June 2026: Sideling Hill Trailhead Edition

Big Plans in Store for Old PA Pike Trail as Sideling Hill Trailhead Offers New Connection for Outdoor Enthusiasts

One big step into the future of recreation in southcentral Pennsylvania starts with the PA Turnpike’s past.

And now with the new Sideling Hill Trailhead, travelers have a quick connection between the service plaza of the same name and The Old PA Pike (TOPP) Trail.

“If someone using the trail wants a meal or needs to make a rest stop, the Sideling Hill Service Plaza offers those facilities that the trail does not have,” said Jim Wehling, who serves as the Chair of the Bedford-Fulton Joint Recreation Authority, which oversees the TOPP Trail.

Bicyclists enjoy a ride on the TOPP Trail recently. It now has a new access point from the Sideling Hill Trailhead. 

The TOPP Trail is a short bike ride or hike from the Sideling Hill Trailhead. You can find directions between the two here. This unique trail offers outdoor enthusiasts and history buffs a chance to enjoy an 8.5-mile portion of the PA Turnpike that was abandoned in the 1960s as the Commission bypassed the Rays Hill and Sideling Hill tunnels to accommodate increasing traffic demands.

The abandoned tunnels and section of highway were unused for decades. Then in the early 2000s, as recreation groups sought new trails for bicyclists to enjoy, the PA Turnpike Commission agreed to hand it to the South Alleghenies Conservancy for $1 with the intent of another agency managing what would become the TOPP Trail.

You can learn more about that history here, but it was in 2018 when the Bedford-Fulton Joint Recreation Authority bought the property and began to apply for funding to revitalize the trail.

With the opening of the Sideling Hill Trailhead last fall, momentum is building. Wehling said signs on the paved road between the Trailhead and TOPP Trail will be installed soon to better guide bikers and hikers between the two.

On the trail itself, Wehling and the authority are bringing on a firm to conduct an engineering study of the tunnels to find a way to make them safer for recreational use. That assessment should be completed by the end of the year.

After that, the authority is planning to resurface the TOPP Trail, starting with a 2-mile stretch in Fulton County, making it even more bike friendly.

Suggestions for future improvements have ranged from establishing a campground to building a miniature golf course. Many outdoor enthusiasts want to see more biking facilities, further connections to the Buchanan State Forest, horseback riding, and even a chance to use the tunnels as a backdrop for concerts.

“It’s an exciting time, and it promises to be unique,” Wehling said. “We don’t know exactly how things will develop, but we want to make improvements, and I think there are some great opportunities.”

Learn more about the TOPP Trail here. You can also learn about the non-profit Friends of The Old PA Pike Trail here.

A Clean Bike for a New Adventure: Sideling Hill Trailhead Sports Unique Bike-Wash Station 

If you’re returning from a muddy bike ride, the Sideling Hill Trailhead has a great spot to relax and clean your bike.

At the end of a well-lit walkway from the Sideling Hill Service Plaza, you can find a covered pavilion with seating areas, a bike rack, and green space.

This bike wash, crafted by local students, is a unique place for bicyclsts to clean their gear after an adventure. 

The trailhead also includes a 12- foot by 25-foot tree-shaped bike washing station. You’ve probably never seen anything like it because it is quite unique. It was designed, fabricated and painted by students from Forbes Road and Southern Fulton High Schools, as part of the PA Turnpike’s Art Sparks Program. Students from the Yellow Breeches Educational Center contributed their handiwork by making the picnic tables.

If you need fix your bike, the service plaza also sells repair tools.

A family from Ohio enjoys a stop at the Sideling Hill Trailhead, which includes a bike repair station, which the kids seem to love.

Biking is a fun way to get some exercise, but it’s important to stay safe. Remember:

Quick tips:

• Always wear a helmet. State law requires cyclists under 12 to wear one

• Never ride against the flow of traffic

• Wear bright clothing and put reflectors on your wheels and the front and rear of your bike

• Carry a pump, patch kit, and spare tube

• Drink plenty of water and bring snacks for energy

You can find more tips and state bicycle laws here.

More Than Part of the Scenery: Engineering Project at Sideling Hill Helps Control Stormwater Runoff

When you’re taking in the scenery around the Sideling Hill Trailhead, the front lawn of the service plaza itself may catch your eye, too.

Native plants growing between the Sideling Hill Service Plaza and the Pennsylvania Turnpike help control stormwater runoff and are part of two new stormwater basins.

The PA Turnpike uses stormwater basins throughout the system to reduce pollution, flood risk, and to maintain clean water.

At Sideling Hill, Engineer Project Manager Carl Brudin headed up the PA Turnpike’s efforts to install the two new stormwater basins to capture and filter runoff from the parking lot, which includes an expanded area for additional tractor-trailer parking. After the stormwater is filtered, the basins slowly release it into the groundwater.

Engineer Project Manager Carl Brudin led the project that added two stormwater basins to the Sideling Hill Service Plaza and included some educational signs to let the public know how it all works.

Beyond the basins themselves, Brudin wanted to do something more.

“I thought it’s a very busy service plaza, so let’s education the public and let them know what we’re up to,” he said.

So, he led the effort to have three information boards set up near the basins for the public to check out while visiting the service plaza, the farmer’s market and the new Trailhead to learn all about the PA Turnpike’s stormwater efforts. It contains a QR code to the PA Turnpike’s clean water page, as well.

You can do your part to protect water quality in your at Sideling Hill, on the PA Turnpike, or in your community by following these steps: 

• Properly dispose of oil, cleaning supplies, and paint. Never pour them down any part of the storm sewer system. 

• Keep vehicles and freight properly maintained to prevent leaking fluids. 

• Use pesticide, fertilizer and herbicide properly and efficiently to prevent excess runoff. 

• Pick up after pets and dispose of waste properly. 

• Store potentially polluting materials indoors and use containers for outdoor storage that do not rust or leak to minimize exposure. 

If you’re on the PA Turnpike, you can report stormwater runoff concerns by calling *11 or fill out the clean-water form here.