Heritage Hike: Staple Bend Tunnel 

Join a park ranger on a hike to the first railroad tunnel in America, the Staple Bend Tunnel, on Sunday, August 20, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. Reservations are required for this free hike. Please call the Visitor Center at 814-886-6150 to sign up.

The hike is five miles in length. Participants will learn about the history of the tunnel, how it was constructed, the Allegheny Portage Railroad and much more! Several features from the days of the railroad, including stone sleepers, are still visible.

Participants are encouraged to wear good walking shoes and bring water. The hike will take place rain or shine.

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site is located 10 miles west of Altoona, Pennsylvania off the Gallitzin exit of US Highway 22. The park preserves portions of the first railroad crossing over the Allegheny Mountains. This unique railroad connected the eastern and western divisions of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal.