The Montour Trail Council (MTC) was organized in November 1989 by a group of private citizen volunteers for the purpose of acquiring the abandoned right-of-way of the Montour Railroad (and the Peters Creek Branch of the Pennsylvania RR) and developing it as a trail for non-motorized recreation. Initial efforts were directed toward gaining credibility for this ambitious undertaking.

With assistance from Allegheny County Planning Department, a Montour Trail Concept Plan was developed and printed. This document described the physical trail as it was proposed, discussed the asset that the trail would provide to the region, and outlined the anticipated funding requirements and sources. Assistance was received from then-Congressman Doug Walgren in receiving expedited 501(c)(3) certification as a not-for-profit corporation, thus enabling the MTC to solicit funds from corporations and foundations.

MTC members gathered petition signatures in support of the trail and obtained letters of support from community organizations with which to convince potential fund sources and governmental bodies that there was public support. MTC membership grew from an initial 40 (Nov '89) to 230 (June 1990).

In September 1991 an agreement was signed between the MTC, Allegheny County, and the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie RR (corporate heir of the Montour RR) whereby that portion of the Montour RR right-of-way in Allegheny County was sold to the County (for trail use) and in Washington County sold directly to the MTC.

The initial section of trail (four miles in Cecil Twp, Washington County) opened in October 1992. This was followed by 2.6 miles in Findlay Twp in July 1993, five miles in Moon and Robinson Twps in October 1993, and 3.5 more miles in Findlay and North Fayette Twps in September 1994. In 1996, three miles were constructed north of Noblestown Road in Robinson Township of Washington County and over one mile in South Park Township of Allegheny County. As of the end of 1996, the Montour Trail (including 3.5 miles constructed separately by Peters Twp) offers a total of 23 miles of completed trail in five separate segments.