This trail is named after Congressman John P. Saylor, who represented Pennsylvania from 1949 to 1973. He was a conservationist with a deep concern for the environment. While in Congress, Saylor sponsored the National Scenic Trails Act and supported national wilderness preservation.
The John P. Saylor Trail is relatively flat with gradual climbs in elevation. The trail is a double loop configuration with the northern loop being about 12 miles in length and the southern loop being about 5 miles in length. The entire trail is a little over 17 miles long and can be hiked in a single day, but more typically done in two days. There is a shelter erected approximately 8.5 miles into the hike, located on the southern loop.
In the spring the trail is very wet with many springs and streams leading to marshy areas. On parts of the trail there is well preserved evidence of the former railroad grades over the swamp areas. The trail crosses Clear Shade Creek by a narrow suspension bridge into the Clear Shade wild area. You also pass through a former logging camp and will see the remenants of a splash dam.
| Date of Hike | Trail | Location |
| 7/23/2006 | John P. Saylor Trail - Northern Loop | Near Windber, PA, on Route PA56 |
| 9/16/2007 | John P. Saylor Trail - Souther Loop | Near Windber, PA, on Route PA56 |
 Reviewed by Alexander Rovnan of Lancaster, PA 04/22/2008 |
| We hiked both loops on a 2 day backpacking trip. This is a great trail for novices, as the terrain is as flat (and soft!) as you could hope to find in Pennsylvania. Much of the northern loop is fairly bland, but the south loop and Wolf rocks provide some great scenery. |
 Reviewed by Dave Dorr of Eldersburg, MD, MD 12/01/2007 |
| This was a great hike and I appreciate the information posted here - I backpacked the trails with my wife on Thanksgiving Day of 2007 and stayed at the shelter described. Woke up to snow and sub-zero temps the next day - it was great! |
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