Between the plain cedar furnishings, olive carpeting and antique phonograph, the interior of John Blinkhorn’s Airbnb appears frozen in various points of the 20th century. But its existence speaks mostly to the future of Export and similar communities along the region’s growing trail network.

Blinkhorn bought the triplex in his hometown about five years ago and began fixing it up as work got underway to extend the West­moreland Heritage Trail farther into the borough. The path reached downtown Export last year, with the long-term goal of creating a seamless connection between Trafford and Saltsburg.

He estimates about 20% of his visitors book the place, which is stocked with standard and electric bikes, just for the outdoor amenities.

For one reason or other, families from as far as California have stayed in the 113-year-old home near some old train tracks.

“I had a couple that wanted to come just to enjoy the trails. They would take their bikes out every day,” Blinkhorn said. “Some people just show up and they got other things to do, but they also go down to the trail just for a walk or to check it out.”

A look at Airbnb’s website — and, to a smaller degree, similar platforms such as Vrbo — shows that rental properties have sprung up in trail towns across Western Pennsylvania as these communities embrace their appeal as recreation destinations.

In the Schenley neighborhood of Gilpin, an Airbnb has gone live directly across from a stretch of the Armstrong Trail completed earlier this year. That same owner has another rental listed near a forthcoming phase of trail into Leechburg, which is awaiting surfacing.

Bryan Perry, executive director of the Great Allegheny Passage Conservancy, has seen a similar growth in overnight lodging in his sprawling neck of the woods, stretching from downtown Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Md.

“Airbnb options have increased throughout the Laurel Highlands and Maryland and Pittsburgh,” Perry said. “Any trail that involves overnight travel — meaning trails that have destinations at either end and maybe several in-between, that has a length of at least 40 or 50 miles — is going to attract overnight travelers.”

To regulate or not

Freeport doesn’t appear to have any short-term digs yet, but borough officials say they’re working to get regulations on the books in anticipation of future development.

The borough connects to the Butler-Freeport Community Trail and the Tredway Trail as well as a handful of hiking routes. It’s also a short — but expensive — overpass away from being linked to Gilpin via the Armstrong Trail, which winds all the way up to East Brady.

Chris Ziegler, executive director of Armstrong Trails and president of the Butler-Freeport Community Trail board, expects the $8 million flyover to be built in 2026, cementing Freeport as a hub for lovers of the outdoors.

An ordinance tabled this month would make it so that short-term rental owners in Freeport would be subject to inspection and a $50 occupancy fee only once per year, instead of every time the keys turn over. The delay was meant to give officials time to develop a parking policy.

“We don’t anticipate this to be a big change all at once,” Borough Manager Zachary Filous said. “Currently, we don’t have any short-term rentals, but having a policy in place for when that happens is better than not.”

Leechburg has gone further than what Freeport is mulling by requiring owners to live within 25 miles of their property, restricting stays to seven consecutive days and enforcing a one-to-one ratio of off-street parking spots to bedrooms.

Export, in contrast, is waiting to see whether any intervention is needed. So far, there haven’t been any issues with the handful of Airbnbs, according to Councilwoman Melanie Litz.

“Until there’s a reason to formulate some sort of regulations or criteria, we’ve decided to just kind of take a hands-off approach,” she said.

Gilpin’s strategy represents a middle ground of sorts. As part of an overhaul to its zoning ordinance in November, the township requires prospective short-term rental owners to obtain a conditional use.

“By putting that in place, it gives neighbors a chance to step up and raise their concerns,” Gilpin Supervisor Charles Stull said. “We can kind of look at it on a case-by-case basis instead of putting blanket regulations over it.”

Economic impact

Bicyclists, it seems, like ice cream more than the average person.

Already, a pop-up Dippin’ Dots stand has appeared in Schenley.

In Murrysville — and just feet from Export — Griff’s Italian Ice & Soft Serve started scooping in 2022. Owner Sean Griffith estimated 25% of his business comes from trail users who spot the shack from the gravel path that runs right by it.

Across Old William Penn Highway at Helltown Brewing’s Murrysville taproom, general manager Rob Bolte figured that the trail is slightly less integral to his operation — except for Tuesdays, when a group of 50-or-so bicyclists end their rides there.

“They go out, ride, come back, drink beer, eat tacos,” Bolte said. “We definitely try to support (the trail) as much as we can.”

Mike Gallo and three of his friends, all of Murrysville, said lunch and dessert spots factor into their choice of where to bike, but they were most influenced to spend a recent Thursday afternoon on the Armstrong Trail by positive online reviews.

“I didn’t even know this town existed,” Gallo said, referring to Gilpin.

Trails can do more than just raise a place’s profile.

A 2021 study by the Great Allegheny Passage Conservancy found that its namesake trail generated $121 million in total economic impact in 2019, including $74.7 million in direct spending by tourists along the corridor.

According to Perry, bike shops, restaurants, breweries and museums all tend to thrive along the trail. At the same time, towns that offer these amenities — especially things to do in the evening — tend attract overnight stays, creating a virtuous cycle of tourism dollars.

Local attitudes toward trail travelers can make a difference, too.

“If you get a wave from a neighbor or you get a ‘Hey, how’s it going? Where you from?’ from the guy who looks like he’s got a regular spot at the diner, that really means a lot,” Perry said.

Ziegler said she might organize a survey of her own for the trails she manages to learn about people’s spending habits and experiences. To her, recreation can be more than a feature of a community in the absence of industry: “It can be the cornerstone,” she said.

That is, if out-of-towners have somewhere to stay. The limited number of hotels and traditional bed and breakfasts in Armstrong County are clustered in relatively large towns such as Kittanning.

“For the number of people that we’re anticipating coming to the area, that is our greatest need,” Ziegler said. “I know there isn’t anywhere in Freeport to stay. And that is the logical place to stay. You’re a day’s ride from Pittsburgh. You’re a day’s ride from East Brady.”

Jack Troy is a TribLive reporter covering the Freeport Area and Kiski Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on Penn Hills municipal affairs. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in January 2024 after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh. He can be reached at jtroy@triblive.com.