The Great Allegheny Passage stretches from Cumberland, Maryland, to Pittsburgh and picks up where the C&O Canal Towpath stops on its way from Washington, D.C. Within the more than 40 miles of the GAP in Somerset County there's roughly as many attractions for visitors to inspect, such as the Salisbury Viaduct, which provides a breathtaking view from its 101-foot height. Joining me this month to provide background on this historic path is Somerset County parks and trails Director Lindsay Baer, who some listeners may recognized from the 9/11 Trails episode. Larry Adams, county parks board member, also tags along and provides invaluable information about the Great Allegheny Passage, which he gained while building the first 16 miles during his time managing Ohiopyle State Park.

An introduction to all the wonders Hiking the Highlands has to offer.

Tucked away in the forest surrounding the Ebensburg Municipal Authority's upper reservoir is Nathan's Divide Watershed Education Center. Dave Lester has dreamed of creating an outdoor destination for decades and in 2016 decided to make that dream a reality. Thus far, the center sports roughly five miles of trails and several educational programs for various ages. But he's not done. Lester has many more ideas for developing the area while also preserving the natural scenery. On this episode of Hiking the Highlands, the local man walks me through not only what he and numerous volunteers have accomplished to date but his hopes for the future. For more information, visit www.nathansdivide.org.

Sept. 11, 2001 was one of the darkest days in United States history, but out of that terrible event has grown numerous memorials to heroism, bravery and patriotism, such as the September 11 National Memorial Trail. Once complete, the 1,300-mile path will connect Washington D.C., Somerset County Pennsylvania and New York City using existing and new infrastructure. One stretch of the future trail is partially built outside of Garrett, Somerset County, and on this episode Jeff McCauley, 9/11 Trail director of trail development, and Somerset County Parks and Trails Director Lyndsay Pyle give me a tour of that area. www.911trail.org

Atop Cresson Mountain, just off the Gallitzin exit of U.S. Route 22, sits a park with ties to local, national and global history.  Doug Bosley, National Park ranger and chief of interpretation and visitor services, takes me on a tour of the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site that dates back to the mid-1800s and features 15 miles of trails.

The Ghost Town Trail, a 48-mile stretch of old rail line with various extensions, is one of Cambria County's most visited hiking destinations, and for good reason. The crushed limestone path features numerous scenic opportunities and passes through several small towns that each sport a parking area for easy access. Caytlin Lusk, Cambria County Conservation and Recreation Authority program coordinator, guides me through the trail attractions, history and projects on this episode of Hiking the Highlands.

This month's episode is a little different from the others due to the weather. We'll be discussing the Honan Avenue Hiking and Biking Trail but we won't be outside. Instead, Paulette Baker and Ron Shawley, of the Laurel Highlands Historic Village, join me in The Tribune-Democrat recording studio to chat about the trail, history of the area and paranormal events.

Honan Avenue Hiking Trail Map

What started as two historic trails has been built up to 10 paths on the Lorain Borough-owned hillside by residents interested in creating a community asset. I'm joined by Mike Hammers, his wife Brandy, Eric Kennedy and Dan Kovalik on this episode of Hiking the Highlands. We take to the White Tail path of the Lorain/Stonycreek Hiking Trails.

Mike Cook takes me all over the hillside that sports one of Johnstown's biggest attractions, the Inclined Plane. Hiking trails and downhill mountain biking paths zig-zag up and down the slope - many of which Cook has built by hand throughout the past five years. In this episode we discuss his involvement in local groups, the area's history and much more.

Here's the first episode of Hiking the Highlands: Bonus Miles. It includes some additional material cut from the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail episode I think listeners might enjoy.