I spent at least ten years of my life growing up in the small town of Saltsburg, PA. Truth is, I couldn’t wait to get out! Nevertheless, it’s amazing though how returning home after a few years can give you a new perspective. This beautiful scene was right in my backyard all along.

Usually I spend my blog posts talking about great places to go running, biking, and hiking, but unfortunately because of a stress fracture, I’m on the shelf for 6-8 weeks at least. I thought this would be a good time to get back to kayaking. Saltsburg, PA has developed into a small tourist attraction with great rivers to kayak and the West Penn Trail to explore. The 17-mile trail runs between Saltsburg and Blairsville and is a great out-and-back adventure. The trail is part of the Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg Main Line Canal Greenway, which is a 320-mile site full of Pennsylvania heritage.

If you have the whole day though, I suggest renting a kayak or canoe from Saltsburg River and Trail. Spend a few hours floating past railroad bridges and waterfalls or get a great workout paddling through the shallower sections and dodging rocks. When you’re done, a great place for lunch is where I worked in college: The Olde Salt Restaurant. The fish sandwich is fantastic!