Buffalo Valley Rail Trail links Lewisburg and Mifflinburg daily life

At roughly 9.3 to 9.5 miles long, the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail runs between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg through the heart of Buffalo Valley. It carries walkers, cyclists, wheelchair users, skaters, and families on a separated route along the Route 45 corridor that roads and sidewalks do not fully replace.

A corridor with real access points

The trail runs from Market Street in Lewisburg to North 10th Street in Mifflinburg, with trailheads, facilities, and parking at both ends and at the midpoint in Vicksburg. That setup makes it easy to use for a short walk, a turnaround ride, or a longer end-to-end trip without needing to commit to the full distance.

It has asphalt and gravel sections and works for a wide range of uses, from family strolling to mountain biking and cross-country skiing. It serves all ages and abilities for both recreation and transportation, and as a safe environment for children, dogs, and adults.

Built from a railroad line, not from scratch

The trail follows a former railroad corridor through the valley. The line traces to the Lewisburg Centre & Spruce Creek Railroad, incorporated in 1853, later renamed the Lewisburg & Tyrone Railroad Co. in 1879, and eventually closed in 1982.

The rail trail opened in 2011. Phase II was completed in October 2015 and extended the trail into the heart of historic Lewisburg.

What people use it for every day

People use it for biking, walking, wheelchair travel, inline skating, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing. Thousands of residents and visitors have walked, run, or biked the trail, and the corridor works as a low-barrier way to get exercise, get outside with a dog, or move between parts of town without getting in a car. For families, that means a place where kids can move freely; for older adults and people using mobility devices, it means a route with a built-in recreational option that does not depend on a vehicle.

Why it matters to downtown Lewisburg and the wider valley

On the Lewisburg end, it connects into the borough’s historic district and the broader activity around downtown and Bucknell University, while the Mifflinburg end anchors the north side of the corridor near North 10th Street.

The trail extends to Bucknell University through the Bull Run Greenway. That connection links the rail trail to nature-based play areas and ADA-accessible sidewalks and trails.

Who manages it and how safety is handled

The Buffalo Valley Rail Trail was developed through investment by the Buffalo Valley Recreation Authority, Union County, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. In 2018, the Union County Board of Commissioners created the Union County Trail Authority to own and manage the trail and to advance future trail development in the county.

The Trail Authority has used May Bicycle Safety Month to raise awareness for both trail users and drivers, including bicycle-safety road decals along the trail. The board meets on the third Thursday of the month at the Union County Government Center.

The biggest practical limitations

The rail trail works best as a linear corridor with a few key access points. Trailheads and parking at the two ends and at Vicksburg make the route easy to use in sections, but they also show where the trail still depends on specific nodes rather than a fully connected countywide network.

The Bull Run Greenway connection to Bucknell University points toward a larger system of linked paths. The trail authority’s charge is to advance future trail development in the county.