The trail originally reached about 133 miles from Aspinwall in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area to Cook Forest State Park.

In the following years, development around Aspinwall caused several miles at the southern end of the trail to be abandoned, and the south terminus was retracted to Freeport.

[3] It also crosses many tracts of private land, at which passage for hikers has been arranged with owners, though the trail also features ten overnight backpacking shelters.

[5] Hiking from south to north, the Baker Trail initially travels eastbound through suburban and semi-rural areas of Armstrong County.

The Baker Trail ends at State Route 2007, near Ellsworth Run and just south of a border with Allegheny National Forest.