Wonderful bird walk and talk at lovely facility. Beautiful grounds and fun gift shop.read more

Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve is the headquarters of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania…read more(ASWP). The ASWP's website says that this reserve contains 134 acres of sanctuary, several trails that total five miles, and facilities such as a nature store, native-plant nursery, play area, educational classrooms, teachers' resource center, and a library. Rental spaces include a barn, auditorium, and classroom. My husband and I visited the nature store and the native-plant nursery. At the nature store, we saw products such as bird feeders, bird seed, binoculars, gardening gloves, nature books, t-shirts, honey, stuffed animals, puzzles, greeting cards, etcetera. At the native-plant nursery outside, we thought that the plants were somewhat small in size but had a varied selection and were priced reasonably. The ASWP's website has a list of available plants, which includes over 150 species of trees, shrubs, and perennials that attract birds, butterflies, and bees. In the future, I plan to return to Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve to hike their trails. I think that I would enjoy seeing their woodlands, fields, streams, pond, and wildlife.

Loved this park! I found parking in the lot by the garden area. It was great to see so many people…read moreout working in the garden. I took the perimeter trail down the hill and stumbled upon the hidden pond and little falls trail. It was super peaceful and beautiful there! I also saw tons of beautiful flowers and even spotted a butterfly. The sound of birds singing was lovely to hear during my walk. If you need a rest there are a few benches along the trail. I really enjoyed exploring this place and will be back to explore further.

The parks in Pennsylvania, I've found to be well maintained, clean and plenty of open green spaces,…read morefor adults and children alike. Thig his location was the perfect blend with baseball diamonds, football, pee wee little league, paved walking trails, and top notch recreation center , that was clean, welcoming, better then the YMCA in my local area. Perfect way to enjoy the outdoors, on a 60 degree in December, this past Saturday.

Grandview Park is a very cool place to hike - not only does it have some awesome Pittsburgh views…read morewith a beautiful, open, flat area featuring benches, picnic tables, porta-potties, trash cans, and even a working three-tier fountain for dogs and people alike, but it has a trail so forest-y that you will not believe how close it is to downtown. Grandview not only has the unique combination of city convenience and natural beauty, but the park hours are 6 AM to 11 PM which makes it a great spot for a first date. One thing to know is that while the main areas are accessible and enjoyable, the trail itself has certain parts where the branches, leaves, and vegetation grow very close to the path, so you may find yourself brushing through plants as you walk. One of the things on the path you may want to be careful about brushing up against are the several branches of what are called wineberry plants along the trail. They are beautiful and fun to spot, but be careful because the stems have thorns and they grow very close to the edges of the trail in some areas. Because the trail can get narrow in places, and it helps to be small and nimble because otherwise you will probably find yourself rubbing against these plants. There is also a hidden gem near the Grandview Park access road between Grandview Elementary and Emerald View Park where you can find two beautiful cypress trees. I have honestly never seen trees quite like these before. They look like what would happen if a regular tree had a soft and sweet little baby with a pine tree. They are unique, whimsical, and somehow both elegant and adorable at the same time. They are definitely worth taking a moment to appreciate when you are on this part of the trail. Another important thing to know is that there are some steep ledges on this trail which are no joke. You actually could get seriously hurt if you fell, so be mindful of where you are walking. Also, make sure you take this trail with someone you trust because, honestly, if someone wanted you to die, there are definitely places where they could make that happen on this trail.

Great view of downtown which makes it a prime spot for the Fourth of July fireworks. This is where…read morewe watched our very first Pittsburgh fireworks. There's some overgrown weeds and trees blocking some of the view behind the bandstand. Otherwise, it's a great spot for live music, food trucks, and views of the sunset and the city.

Pittsburgh is truly blessed to have Schenley Park as part of our city's heritage. It is one of the…read morelargest and cleanest parks in the heart of the city, with a trail system and variety of recreational spaces that rival some of the biggest parks in Pittsburgh. It is incredible to have such a large natural area surrounded by the energy of the city. The park offers a pool, playgrounds, skating rink, pavilions, and other activities throughout, but the highlight is the extensive network of trails. There are so many paths to explore that you could spend an entire day walking here and still discover something new. Panther Hollow Trail is one of my favorites. It runs through much of the park, is beautifully shaded, and is a great option on hot, sunny days when you want to enjoy the outdoors without being in direct sunlight the entire time. The main trail is wide, well-graveled, and easy to navigate for groups, walkers, and people with pets. It also connects to other trails throughout the park, including the Bridle Trail and Three Rivers Heritage Trail. Anderson Playground is another unique feature, with its three-tier fountains and creative playground equipment. There are also porta potties throughout the park, which makes spending several hours exploring much easier. One of my favorite things about Schenley Park is that every visit feels different. You can walk around, find new areas, see different activities happening, and create new memories each time. I have enjoyed many walks here with different friends over the years, and it remains one of my favorite places in Pittsburgh to enjoy nature, sunshine, and time outdoors.

