Mark's Bike Tock: Trail Art

Many communities embrace and adopt their local trail and add art work to enhance the trail user experience. Sometimes this is commissioned work to highlight some aspect of the community or its history. Other times it is more whimsical, perhaps some bit added by an adjacent landowner. Gnomes are common additions from adjacent property owners. Sculptures and murals are common. Some trails integrate art into the construction of the trail such as creative bridges such as the High Trestle bridge or monuments denoting the Mason Dixon Line on the Great Allegany Passage. Here is a small sampling of some of the art I have seen along various trails.

Sculptures

Centennial Trail, Spokane, WA

D&L Trail, Easton, PA

Capital Greenbelt, Harrisburg, PA

Centennial Trail, Spokane, WA

Lakefront Trail Chicago, IL

Cumberland Valley, PA

Great Allegany Passage, PA

Karl Stirner Arts Trail, Easton, PA

Lackawanna Heritage Trail, Scranton, PA

York Heritage Trail, PA

Redbank Trail, PA

Cumberland Valley Trail, PA

Murals

Centennial Trail, Spokane, WA

Lakefront Trail, Chicago, IL

Lackawanna Heritage Trail, Scranton, PA

Warwick - Ephrata Trail, PA

Ghost Town Trail, PA

Gnomes, Americana

Trail Coeur d'Alenes, ID

D&H Trail, Union Dale, PA

Lackawanna Heritage Trail, PA

Little Miami Trail, OH

Warwick - Ephrata Trail, PA

Torrey Brown, MD

Assorted

Trail Coeur d'Alenes, ID

Centennial Trail, Spokane, WA

Lakefront Trail, Chicago, IL

Great Allegany Passage, PA

Great River Trail, WI

Hazleton Rail Trail, PA

Lackawanna Heritage Trail, Scranton, PA

Ben Bikin', Sparta, WI

York Heritage Trail, PA

Capital Greenbelt, Harrisburg, PA

Lackawanna Heritage Trail, Scranton, PA

River Mountains Loop Trail, NV

Wyoming Valley Levee Trail, Wilkes-Barre, PA

2 comments:

NedDecember 24, 2021 at 10:16 AM
Mike,

Your videos and posting have helped me tremendously, especially during the pandemic. First, you do such a great job chronically your rides that on days I can't get on a trail, I know I've got the option of taking a ride virtually via your YouTube channel. I've often forwarded links of your videos to friends before we head out, just to inspire them. We jokingly refer to them as, "bike porn" but seriously, they provide excellent information that energizes and informs us of what to expect. Although I'm from Baltimore, Maryland, I've enjoyed some of PAs best trails and no doubt, there are many outstanding ones. I have many wonderful memories and experiences - from the majestic Pine Creek Gorge to the Ghost Town Trail and along the incredible Allegheny Highlands Trail from Cumberland MD to Pittsburgh as well as many others. Again, thank you for taking the time to create these terrific videos and write your postings. They are genuinely enjoyed, over and over again. In fact, it wouldn't be exaggerating to say that Mike, m’man, you have groupies!

-Ned Boyle