Allegheny River Valley Trail at St. Bonaventure

The Allegheny River Valley Trail has the following features:

• A 6.2-mile loop trail that runs between the Town of Allegany, NY and the City of Olean, NY along the Allegheny River, plus other properties.
• It is 10 feet wide, made with asphalt and is handicapped accessible (a flat surface).
• It is used by people of all ages, including babies in strollers, children on tricycles, youngsters on inline skates, adults on bicycles and senior citizens traveling on foot.
• Motorized vehicles are not allowed, except for motorized handicapped vehicles.

The trail meanders through a forested route for almost three miles along the Allegheny River. This is unique because it connects the communities of Olean and Allegany, allowing users to travel six miles round trip without crossing a street. The other option is to complete the loop and pass through a residential area and then along Constitution Avenue, which is Olean's industrial and retail hub. A unique feature of the trail is that, although almost 50% of it is on abandoned rail yards, it is a loop. Most rail trails are in a straight line requiring return to a trailhead along the same route.