Tons of walking trails right outside of Oakland. Who would have thought there was this much nature…read moreright near the city. Well kept and trails are marked. Make sure you have your walking shoes

This is a well maintained, rather large, county park. There are lots of recreational activities,…read moreincluding kayaking, biking, pickleball, and hiking. The hiking trails are extraordinary, featuring many species of unusual birds. For example, the Veery nests in North Park, but nowhere else in the County.

We have had family picnics as well as weddings at North park ! It's a very well maintained park…read morewith beautiful picnic areas and places to sit for an afternoon and enjoy the outdoors. It's a friendly park for humans and animals - highly recommend you check out North Park for all that it has to offer with many ways to get to the park from either side of the city.

Such a cool park. Repurposing available area with industrial ties to make an oasis for this…read moreneighborhood! Crossing train tracks provide shady areas. Riverfront provides plenty of spectacular nature views and a launch point for small boats. The park is kept pristine with onsite workers, small businesses, and constant oversight. Plenty of cool places to just sit and enjoy being out in the sun!

I thought I had already reviewed this park, but that review is gone, so I will review it again…read more This is a very nice park next to the river in Aspinwall. There is a playground area with a very cool sculpture that you can climb and slide on. It has little people sculptures all over it that are fun to discover. There are chairs and benches and port-a Johns, and a restroom in the building too. There is even a dog park. The trail has been extended since my last visit, and goes all the way to Sharpsburg. The only thing I don't like is the big ugly cellphone tower, but I suppose it's a necessary evil. Overall, a very nice place to come and hang out and relax ... Cheers!

This lovely conservation area is 450 acres of beautiful forest with lots to see and a very shadowy…read morepast. The ruins of an old pipe factory are very visible and there are informative signs that tell the story. These occurrences took place in the 1800's. There is history of criminals murdered, accidental death(pipe factory), a hanging, an explosion, a drowning, a giant snake sighting, all taking place in the park. For this reason many people think that the sight is haunted by the people who met their fate here. I hate to burst the excitement, but I have never experienced ghosts, or any other paranormal activity while spending time there. In fact, despite it's dark past Dead Man's Hollow is a very tranquil place. If you have been there during May when Spring season really kicks off you will see tons of wildflowers that are spectacular. The pipe factory had a fire and the ground was burned. This happens to be very good for re-growth and as a result we get to experience a lot of beautiful flora. Also, the old pipe factory remains are covered with cool graffiti. The trails are at times narrow, but they are very clean. You are at some point going to climb up and down hills, so it is a very good workout. I would say that the hiking is a bit more challenging. To find it I would suggest searching via a trailhead name and not just the park name. One example would be "cat fish pond trail." There is a nice parking area near that trailhead. There is also another parking area on the other side of the park(more on that later). This other side is closer to the ruins.

We checked out the catfish pond today. It looked promising at first but soon discovered that there…read moreis very little accessibility to fish there. The spots that are open are at an incline sloped towards the pond and are very slippery and hazardous. I do not recommend taking young kids there. My daughter and I fished for an hour or so and only saw bluegill in the 3-4" range and smaller minnows. We used lures and worms and had many bites but the fish were too small to get hooked. We did see many water turtles and even a few babies whose shell was about 2-3" in diameter. We also saw one large snapping turtle appear for a few seconds. There are also a bunch of bullfrog minnows whose bodies were the size of golf balls (early June). It's a cool place to see but we won't be returning to fish.

A unique opportunity to explore a natural plant and wildlife refuge within close proximity to an…read moreurban areas. Sycamore Island is protected by the Allegheny Land Trust and open to the public via boat. I've been fortunate to have visited about 7 times, each visit an enjoyable adventure. There are a few trails on the island, and it's recommended that you stay on these trails to avoid contact with poison ivy. There's a 12 foot elevation we jokingly call Mount Sycamore. It's a pleasant vantage point, but then again exploring the entire island is a remarkable experience. The website has a catalog of the known plants and animals, and personally I've seen a piliated woodpecker, along with other birds, mammals and plants. After a rain you are certain to find interesting mushrooms. There's a boat launch in the middle of island on the Verona side. It can accommodate about 10 canoes or kayaks. Venture Outdoors provides an annual trip to visit to the Island for advanced paddlers from their Aspinwall kayak concession.