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Not a conventional umbrellas-in-your-drink resort, this rough-cut, rough-riding gem in the hills north of Pittsburgh is a real find.

Mines and Meadows, the vision of entrepreneur and motorsports aficionado Robert Svihra, is a self service “resort” for fans of dirt bikes and UTVs. Family members who are already motorheads will have a blast at this 500-acre off road vehicle paradise. Those who aren’t will have ample opportunity to try a range of vehicles, learn how to ride, and fall in love with mud on a memorable family adventure vacation.  

Before we get too far, a word about the TLAs (three-letter acronyms) that motorheads love:  OHV = off-highway vehicle; ATV = all terrain vehicle; UTV = utility terrain vehicle; 4x4 = 4WD = four wheel drive; RUV = recreational utility vehicle, same as an SxS = side by side, which is a two-passenger ATV with a ROPS (a roll cage or roll over protective structure.) 

M&M: A Motorhead Playground

Mines and Meadows is a find for motorsports fans whose playgrounds are constantly encroached upon by urban sprawl.  Conveniently located in western Pennsylvania, it draws riders from Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and New York. Although the wear and tear these vehicles cause can damage many fragile environments and wildlife habitats, the clever reuse of the Underland Development Company’s former mining complex could be considered an environmental rescue effort.  Rock walls throughout the property -- once ugly scars from coal strip mining -- are now gently overgrown with flowers and shrubs and provide beautiful hill climbing challenges and jumps. Access routes brutally carved through stands of trees now provide a labyrinth of dirt trails that become delightfully muddy bogs with the slightest rain. 

The gently rolling land has steep valleys, creeks fed by the Beaver River, a beaver dam, waterfalls, some old mining buildings, farms, power lines, sinkholes and, most interestingly for enthusiasts, an abandoned limestone mine whose 45 acres of hollows (and a 3-acre freshwater lake!) provide unusual riding terrain. 

Once owned by the Crescent Cement Company, the mines were carved under the 65-acre parcel of land that now belongs to Svihra’s partner, Steve Grinnen. Like enormous stalagmites, limestone pillars more than 50 feet in circumference support a blasted-out ceiling.  The base of the dank, dark labyrinth is marked by ruts, piles of stone, and pools of water. To me, a novice at both ATVs and mining, riding underground alternated between awe at this hellacious cathedral and fear at having to hug the gas tank to get through certain entryways.  The mine is illuminated only by the headlights of other vehicles and for the safety of guests, riders can only enter on a guided tour.  John Takas, the long-time Mines and Meadows guide, has led many families into this hole. 

Altogether, the resort's 45 miles of trails provide dirt and stone routes for all ability levels, groomed for safety, and mapped from easy to difficult with green, blue and black markers. As much fun as the mud pockets and deeply rutted paths are fields of boulders, patches of shale, wide open meadows, and groomed, 48-inch-wide trails twisting between saplings and the roots of old oaks. The North Country National Scenic Trail crosses the property, connecting hiking trails that run through seven states, three National Parks, eight National Forests, and one National Grassland.