Staple Bend — Mineral Point to the tunnel exterior and back

Staple Bend — Mineral Point to the tunnel exterior and back — detailed guide

Source review: 2026-10-11. A dated source review does not guarantee current-day conditions.

An approximately four-mile out-and-back beside the Little Conemaugh River near Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The National Park Service describes the two-mile approach as flat crushed limestone. Ride from the public Mineral Point trailhead toward the historic tunnel, turn around at the safe exterior viewing point before the closure, and return the same way.

The tunnel interior is closed following a rockfall. The current NPS notice says the approach trail remains open. This outing does not enter the tunnel or use its bypass. Follow closure signs and stop sooner if the worksite barrier extends along the approach; that will shorten the ride. Seeing the tunnel from outside is the destination.

Start at the public paved Staple Bend Tunnel parking lot off Beech Hill Road, listed by the county trail manager as 1156 Beech Hill Road, Johnstown, Pennsylvania. This is near Mineral Point, separate from the Allegheny Portage Railroad visitor center near Gallitzin. For the vehicle approach, NPS directs visitors across the Beech Hill Road bridge and through a signal-controlled railroad underpass to the lot on the right. Wait for the green light and keep the emergency access road clear. Walk your bicycle from the parking area onto the signed Staple Bend trail.

Follow the old rail corridor south toward the tunnel, remaining on the designated shared trail. River views, historic stonework and interpretation panels provide reasons to stop. Turn back before the closed tunnel entrance. Do not continue into the steeper Path of the Flood sections toward Franklin and Johnstown, or substitute the public-road connections elsewhere in that larger route.

The four-mile distance is the manager's approximate return outing, not a surveyed car-to-car measurement. A numerical maximum slope and elevation gain are unavailable. Limestone can soften or become uneven after wet weather. There is no winter trail maintenance or snow removal. Yield to walkers, keep right and pass only when the way is clear. Seasonal restroom and drinking-water availability have not been independently confirmed; bring water.

Ordinary admission is free, with no entrance pass or reservation required. Grounds and trails normally open sunrise to sunset, weather permitting. Visitor-center building hours do not set this separate trailhead's hours. The NPS permits qualifying e-bikes where ordinary bikes are allowed, but motor-only travel without pedaling is prohibited on this nonmotorized trail. Pets must be restrained on a leash no longer than six feet.

Checked October 11, 2026: NPS cycling directions, fee page, December 2025 superintendent's compendium, current conditions page and its actual live alert feed, plus the county profile and complete September 2021 trail map. The live feed retains several expired winter building notices; those are distinct from the continuing tunnel interior closure, which has no end date. Recheck the approach and worksite boundary before publication or a visit.

Sources: NPS outing, cycling and parking directions, current alerts, fees, current park rules, county trail profile, county map.