mile mark you pass a concrete marker that confirms you've crossed the border into Pennsylvania. The rest of the trail gives you a sampling of Pennsylvania hill country. The Stavich is built on a former inter-urban electric rail route that parallels two very active train tracks. However, the two grades are very different. The tracks remain on fairly flat terrain while the bike trail ascends and descends during its entire length. This almost continual rising and falling provides cyclists a good workout and gives trail users perspectives that range from just below the railroad grade, to far above where the tracks and a river are viewed from a bird's eye view. There are a few large rocks deposited alongside the trail in one spot and an area of wetland that abuts the trail in another. In two areas along the bikeway the trail surface ends and turns into street. There may be no signs to direct you. Simply continue on in the same direction until the trail picks up again. You won't find any water or restroom stops along this older bikeway. There are a few benches scattered along the way with a picnic table near the trail's eastern endpoint in Pennsylvania.