Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site Flag Pole

Welcome to Allegheny Portage Railroad, a unit of the National Park Service! This site preserves the remains of the Allegheny Portage Railroad, which was a critical link for the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal from 1834 to 1854.

Allegheny Portage Railroad Picnic Area

• The picnic area is surrounded by trees. There is a pavilion and several picnic tables.

Engine House No. 6 Exhibit Shelter

• A white barn-like structure that housed the machinery needed to haul people and goods up the steep grades of the mountain.

Incline #6 Overlook

• Incline #6 Overlook is on a boardwalk. The railroad track is reproduction and has large pieces of wood and a piece of iron.

Lemon House

• The Lemon House is a two-story stone tavern that stood along the Portage Railroad.

Lemon House Bar-room

• The bar-room is brightly painted and contains a bar, benches, and a table and chairs with cards. There is a wooden floor and the room contains various tavern items that could be found in the tavern, such as newspapers and hats.

Lemon House Dining Room

• The room contains a black and white square pattern painted canvas floor covering. Brightly painted chairs sit at tables with reproduction food.

Lemon House Fancy Parlor

• The Fancy Parlor has wallpaper, carpet, and 19th century furniture.

Skew Arch Bridge

• The bridge is built at an angle out of stone.

Staple Bend Tunnel

• A railroad tunnel made of stone. It is over 900 feet in length.

Staple Bend Tunnel Culverts

• A stone structure over a steam

Staple Bend Tunnel Trail, Stone Sleepers

• Pieces of sandstone were used for the foundation of the rails of the flat sections of the railroad.

Staple Bend Tunnel Trailhead

• There is a parking lot and a brown structure that serves as a comfort station. Signage gives information about the park.

Stone Quarry

• The stone quarry is located near the boardwalk. There are various pieces of sandstone in different sizes.

Summit Level Visitor Center

• The Visitor Center building is a large stone structure.

Trailhead for the Inclines 6 to 10 Trail

• There is a parking lot, park and trail information and a vault toilet located at the trailhead.

Summit Level Visitor Center

• Summit Level Visitor Center
• Located immediately off of US Route 22 at the Gallitzin Exit, this is the best place to start your tour. The Visitor Center has a 20-minute orientation movie shown on demand, interactive exhibits, and a bookstore. The passport stamp station is also located in the Visitor Center.

• Daily Programs
• Costumed rangers conduct a variety of program offerings throughout the summer months.

• Evening on the Summit
• Attend an Evening on the Summit program select Tuesday evenings during the summer months.

• Allegheny Portage Railroad Van Tours
• Allegheny Portage Railroad Van Tours are July 21 and August 9. Reservations open on May 1, 2025, and are required due to limited space!

• Guided Hikes
• Heritage Hikes are led by a park ranger during the summer months. The distance varies by hike. Reservations are required.

• Engine House 6 Exhibit Shelter
• Visitors to Engine House 6 Exhibit Shelter can view full scale models of the mechanisms that would have originally been in all ten Engine House structures.

• Lemon House
• The Lemon House tavern, built by Sam and Jean Lemon in the early 1830s, was a stop along the Allegheny Portage Railroad for travelers to rest and eat.

• Explore the Summit Level Visitor Center
• The Visitor Center has exhibits and a 20-minute park movie that is shown upon request. The Allegheny Portage Railroad, part of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal, was the first railroad to cross the Allegheny Mountains.

• Living History Day
• Living History Day is an annual event at the park!

• Participate in the Junior Ranger program!
• The Junior Ranger program is available in the Visitor Center. Ask the Ranger on duty for a booklet. The number of activities required is based on age. Upon completion of the booklet, participants will earn a Junior Ranger badge!

• Hike or bike to the Staple Bend Tunnel
• The Staple Bend Tunnel, the first railroad tunnel in America, can be accessed from the trailhead on Beech Hill Road in Mineral Point. Visitors can hike or bike approximately two miles each way to the 901 foot long tunnel following the old railroad bed.

• Hike the Inclines 6 to 10 Trail
• The Inclines 6 to 10 Trail follows the route of the Allegheny Portage Railroad. The hiking sections of the trail are located on or near the original route of the Allegheny Portage Railroad. The bicycle section is located on the route of the New Portage Railroad. Sections of this trail are very steep and rugged.

• Summit Level Visitor Center bookstore
• The bookstore at Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site is operated by America's National Parks and is located in the Visitor Center. It contains books about the Allegheny Portage Railroad, t-shirts, coffee mugs, pins, patches, magnets and many other items are available for purchase. Stamps for the Passport To Your National Parks program are available in the bookstore area.

• The picnic area
• Enjoy lunch in our picnic area! Many picnic tables are available for use. Some are covered by a pavilion. Shade trees provide nice coverage on a hot, sunny day. 

• The Skew Arch Bridge
• The Skew Arch Bridge is an original feature of the Allegheny Portage Railroad. It is the only road bridge that was built along the path of the railroad. It was constructed of stone and allowed for Huntington, Cambria and Indiana Turnpike traffic to cross over the railroad. The "skew arch" was designed to accommodate the bend in the turnpike road. 

• Watch the park movie
• The park movie is 20 minutes in length and is shown upon request in the Visitor Center theater during the building's hours of operation.

• Hike along the Summit Level
• At the bottom of the boardwalk at Engine House 6 Exhibit Shelter, visitors are walking along the Summit Level of the Allegheny Portage Railroad. This section is the highest point that the Allegheny Portage Railroad crossed the Allegheny Mountains. The Allegheny Portage Railroad had 10 inclined planes and 11 levels.

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site Overview Tour

Hello and welcome to Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service!

Lemon House

By 1834, Samuel Lemon built this substantial stone house east of the summit of the Allegheny Mountains. He and his family lived in the Lemon House from 1834 to 1847 and operated a tavern serving passengers of the newly built "Allegheny Portage Railroad" as well as the wayfarers of the "Northern Turnpike."