The Coal and Coke Trail connects Scottdale to Mount Pleasant in Westmoreland County in southwestern Pennsylvania. Because this trail offers multiple trailside playgrounds, and Helltown Brewery near the trail, there was a little something for everyone in my crew, making it a great family bike ride. You can read more about the Coal and Coke Trail here.
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Summary
- Itinerary– Park in Scottdale, ride Jacob Creek Multi-Use Trail to Coal and Coke Trail, playground time at Willows Park, ride to Mount Pleasant, grab lunch, ride to Helltown Brewery, ride back
- Distance – About 5 miles one way, 10 miles total
- Trail – Some parts of the trail were paved, but the majority of the trail was a crushed stone surface. If starting in Scottdale, the trail temporarily goes on a lightly trafficked road.
- Kids ages – 3 years old and 1 year old
- Child Transport – We took our kids in our Topeak bike seats. We all seem to enjoy bike rides more when they are separated. But I think a pull-behind double trailer would work fine too.
There were some maps available along the trail. But you can also download and print one before you go by clicking here.
Parking
We decided to park at a trailhead in Scottdale. This trailhead had a pavilion, but no bathrooms.
Just a little way down the trail from the trailhead in Scottdale was Kendi Park. Next time we do this ride, we might park there because it had a porta-potty and my kids were interested in the playground.
From Kendi Park, the trail went on a lightly trafficked road for a short while.
But if you want to avoid the road completely, there are other trailheads further down the trail where you can consider parking.
The Ride
The ride was flat and easy. Parts of the trail were paved, but I would say the majority of the trail was a crushed stone surface.
The trail had mile markers and there were also a few road crossings.
On our way to Mount Pleasant, we stopped at Willows Park to let the kids play.
After the park, we entered Mount Pleasant where we enjoyed some trailside art and grabbed a quick bite to eat along the trail.
The Brewery
Then, we rode about a quarter-mile past the trail on some lightly trafficked roads to Helltown Brewery.
The brewery had plenty of outdoor seating. The kids ran around and played with the corn hole boards and ping pong table. This is a stop on the Laurel Highlands Pour Tour. You can pick up a passport and sticker at the brewery, or you can download the app in iTunes or Google Play stores to track your stops on the tour.
We tasted a few beers with a flight and then took a growler to go. You can check our beloved 64oz Hydroflask Grolwer on Amazon or REI. It keeps the beer cold and if unopened, fresh for days. We also use it for several other beverages on the go, water, hot chocolate, iced tea, etc. The Blackburn growler holder makes taking a growler-to-go a breeze on bike rides. We use the growler holder for other items like water bottles, clothes, etc.
From here we rode back to where we parked, making for a roughly 10-mile round trip ride. Here is a breakdown of our ride (one way).
As always, this is just what we ended up doing to serve as a reference point for your plans. This itinerary can be modified in many ways. Whatever you decide, I want to see or hear about your adventures on the Coal and Coke Trail. Leave a comment or tag me on Instagram (@adventureswkelly).
Additional Bike Rides
You can look into some other bike rides my family has enjoyed.
- Waterfall Bike Ride – Great Allegheny Passage – Ohiopyle State Park
- Pittsburgh Family Bike Ride South Side to Point on Great Allegheny Passage
- Sheepskin Trail Dunbar, PA
Do you like similar bike rides that feature playgrounds and breweries? Here are a few others we have completed that I haven’t had a chance to create posts about. These include:
- Morgantown, WV- Mon River Trail from Van Voorhis Trailhead to Mountain State Brewery (about 6 miles one way) – Playground in Star City
- Greensburg, PA- Five Start Trail from Youngstown to Lynch Field Park (All Saints Brewery just beyond park)
- West Newton, PA- Great Allegheny Passage from Cedar Creek Park to West Newton – Bloom Brewery, Crooked Creek Distillery in town – multiple playgrounds at Cedar Creek
Neaby Attractions
- Local Historical Sites – Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Braddock’s Grave, The Mount Washington Tavern, and Jumonvile Glen
- Bear Run Nature Reserve and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater
- A family hike in Quebec Run Wild Area
- Ruth Eberly Walking Nature Trails in Wharton Township Recerational Park
- Wharton Iron Furnace
- Flight 93 National Memorial
- Friendship Hill National Historic Site
- Brown’s Run Trail
- Robinson Falls
Cosette
That’s a great ending of a bike ride, a brewery! Great family bike ride with playgrounds at the beginning and along the route.
Kelly Kristensen
I love reading about your bike trips. The brewery also looks like a lot of fun!
Kristina
Looks like a great family bike ride with so many fun stops along the way!
Cass Trzeb
We’ve never been to Pennsylvania, but this is right up our alley. The Pour Tour is a great idea. Definitely saving this for future reference, thanks for sharing.