Shared by Zhenya Nalywayko, Program Manager of Trails & Outdoor Recreation for Pennsylvania Environmental Council
On July 31st, the Trail Association of the McKean-Elk Divide (TAMED) hosted a celebration for the opening of a long-anticipated piece of the Knox & Kane Rail Trail (KKRT) between Kane Borough and Kinzua Bridge State Park.
This gap was funded through Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) funding obtained by PEC, who was also part of the design and construction team alongside TAMED, Herbert, Rowland, & Grubic, Inc., RWF Excavating, and KJ Consulting.
PEC was thrilled to celebrate the ribbon-cutting in July with our friends in the community and all those who made this trail happen.
Blog post written by Brett Hollern posted 31 July 2026 on PEC Blog site
On Friday, July 31st PEC staff headed to Kane, PA to celebrate a brand-new connection in the Knox & Kane Rail Trail. Now, trail users can travel with ease between the Borough of Kane and Kinzua Bridge State Park.
PEC’s involvement with the Knox & Kane Rail Trail began primarily as a convener through the Industrial Heartlands Trail Coalition (IHTC), a multi-state partnership co-led by PEC, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, and the National Park Service. The IHTC is working to create a world-class trail network across western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. The Knox & Kane Rail Trail is a critical component of the PA Wilds Loop, one of the Pennsylvania trail corridors supported and coordinated by PEC through the IHTC. PEC also partners with the Erie to Pittsburgh Trail Alliance (EPT), another key Pennsylvania corridor within the Coalition.
Through this work, PEC developed strong relationships with the volunteer-led organizations working to complete the 70-mile Knox & Kane Rail Trail. Among these partners is the Trail Association of the McKean-Elk Divide (TAMED), whose leadership and advocacy have been instrumental in advancing the new trail connection. TAMED has leveraged funding, volunteers, and good old-fashioned sweat equity to complete all but five miles of the trail in McKean County.
To aid in trail connection efforts, PEC worked to better understand the remaining challenges and opportunities associated with closing gaps in both the PA Wilds Loop and the Erie to Pittsburgh Trail. In 2018, PEC was awarded an Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) POWER Planning Grant to evaluate trail gaps, identify strategic projects, and chart a path toward completing key connections throughout the trail network. The resulting report became an important resource for local partners seeking funding and advancing trail development projects.
Building on that planning work, PEC partnered with Crawford County to secure a $1.5 million ARC POWER Development Grant in 2020. The award funded construction of a critical 1.5-mile segment of the Knox & Kane Rail Trail, helping close a five-mile gap between the Borough of Kane and Kinzua Bridge State Park. PEC served as project manager for the design and construction of this segment, coordinating efforts from planning through implementation. The development grant also supported restoration work on the Brady Tunnel and improvements to a segment of the East Branch Trail in Crawford County, both part of the Erie to Pittsburgh Trail.
Additional momentum followed with a 2022 ARC POWER grant award of $1.4 million. Nearly half of this funding was directed toward addressing the remaining 3.5-mile gap between Kane and Kinzua Bridge State Park, bringing the vision of a fully connected Knox & Kane Rail Trail even closer to reality. In total, PEC successfully secured $1.3 million for the Knox & Kane Rail Trail, supplementing the extraordinary work being accomplished by volunteer trail organizations along the corridor.
PEC continues to work alongside local organizations, public agencies, and trail advocates to advance completion of the Knox & Kane Rail Trail and the broader regional trail network. Looking ahead, our focus is shifting to the nearly 14-mile gap that remains in Forest County. By helping to secure resources, coordinate partners, and manage complex projects, PEC is playing an important role in transforming long-planned trail connections into lasting assets for communities, residents, and visitors throughout the Pennsylvania Wilds.