Youghiogheny River Trail-Smithton

Coal mining played a big role in the lives of the people along this section of the Youghiogheny River Trail. The company towns of Van Meter and Jacobs Creek provided housing and jobs for miners and their families, many who immigrated from central Europe. Their quest for a better life in the US was instantly shattered on December 19, 1907 when miners deep in Darr mine encountered a pocket of methane gas which was ignited by their open flame headlamps. Above ground the explosion knocked people off their feet; underground, it killed 239 men and boys.

Today the rail line is a part of the Great Allegheny Passage which links Pittsburgh, Pa to Washington, DC., a distance of 334 miles. Despite the sad history of the area the trail is beautiful and historic with interpretive signs, memorials to the miners, and ruins of mining structures. It passes by the town of Van Meter where a couple dozen company houses are still standing and occupied.   

We parked at Smithton Beach Trailhead and walked/rolled south for 2.5 miles to the 1930 Banning Railroad Bridge before turning around. Along the way we passed an overgrown ball field and a coal yard before coming to the town of Van Meter. The trail parallels the backyards of the former company housing which were built as two family dwellings. Stop at the South Yard Depot for snacks, sandwiches, garden produce, and good conversation with the owner. If he's not around the refrigerator and freezer are self serve. 

Continue along the trail to the ruins of the coal washing station featuring murals on the concrete water tank. Farther along, a row of  beautiful mosaic circles on a concrete wall symbolize the numbered tags the miners hung on a rack when they went down in a mine. Once they were safe above ground they removed their tag. 239 tags weren't removed that December day.  

       

The trail is accessible, surfaced with hard parked, finely crushed stone and almost level.

 

The parking lot is large enough for any vehicle. The entrance is a little hard to spot and looks narrow but it opens up after a couple hundred feet.  Overnight parking is allowed. Trail  40.15842, -79.74688